Hon. Leo Housakos: Senator Gold, it has now been five years since the House of Commons passed the motion — and earlier this year, this chamber did the same — calling upon your Liberal government to list the IRGC — the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — as a terrorist group. At the time, Senator Omidvar stated that the crimes of the Islamic regime and the IRGC go beyond the borders of Iran. Senator Omidvar cited the support that the IRGC provides Hamas in significantly destabilizing the region, which was reflected in those barbaric acts we saw on October 7 against men, women and children.

Senator Gold, given the horrific scenes from that day and Hamas’s ability to never run out of rockets, fuel or tunnels in which they’re able to hide, what will it take for your government to list the IRGC as a terrorist group and to stop funding Hamas in their attempt to destroy the State of Israel and murder the Jewish people?

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Senator Gold, we’ve all read that the Government of Pakistan is forcing millions of Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan. This is not just shocking; it’s against international law and puts many lives at risk.

I know there are Afghans who have been accepted into Canada as refugees but haven’t been able to leave Pakistan. Many of them are Hazara minorities. They are now being forced back to Pakistan, which puts them obviously at further risk of persecution by the Taliban.

What is our government doing to ensure these refugees are allowed to exit Pakistan and come to Canada?