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Taxpayers spent $161,000 for photographers to take images of Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan on his various trips in what the Liberal government says is proof that Canada is re-engaging on the world stage. That cost covers only travel and accommodations for the military photographers and does not include their salaries.

The amount covers 26 trips since late 2015 to locations such as India, Trenton, Yellowknife, Brussels, Ukraine, Latvia, Iraq and Africa.

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The photographers accompany the minister on the trips and are not assigned to specific military operations.

The Canadian Forces stated in an email to Postmedia that the photographers can travel at a moment’s notice and have the security clearances needed to take images of the minister at meetings with allies.

Sajjan’s spokeswoman, Renée Filiatrault, said in an email that such photographers are used by the military and the minister to support communicating with the public in Canada and abroad. She noted that the minister travels to international meetings and to various missions.

“As with previous Ministers, they often accompany the Minister of Defence,” Filiatrault stated. “Our government promised to re-engage in the world and communicate openly with Canadians and we are doing just that.”

Photo by Harjit Sajjan / Twitter

Postmedia asked for the cost figures after receiving emails from military personnel who noted what they considered excessive spending on photography for Sajjan’s social media accounts.

On Friday, Sajjan’s staff posted a number of photos on Twitter of the minister meeting NATO officials in Brussels. Those images were taken by Canadian Forces photographers who accompanied the minister. That latest trip was not captured in the figures provided.

Such international meetings also often have official photographers assigned to events to produce imagery for the participants.

The DND did not have figures available showing how much was spent on photography for previous defence ministers.