A year after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Canada’s resettlement efforts have lagged behind official targets and the efforts to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine. More than 17,300 Afghans have arrived in Canada since last August compared to 71,800 Ukrainians who have come to Canada in 2022 alone, according to government statistics. The federal government has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghans.
Canadian activists and MPs accuse the Liberals of not doing enough to help people who worked with the Canadian Forces in the country, including as interpreters.
They say some families are in hiding from the Taliban as they await approval of their immigration applications, while others have been split up, with children and spouses of applicants left behind.
New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan, who has been in contact with many Afghan refugees who worked with Canadian Forces, said there is a “stark difference” between the government’s treatment of those fleeing the Taliban and those fleeing the Russian invasion. She said the situation for Afghans who helped Canada is “grave,” with many unable to escape the country and facing persecution by the Taliban.
IN THE NEWS: Indo Canadian Voice - NDP says it will keep fighting for urgently needed and life saving assistance for Afghans
Today marks the one-year anniversary since the devastating fall of Kabul and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, which launched the country into the worst humanitarian crisis in decades. While many families have fled Afghanistan and are seeking asylum, others were left behind in an evacuation that started too late and ended too early.
Kwan and McPherson pointed out: “The Special Immigration Measures for Afghans announced in 2021 are coming to an end, meaning that many people who assisted Canada on missions and their families may never make it to safety. Instead of expediting processing, the Liberal government made the application process confusing and full of bureaucratic red tape. The NDP exposed that at least 2,900 applications referred by the Department of National Defence are lost between departments. This is beyond unacceptable.
The Liberals have a duty of care to help people who worked for the Canadian government and their families – instead, they left them behind. Now those who worked for Canada as interpreters, security guards, as well as former women Afghan parliamentarians and their families are being persecuted by the Taliban. Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government are failing in their humanitarian and moral duties.
CPAC coverage of NDP MPs Parliament Hill news conferene to discuss humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan
Jenny Kwan, the NDP critic for refugees and citizenship, and Heather McPherson, the party’s critic for foreign affairs and international development, mark the one-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and discuss what needs to be done to help families stranded in the country. Also participating in the virtual news conference are Wadood Dilsoz, director of the Afghan Community Vancouver Foundation, and Reyhana Patel, director of communications and government relations for Islamic Relief Canada.
MEDIA RELEASE: New Democrats Force the Liberals to Act: Wins for Everyday Canadians
Whether it’s sky-high rent and housing costs, gas pump gouging, or record-high grocery bills – working families are feeling the squeeze of inflation as big box stores and CEOs earn massive profits. At the NDP caucus retreat in Halifax last week, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh reiterated urgent calls for inflationary relief measures to address the affordability crisis.
New Democrats used their power in the minority parliament to get wins for everyday people, forcing the Liberals to finally agree to take action on a historic expansion of Canada’s healthcare system through the establishment of a dental care program for families earning less than $90,000 without insurance and an increase to the Canadian Housing Benefit – real measures that will help household budgets.
MEDIA RELEASE: New Democrats Force the Liberals to Act: Wins for Everyday Canadians
Whether it’s sky-high rent and housing costs, gas pump gouging, or record-high grocery bills – working families are feeling the squeeze of inflation as big box stores and CEOs earn massive profits. At the NDP caucus retreat in Halifax last week, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh reiterated urgent calls for inflationary relief measures to address the affordability crisis.
New Democrats used their power in the minority parliament to get wins for everyday people, forcing the Liberals to finally agree to take action on a historic expansion of Canada’s healthcare system through the establishment of a dental care program for families earning less than $90,000 without insurance and an increase to the Canadian Housing Benefit – real measures that will help household budgets.
OPEN LETTER: Impacts of National Security Law on Canadian Veteran Journalist
We write today to raise concerns about the continuing impacts of the National Security Law that was unilaterally imposed upon Hong Kong by the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in June 2020, and the erosion of fundamental human rights, democracy and civil liberties faced by the people of Hong Kong.
As you may have seen in recent news reports, a respected Canadian journalist and editor, Mr. Victor Ho, has been targeted by the current government of Hong Kong for his involvement in pro-democracy activities in Canada. Mr. Ho is a veteran journalist and was formerly the editor-in-chief of Sing Tao Daily from 2005-2018. He continues to work as an independent public affairs commentator and operates independent media outlet, Media Analytica.
IN THE NEWS: National Observer - MPs raise concerns over pipeline construction obstructing salmon run
The NDP’s fisheries critic Lisa Marie Barron, house leader Peter Julian, infrastructure and communities critic Bonita Zarrillo and Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan signed an open letter raising concerns about the impact pipeline construction is having on the early salmon run.
The letter asks the ministers for Fisheries and Oceans, Environment, Natural Resources and Crown-Indigenous Relations to “intervene and halt construction of the TMX pipeline expansion,” adding the future health of wild Pacific salmon species may depend on their action.
The federal NDP opposes the Liberal government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline and the expansion project, though Leader Jagmeet Singh has not said whether the party would cancel it.
OPEN LETTER: Evidence of Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Harms to Wild Salmon
We are writing to you to raise very urgent concerns that have been brought to our attention about evidence of harms to wild salmon caused by the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion at work sites where the pipeline crosses the Coquihalla River.
The Coquihalla River is a tributary of the Fraser River and forms a part of the watershed that is essential for resident wild salmon species. For example, the Pacific Salmon Commission reports, as in an August 2, 2022 Vancouver Sun article (https://vancouversun.com/news/local- news/strong-sockeye-salmon-runs-bode-well-for-famed-fraser-fishery) that 2022 is expected to be a dominant year in the sockeye salmon’s four-year reproductive cycle, meaning that mature fish will be returning to the watershed to spawn. Protecting the millions of salmon expected to spawn in these rivers this year is utterly crucial for the survival of these keystone species, and on- the-ground observers have advised us that there are indications that the Fraser River is experiencing a large and early salmon run.
IN THE NEWS: CBC - ‘Waiting for our death’: Afghan miliary lawyers beg Canada for help to escape
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan has said the government's claim that other immigration avenues remain open to Afghans is "deceptive.”
"That is just a rejection," she said.
IN THE NEWS: Toronto Star - Are you waiting for the confirmation of your extended work permits? It may be in a stranger’s inbox
Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan, the NDP’s immigration critic, said what happened is a serious privacy breach and the government should know these errors have seriously consequences.
“Despite the immigration minister’s claim that the system is working, the department continues to be in complete chaos,” said Kwan. “They are putting people in perpetual distress. I can’t believe that the government has resorted to this kind of scare tactics.
“With this kind of communication, they are telling people that they are unimportant and they are not welcomed. The Liberals are completely forgetting that immigration services can impact someone for the rest of their lives. They are putting Canada’s reputation in jeopardy.”