Okay.
Do you see that there is any difference between giving a ministerial direction versus giving a command?
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
What are you referring to here?
Okay.
Do you think the Canadian Armed Forces interpreted it that you said, “This is what's going to happen,” and that it was more of a command, or was it just you saying, “I think we should do this”?
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
First, that's—
Mr. James Bezan:
I mean in your conversations with the chain of command.
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
Let's talk about what in particular you're talking about here when it comes to direction and command; it's of what...?
Mr. James Bezan:
The command for the evacuation of Canadians, Afghans and other minority groups within Afghanistan.
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
If you mean the overall evacuation, yes, that was the direction that was given.
Mr. James Bezan:
Okay, and that would have been interpreted as a command from the Minister of National Defence.
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
Of the.... Yes, the direction obviously gives the authority for the Canadian Armed Forces to work.
Okay.
Did your former chief of staff, George Young, participate in these meetings and also help in making sure the directive was carried out?
Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan:
I had a staff, and yes, the chief of staff of my staff was always there to work. Yes.
Mr. James Bezan:
Would George Young have been your chief of staff at that time?