It's cultural

In my opinion, the mess Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is in is due to his culture.  One of my dear friends was born in Bombay and grew up with a house full of servants who felt it perfectly fine to lie and steal.  In fact, the memsahib always budgeted 10% extra to cover pilfering losses.  And of course, the servants would never admit they had taken anything. 

"That's the way they think," my friend explained.  And don't dare call me racist, I am talking about culture here.  So, while we in Canada are rightly outraged at the bold-face lie he told about his role in a battle in Afghanistan, it's all perfectly normal for some Indians to stretch the truth -- or outright bend it in two.

This same friend did graduate work in London, where it was common for Indian students to describe their educational achievements as, "B.A. Oxford," before adding the word "fail".  So, as ridiculous as it was, "B.A. Oxford fail" was how they described their non-degrees.  Not unlike Sajjan overblowing his role in Afghanistan.   

When I worked for the taxman, we were well aware that folks from failed countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy, for example, considered it a badge of honour to not pay taxes.  (And by the way, if you want to know the truth about global economies, just read the weekly stats in 'The Economist'. GPD and unemployment rates tell the whole tale; I'm not making this up.)  So, as I was saying, these filers were quietly targeted, along with Chinese merchants who are notorious tax evaders.  Next time you go to a Chinese restaurant and they make change from an open til, take note.  Why do you think those countries don't work?  'Cause no one wants to pay taxes. 

It's cultural. 

The problem is Sajjan is a minister of the Canadian Crown, where this is completely unacceptable and grounds for kicking him out of Cabinet.  Will Captain Selfie do so?  Not on your life and this refusal to fire him puts the future of the defence review paper in jeopardy because Sajjan will not be able to sell its recommendations to Canadian military brass. 

His hitherto credibility has been reduced to zilch.  Good luck, Minister.