Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan rejected claims that the federal government has threatened to cancel funding to a major defence conference held yearly in Halifax if the organizer decides to award Taiwan president its John McCain Prize. “That’s actually absolutely false,” Sajjan told the parliamentary committee on Canada-China relations on April 12. “The Halifax Security Forum is an independent organization, and they make their own choices with regards to the award.” The Washington-based Halifax Security Forum holds its high profile defence conference annually in Halifax. The event is attended by senior-level politicians and military officials discussing global security issues. Citing multiple sources, Politico said in an April 11 report that the Forum had decided late last year to give its John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen for “standing strong against China’s relentless pressure.” But Canadian officials warned that if the award is given to Tsai, Ottawa would cut …