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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 53

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 5, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 53 - Apr/5/22
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)
  • Apr/5/22 3:00:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with former Afghan interpreters on the Hill who held a hunger strike to protest the Liberals' failures in Afghanistan. They served and sacrificed for our country, but the NDP-Liberal government abandoned their families and other interpreters. They told me they feel ignored by the minister and he is being insensitive by implying that their families are security threats, even though they were screened to serve alongside our soldiers. Will the minister apologize to the thousands of Afghan interpreters and their families for implying that they are security threats?
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Context: House Hansard - 53 - Apr/5/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Apr/5/22 3:01:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let me state on the record that I have done no such thing. Those who worked alongside the Canadian Forces are heroes every bit as much as members of the Canadian Armed Forces who had a presence in Afghanistan. With respect to this specific group, we actually created a stream to resettle the extended families of previously resettled interpreters. Last week, I was on hand as we welcomed the 10,000th Afghan refugee, who has now landed in Canada. We are going to continue to do more. No matter the scale of the challenges, we are going to make good on our commitment to the individuals who want to reunite with their families here in Canada.
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Context: House Hansard - 53 - Apr/5/22
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)
  • Apr/5/22 3:01:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, another job well-filled as the minister brags about the low number of interpreters arriving. Only about 2,300 Afghan nationals who assisted our Canadian Armed Forces during the Afghan mission have actually arrived in Canada. The Afghan interpreters I spoke to have met with the minister's office 28 times. They were told over 1,000 of their family members and fellow interpreters would be in Canada by March 2022. So far, none have arrived. They are tired of the minister's politics. Will the minister do the right thing and apologize to the thousands of Afghan interpreters he has abandoned and admit to his failures?
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Context: House Hansard - 53 - Apr/5/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Apr/5/22 3:02:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I find this question ironic coming from a member of the Conservative Party, which previously tried to design a program that specifically excluded these same individuals from coming to Canada as refugees. I would remind the member again that if his electoral campaign platform is reviewed, there was no commitment to welcome Afghan refugees to Canada. We will continue to do whatever we can to get as many Afghan refugees here as quickly as possible, until we make good on our electoral commitment to welcome 40,000 Afghan refugees to Canada. This is one of the most substantial commitments of any country in the world, and we will not rest until the job is done.
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