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Mr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland—Colchester, CPC)

Dec/7/21 6:01:01 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Edmonton Manning, should there be any left today. I will try to keep my comments short. In 2019, someone said: Because of their sacrifice, young girls are allowed to freely go to school. Because of their sacrifice, we are safer at home. We will never forget the price these women and men paid. Of course, that was the hon. former minister of national defence. The situation in Afghanistan is, in a word, disastrous. I must say it is an honour to be asked to speak on this issue as it has deep personal meaning for me and many of my constituents. In 2006, three young men lost their lives too soon in Afghanistan. To this day, their families reside in and around Truro, Nova Scotia, which is part of my riding of Cumberland—Colchester. Warrant Officer Frank Mellish is survived by his wife and two children. His parents, Barry and Sandy Mellish, are friends of mine and were also patients at my medical practice. Corporal Chris Reid was a single man and the son of Tom and Angela. When he died, he was their only surviving child. Their other child, a daughter, died in 2002. At a Remembrance Day ceremony this year at the Truro Legion, I had the opportunity to lay a wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada while Tom and Angela laid a wreath as Silver Cross parents. Sergeant Darcy Tedford left behind a wife and two daughters. He is the son of Robin and Paulette Tedford, who are also people I know very well in Cumberland—Colchester. They miss their son every day. They are three Silver Cross families in one small community in Nova Scotia. So, is this personal for me, for many Canadians and certainly for the Afghans left behind? Madam Speaker, you can bet it is. I spent nine years in uniform as a flight surgeon serving our great nation in Shearwater and Comox, and in Kuwait and Bahrain. My brother continues to serve. He indeed served at the KAF from July 2010 until January 2011. Despite the significant losses of their sons, these three families are still amazing patriots. They believe in Canada and the work the Canadian Armed Forces was tasked to do in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the withdrawal of the Canadian Forces from Afghanistan has left a bitter taste and indelible stain on our Canadian reputation. Canada is known globally as a nation founded on democracy and human rights. Since the 1960s, Canada has used these principles to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in the hope that it would one day enjoy peace and stability. The story of the descent of Afghanistan into civil war after the withdrawal of international troops should come as no surprise. Sadly, it appears to be a significant retelling of the same tale that happened after the former Soviet Union withdrew from its decades-long war in Afghanistan in the 1980s. The Taliban regained control and severely limited civil rights. It would appear that terrorist groups ran rampant, which of course led us to the events of September 11, 2001. The Canadian role in Afghanistan evolved during the time of the conflict. In the early days, we were primarily based as an interdiction force on the seas. Subsequent to this, our air power was tasked to support the efforts on the ocean and soon after forces from JTF 2 were on the ground. As time rolled on into 2003, we provided support to other nations in Kabul patrolling the western part of the city. Over time, once again the Canadian role changed. In 2005 Taliban activity in Kandahar ramped up and with the Canadians there it became clear that more forces were required on the ground to combat the significant Taliban forces. It has become well known that Canadians involved in this attempt to stem Taliban insurgency were under ever-present danger as they went outside the wire, which sadly brings me back to 2006, at which time Warrant Officer Mellish, Sergeant Tedford and Corporal Reid were killed in action. All of this has come at a significant cost. There were 158 Canadians who died; countless others have been both physically and mentally changed forever and their families have been significantly affected. The incredible toll this has taken on our soldiers is not well represented by the number of casualties we suffered. This was a war of uncertainty, IEDs and one that now has an ending that has left many soldiers feeling let down by their country. In the airlift at the end of the summer of 2021, approximately 3,700 people were evacuated from Kabul airport. One former military member watched on TV as events unfolded. She recognized one person who had worked for the Canadian Forces and returned to school, had become a nurse and then a physician. That man returned to the airport five times into the sewage, wearing a red ball cap, as we have heard previously, to try to stand out. She does not know if he was safely evacuated or was killed. She has received several emails. I will read from a couple. One states: Hello my dear friend. It is so nice to hear from you as well. No I'm not living in Dubai, I live in Kandahar. Since the U.S. troops pulled out, the Taliban control almost all the Kandahar. It's very dangerous now. Do you remember Farid, the guy who was working with me in shop? They killed him. Today is my 27th day I'm hiding in home. I can't go outside. I've been working in KAF from 2008 till the end of 2013, but not as interpreter. Do you remember I was contractor? I need your help, my friend, to come to Canada. I don't want them to kill me. I have six kids. Another email from an Afghan still in Kandahar says: How are you doing? It's happened in Kandahar. They put bombs in house door. The kids' parents are died and this kid is injured. We are living like with animals. They destroyed my beautiful city. Investing in nations after war is essential to the rebuilding of said nations. Post World War II, Canada remained involved from a military perspective in Germany for 50 years. We now have a robust export to Germany worth $6 billion annually as of 2020. After seeing the colossal failure of the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the chaos that ensued and given our history in Germany, how could we think that a rapid drawing out of forces without significant support would be or could be successful? The Liberal government has failed Afghans and Canadians. This summer the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, and our soldiers in Canada's armed forces as well as Afghans who served Canada were at risk. Instead of prioritizing this crisis and taking action, the Prime Minister called an election. As chaos ensued outside Kabul's airport, the Prime Minister was asked whether he regretted announcing the election. His answer was a resounding no. Many vulnerable people, including female leaders, humanitarian rights defenders, journalists, religious minorities and members from the LGBTQ community were left to hide from the Taliban. Many of them continue to hide to this day, because the Liberal government has brought to Canada less than 10% of the Afghan refugees that it promised. To make matters worse, this October the Liberal government's data breach threatened the lives of several hundred vulnerable Afghans seeking refuge from the Taliban. Canada's reputation as a compassionate country is now tarnished as our government has turned its back on vulnerable people, but we can change that. The first step is to create an all-party special committee on Canada's Afghanistan response. We need to come together to review what Canada's contingency plan was, its evacuations of Canadians and its efforts to bring Canada-Afghan interpreters and contractors to Canada. As the Taliban continues to hunt for remaining Afghans who supported Canada during our mission to Afghanistan, now is the time for action. Our Conservative Party is taking action right now. We need the special committee to understand that the errors which were made are not repeated. We must find ways to repatriate our supporters and restore Canada to its rightful and historic place on the world stage. Make no mistake: This is urgent and lives are at stake.

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Context: House Hansard - 12 - Dec/7/21

Mr. Stephen Ellis

Dec/7/21 6:11:50 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there are provisions in the bill that are about the redaction of important comments. Also, if members care so much, why was an election called? If they have such great emotional support, why do they not simply support this bill?

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Context: House Hansard - 12 - Dec/7/21

Mr. Stephen Ellis

Dec/7/21 6:13:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have only been here a short time, and the trust I have for the government to do anything quickly, expeditiously and in good faith is waning very quickly. I am saddened by that. We therefore believe we need to take the bull by the proverbial horns and get the job done ourselves.

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Context: House Hansard - 12 - Dec/7/21

Mr. Stephen Ellis

Dec/7/21 6:14:47 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will keep it short. Yes.

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