WTF? Where was this? Who are those guys?! What was going on? The answer to the second question is that they were parading down Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto -- the city that thinks it's world-class. The members of the Canadian Armed Forces (for that's why they are) are not (as some thought) Jagmeet Singh's personal bodyguards, nor are they (as rumoured) members of an elite squad of Indo-Canadians departing for a mission to liberate "Khalistan", aka the Punjab, homeland to Canada's million or so Sikhs.
They are Sikhs though, as is their ultimate commander, the Canadian Minister of Defence, Harjit Sajjan. Mr Sajjan claimed today that he did not authorized the appearance of this squad in the annual Khalsa Day parade, in which Sikhs anticipate the, errr, liberation of Khalistan. Mr Sajjan says (now) that there was nothing wrong with these turbaned heroes being in the parade, but that their commander should have ordered "No assault rifles!" Or "at least not 'at the ready' as if you're on combat patrol! That comes later..."
Both the commander who authorized the marching contingent to carry rifles (against government policy) and whoever told them how to carry the rifles (just plain stupid) definitely have some `splainin' to do! A spokesthingy for the CAF said the army's top commander in Ontario is following up with the unit and has issued additional orders prohibiting the carrying of weapons at similar events.
She could not, however, say whether a formal investigation or disciplinary action had been launched. Chances of that happening when those involved, including the Honourable Mr Sajjan, are Sikhs? Slim and none. Hey, there's an election coming in less than six months!
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