They were new. They are only eight. And if the Trudeau government doesn’t act urgently, the list could get even shorter.
We are talking here about former members of the Afghan parliament who are still stuck in their country. And who have been in danger since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
Since last October, a cross-partisan group made up of six Canadian MPs has been calling on the government to ensure that these nine women and their families can find refuge in Canada.
Unusual fact, this group which puts pressure on the Trudeau government includes MPs from five federal parties… including two Liberal MPs.
The proof that they are right to worry came tragically last weekend. One of the nine former Afghan MPs, Mursal Nabizada, was shot dead in her home in Kabul. She was 29 years old. His bodyguard also died in the attack and his brother was injured.
Difficult to have a clearer demonstration that Canada should have acted sooner.
And that we must now fly to the aid of the eight former deputies who remain. To say that this is a matter of life or death is not a figure of speech.
No, Canada cannot help everyone in the world who is in danger. But in the specific case of these women, the country has a “moral obligation”.
From 2001 to 2021, Canada has provided nearly $4 billion in international assistance to Afghanistan. The rights of women and girls have been at the heart of Canadian priorities. One of the missions was to help women play an active role in Afghan society, especially in politics.
These women who were helped to rise to power are now in danger. We have to help them.
How ?
In the office of the Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, it is pointed out that Canada already has a tool for this: the “humanitarian program for Afghan nationals in need of resettlement”.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
It is particularly oriented towards “women leaders”. Former Afghan MPs and judges, in particular, have already found refuge in Canada thanks to him.
The problem is that you can’t simply say to the eight ex-MPs who stay behind: “The program exists, all you have to do is fill out the form. It’s much more complex.
To be eligible, women must be outside of Afghanistan. However, Canada has no diplomatic or military presence there and therefore cannot help them leave the country.
Non-governmental organizations are ready to bring them out. But to put the plan into action, they need assurances that Canada will then quickly welcome the women.
These ex-deputies are hunted down. It is unthinkable to keep them hanging around for months in a neighboring country, with the risk of being sent back to Afghanistan. A dismissal which, for them, would be equivalent to a death sentence.
What we are asking of Minister Fraser today is therefore a clear signal that these women are welcome here. He could use his discretionary powers to grant them asylum. Or make sure they are accepted into the existing program.
“We are asking the government to deviate from standard procedures,” summed up Liberal MP Leah Taylor Roy, who takes the risk here of challenging the minister of her own party. His initiative should be welcomed.
At the end of the day on Tuesday, we were told that the minister is now working in this direction. So much the better. But we will applaud when the eight women are safe in Canada.
For the Taliban, women politicians are targets to be shot down. We have an obligation to counter this barbarity by opening our arms to them.