Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the real and important issue of helping those who helped us when we were on our mission in Afghanistan. The government has done everything that it can under extraordinarily difficult circumstances to assist all of those, whether interpreters or others, in Afghanistan who worked with our military and our presence in Afghanistan and will continue to do so.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. I’ve been advised that the government is providing $1.7 million to Journalists for Human Rights, Veterans Transition Network and Aman Lara in their efforts to provide support to vulnerable persons in Afghanistan, and is working with these organizations in extremely difficult and evolving circumstances.

Due to the volatility and the problems associated with the security situation in Afghanistan, I’m advised that the government is not currently funding the safe houses directly. However, on August 26 our country announced $50 million in humanitarian assistance to support a number of international organizations over the next 15 months, both inside Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. This is in addition to the $27.3 million in humanitarian assistance already allocated to Afghanistan for 2021.

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Senator Gold, my question is about Afghanistan too. On August 15, the Taliban effectively sealed their control over Afghanistan in a matter of days. The 20-year-old war was over, and Afghan interpreters and mission staff who had worked alongside the Canadian Armed Forces were abandoned. The initial response was that nobody could have foreseen the sudden and swift return of the Taliban, but we know that is not accurate. A recent “The Fifth Estate” investigation revealed that the Office of the Minister of Immigration was aware of the urgency to take decisive action and bring our interpreters to safety in Canada, and as early as February 2020, he was contacted by MP Marcus Powlowski. Also, in December of 2020, a total of 24 MPs signed a letter addressed to both the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Foreign Affairs requesting the government help Afghan interpreters.

Senator Gold, given the number of requests submitted to the Minister of Immigration to act swiftly in rescuing Afghan interpreters, why did the Government of Canada wait until the Taliban takeover to rescue vulnerable Afghans?