(Ottawa) Two Canadians who served in the military in Afghanistan are suing the federal government over alleged discrimination for failing to save their family members from the Taliban.
The federal government recently created a program to ensure the safety of the families of Canadians who served as language and cultural advisers in Afghanistan.
But the criteria are so restrictive that they do not apply to some family members who were threatened because of their connection to Canada’s military intervention before the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
In their lawsuit, the advisers compare the plight of their family members to that of Ukrainians, who were offered unlimited temporary visas to flee the Russian invasion and work or study in Canada.
Lawyer Nicholas Pope says Ukrainians have received better immigration benefits, even though the Afghans he represents are at just as much risk.
The federal government has yet to respond to the court filing, but in a statement released earlier this month, the immigration department said it had adapted its approaches as the difficult situation in Afghanistan evolved. .