QUESTION PERIOD — Global Affairs
Afghanistan Crisis
October 31, 2023
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Last week, the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade held meetings about the situation in Afghanistan. I asked witnesses about Bill C-41, which is the legislation we passed back in June that amends anti-terrorist financing offences in the Criminal Code to facilitate the delivery of much-needed international assistance in geographic areas controlled by terrorist groups, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan. I asked witnesses if they’re seeing any increased flow of aid as a result of the passage of the bill.
Usama Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Islamic Relief Canada, indicated that the implementation of the bill is not moving fast enough. He said that for the application and the understanding of exactly what Bill C-41 looks like, and for the process of the authorization regime, some of those details haven’t been fleshed out yet. According to some aid agencies, the status quo is still the status quo. There’s no clarity on what’s allowed.
Senator Gold, how does the government respond to the request from aid agencies for clarity?
Thank you for your question, and thank you for underlining — as if the world doesn’t have enough tragedies — that which has befallen the people of Afghanistan, not only recently, but also, frankly, for much of our adult lives.
I don’t have the information to answer your question with any confidence, senator, but it is an important question. I will certainly bring those questions to the attention of the minister in the hope that I’ll understand better.
Thank you. I’d appreciate that because this is urgent. It was urgent back in June, and it is even more urgent now.
At last week’s meetings of the Foreign Affairs Committee, we also heard from Arif Lalani, Canada’s former ambassador to Afghanistan. Mr. Lalani emphasized that Canadian officials need to be on the ground in Afghanistan to see the situation for themselves. Mr. Khan of Islamic Relief Canada emphasized that engagement doesn’t mean endorsement.
Senator Gold, our Minister of Foreign Affairs talked about pragmatic diplomacy yesterday in Toronto. What could a pragmatic —
Senator Gold, your response.
Again, I am not really able to answer that question except to underline, as we all know, how challenging this particular circumstance is, given the position that the government and those in control of Afghanistan have taken — not only toward the outside world, but also with their citizens.
