Nope those feats are considered canon, because in order to progress in the game you must complete those task given to you by the mission giver during the cutscenes. Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez tells Tommy during the cutscene to steal a tank, when the mission is completed and you report back to Cortez for another mission, it is evident that Tommy did take in the military and steal the tank. I get what you mean with player controlled. But still those feats are considered canon because in order to progress in the game you must complete those task the mission boss gives you. Like the Truth telling CJ to steal a $billion jetpack. If you don't do that mission then the storyline does not progres.