Toronto: Anita Anand, Indian-origin Canadian politician, has been appointed as Canada’s new Defence Minister. Anand, 54, will replace long-time defence minister Indian-origin Harjit Sajjan.
According to reports, Anand has been touted as a strong contender for weeks among defence industry experts who said that moving her into the role would send a powerful signal to survivors and victims of military sexual misconduct that the government is serious about implementing major reforms.
The Canadian military is facing intense public and political pressure to change its culture and create better systems for both preventing and handling sexual misconduct allegations, it said.
Anand, along with Sajjan and Bardish Chagger were the three Indo-Canadian ministers in the dissolved Cabinet who emerged victorious in the parliamentary polls last month.