QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Afghanistan Crisis
October 6, 2022
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Last week, The Globe and Mail reported on the case of Mohammad Salim Saberi, a former guard at Canada’s embassy in Kabul who was attacked by the Taliban earlier this month leaving him with a broken thumb. Mr. Saberi believes that they are also tracking and following him. Since then, he has gone into hiding as he waits to be approved for resettlement by IRCC.
It has been more than a year since he first started asking to be rescued. This is not the first Trudeau government failure to secure the safety of Afghans in need of help. What is taking so long? What steps, if any, is your government taking to bring Mr. Saberi, and others who find themselves in this situation, safely home to Canada?
Well, honourable senators, I cannot comment on specific cases, even if I had the information.
This government is working very hard and under extraordinarily difficult circumstances to bring home those who have assisted us and those who were seeking refuge in Canada. To date, we’ve helped airlift over 3,700 people, dating from August 2021.
The challenges are well known in this chamber. I will not repeat them. I understand that the logistical challenges of identifying and providing an ability for them to provide safe passage out of the country have been exacerbated in no small measure by the insistence of the Taliban that they have certain travel documents. We can all well understand how reluctant someone might be to present themselves at a Taliban-run station to explain why they want to leave the country.
The government is working as hard as it can with its partners and will continue to do so.
Government leader, Mr. Saberi is one of many Afghans. If you remember, I raised the case of Mr. Haqmal, the interpreter who was stuck in Ukraine and who has since moved to Germany. He is still waiting for his papers. These people risked their lives working alongside our soldiers and diplomats. Yet, they have been effectively abandoned by your government and are now being targeted by the Taliban. After the Taliban’s takeover, the Trudeau government promised to rescue 40,000 Afghans to Canada, but IRCC says only 19,395 Afghans have arrived since August 2021.
Why is your government not doing everything in its power to bring these people to safety? Do you not realize that their lives are at stake?
The government is aware of the risk and realizes that lives are at stake. The government is, in fact, doing everything that it can. It has just not been possible. It remains incredibly challenging to get everyone out not only as quickly as we would hope but also as quickly as they would hope. Efforts continue and shall continue.
