AFGH Committee Report

Supplementary Report of the New Democratic Party

Special Committee on Afghanistan (AFGH)

Introduction

Following the withdrawal of American and NATO forces after 20 years of military intervention, we witnessed in horror the Taliban take over Afghanistan in August 2021. Many have fled the country and are seeking asylum, while others have been left behind in an evacuation that started too late and ended too early.

The situation in Afghanistan is worsening by the day.  Members of Parliament from all political parties have all declared their deep appreciation to Afghans who served Canada during our missions abroad.  Canadian veterans see them as part of Canada’s military family, yet Canada’s evacuation effort left many behind. 

Lost Files Between Departments, Biometrics and Documentation Requirements

While the Canadian Government announced special immigration measures (SIM) for Afghans so that they could get to safety; to date, many of the applications have not even received a response from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).  According to Mr. Brian Macdonald, Executive Director, Aman Lara, a non-profit organization of veterans, former interpreters, and volunteers, they have over 10,000 people on their list who are stuck in Afghanistan.  They are people “…who helped our war efforts and those who worked alongside us to advance Canadian democratic principles.”  To put it in simple terms, “Abandoning these people to a desperate state at the hands of the Taliban is unacceptable. We need to redeem our national honour and ensure they come to Canada. Every life we save is a victory”[i], added Mr. Macdonald.

This is a sentiment echoed by many of the witnesses at the Special Committee on Afghanistan (the Committee).  However, it is becoming more and more apparent that IRCC is in chaos.  Appearing before the Committee on May 2, 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Melanie Joly and her officials confirmed that Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has referred urgent files to IRCC for processing under the Humanitarian Program for Afghan nationals in need of resettlement. Furthermore, on May 9, 2022, the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Anita Anand and her officials indicated that the Department of National Defence (DND) verified and referred 3,800 applications to IRCC under the Special Immigration program for Afghan nations (and their families) who assisted the Government of Canada, but to date, only 900 have been confirmed.

Not only are there significant delays in processing, there are serious concerns that GAC and DND referrals for vulnerable Afghans and Afghans who assisted Canada’s missions in Afghanistan are nowhere to be found in IRCC’s system. Applicants have not heard from IRCC, no invitation to apply under the special immigration measures were issued and no G-numbers were issued. Meanwhile their lives hang in the balance and their situation is getting more and more dangerous by the day.

It is important to note that DND referred applications have been verified to have an enduring relationship with Canada. The verification process is a combination of “records, plus personal attestations.”[ii] To be able to serve the Canadian military at the time, they would have passed the security screening process as well.  In other words, they have been thoroughly vetted by the government. 

As indicated by General Wayne D. Eyre:

“I, myself, received many emails from Afghans I had served and worked with, and I would vouch for their credibility. Yes, they did serve with Canadians. Yes, they did serve with the Canadian Forces.  You would say, ‘I served with this individual for this period,’ and that would form the basis of the validation—that coupled with the employment records we had.”[iii]

Despite the fact that they have been verified by DND, IRCC still requires onerous documentations and biometrics to be completed before they are offered safe passage to Canada.

Mr. Corey Shelson, Canadian Armed Forces from 2002 until 2015, said: “On the bureaucratic application process, providing forms that could be opened only in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and requiring that they be signed, scanned and returned, demonstrated a lack of sensitivity to the situation on the ground and placed affected individuals at undue risk.”[iv]

Mr. Stephen Peddle, who also served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 2002 until 2015, which included an eight-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2010 said:

“The whole paperwork process that was outlined confused me, as a federal employee of 28 years and a senior officer in the CAF, so I could only imagine what these Afghans were going through, with their lives on the line, to get this paperwork done to get out of the war zone, having known that they helped Canada for two decades and they would have targets on their heads….”[v]

This lengthy process is putting Afghans who put their lives and that of their families in jeopardy to serve Canada in grave danger.  They are being hunted down by the Taliban. 

Mr. Hameed Khan, former interpreter, Canadian Armed Forces, testified before the Committee and advised that:

“We're here talking about a life-and-death situation. We're asking the Canadian public, we're asking lawmakers, we're asking parliamentarians and we're asking the government officials to listen to us. Listen to our concerns. Listen to our cries. We are in desperate need of saving our families. They are all hiding, one way or another, moving from one house to another house. People have been chased down. People's homes are being searched. It is a dire situation.

Most of the families are starving. We are all living in fear that this is the last day they will see. We are here because of our enduring relationship with Canada. None of our families deserved this.”[vi]

He further elaborated and gave committee members a glimpse into what’s happening on the ground for their family members:

“The Taliban have done multiple killings of anyone considered a traitor. This knot is now getting tighter, as they enter and search houses of suspected family members of those who worked with NATO or ISAF forces. Many have burned the paperwork that connects our families to Canada. First-hand reports paint a sad situation. Valuables are being taken, leaving them no choice but to starve. Taliban are physically assaulting not only the men but also the women of the family members of the former interpreters.”[vii]

All through the Committee, witness after witness spoke of the need for urgent action.  They repeatedly called for the government to ease the documentation requirements.  They further called for the government to waive the biometrics requirements until they are safely on Canadian soil. 

Mr. Oliver Thorne reminded committee members that:

“Without the ability to deliver biometrics in country, which we cannot do without a Canadian consular presence, they have to go to a third country before they can come to Canada. That means we have to deal with all the paperwork requirements to get them into that third country. Remember, most of the individuals we are talking to do not have passports. Without a passport they can’t get a visa and without a visa they can’t go into the country.”[viii]

He further indicated that:

“The ideal solution would be…bring people to Canada without biometric verification and do the verification in Canada.”[ix]

This was echoed by Sally Armstrong, who felt that Afghans should be able to get to safety, in Canada or in a lily-pad country, and “[s]ort out the biometrics later”.[x]

The Canadian government’s refusal to take action on these key elements is instilling a sense of betrayal in the hearts and minds of many.  Mr. Ghulam Faizi, another former interpreter, Canadian Armed Forces, bluntly said:

“The federal government, and particularly IRCC, should stop playing politics with us because it is a matter of life and death for our parents and siblings.”[xi]

To date, witnesses testified that “…no families have arrived.  Zero members of our family have arrived.”[xii]  In fact, sixty-five percent of the applications did not even receive a G-number.

Even more disturbing is the fact that former Afghan interpreters advised the Committee that after they held a second hunger strike at Parliament Hill, instead of expeditated action from the government, they are being asked to submit more forms, more documents.

What is abundantly clear is that instead of more documentation requirements, they need the Government of Canada to reduce them.  As Mr. Faizi said:

“If you go to the Taliban and ask for a family passport, the first question they ask you is, ‘Why do you need a passport for every single member of your family? Who did you work for? Did you have a relationship with any foreign NATO members?’ They start targeting and investigating you.”[xiii]

The Canadian government need to reflect on the words of Mr. Ahmad Shoaib, former Interpreter, Canadian Armed Forces:

“Afghan interpreters who were once heroes to the Government of Canada are zero today because they are stressed, depressed, panicking and mentally unstable due to the live threat to their families and their loved ones… We want them to be evacuated to a third country to make sure they are safe and to make sure they don't become the victim of our enduring relationship with the Canadian government.”[xiv]

Afghanistan vs Ukraine Special Immigration Measures

Witnesses also noted that there is a significant difference with the emergency immigrations measures between the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and Ukraine.  Numerous witnesses called on the Government of Canada to offer Afghans similar special immigration measures as what is being provided to Ukrainians. 

Perhaps the most poignant point was made by Mr. Hameed Khan, who stated:

“Our demand from IRCC, from the Canadian government, is to treat us fairly. We're also human. We also bleed. We fought with you. We were your allies.”[xv]

Expansion and Extension of the Special Immigration Measures

Finally, in a written submission, Ms. Lauryn Oates, Executive Director of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4Wafghan), noted that:

“IRCC will close the Special Immigration Measures (SIM) program after the remaining spots are filled, as part of the 40,000 commitment. People who do not get in are being told to explore alternatives like private sponsorship; however, this requires UNHCR designation. It is well known that it is next to impossible for Afghans in Pakistan to obtain UNHCR status there and there are credible reports of corruption with the UNHCR's partner SHARP in Pakistan…. We have firsthand reports of Afghans who first attempted to get UNHCR refugee designation as far back as September 2021, and have made no progress so far, and we have been told to expect it to "take years" to, possibly, get UNHCR status. Therefore, sponsorship is not a realistic alternative for most Afghans.

Further, the purpose of SIM was to provide a pathway for Afghans who assisted Canada. Canada was not able to assist all eligible people under this pathway in 2021/22. There was a lack of transparency in the referral and selection process for those who were selected versus those who heard nothing back. The Canadian Government can rectify this by ensuring there are still viable options for those left behind.” [xvi]

In light of the fact that thousands of applications referred by GAC and DND are “lost” in IRCC’s system and many others are unable to access the government’s partner referral organizations, it is imperative that the SIM program is extended.

The NDP stands firmly and fully in support of these calls for action.  The NDP is urgently calling on the Government of Canada to adopt the following recommendations.  

Recommendations

Recommendation 1:

That the Government of Canada ensure that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reduce the documentation requirements and allow persecuted Afghans’ paperwork and biometrics to be completed when they are safely on Canadian soil.

Recommendation 2:

That the Government of Canada provide evacuation flights to Afghans in third countries.

Recommendation 3:

That the Government of Canada apply the special immigration measures for Ukraine to Afghanistan.

Recommendation 4:

That the Government of Canada expand and renew the special immigration measures for Afghans for another year, so that those who are eligible have another opportunity to apply.