Hon. Mary Coyle: Honourable senators, I rise today in this chamber, on the lands of the Anishinaabe Algonquin people, to support what I hope will be the swift passage of Bill C-41. This important bill is urgently needed to enable our world-class Canadian humanitarian organizations to do what they do best: efficiently, effectively and compassionately bring necessities of life — food, water and health services — to people, young and old, no matter where they live and without fear of criminal prosecution for these historic organizations.

It’s bad enough that the people these organizations serve and partner with live in fear and that their front-line staff face dangers, but our Canadian humanitarian organizations should not have to fear criminal prosecution in Canada simply because the people they are serving are living in places where a terrorist organization, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan, is in control.

As you heard Senator Omidvar describe in wonderful detail, very clearly, this bill provides a legislative solution by amending Canada’s Criminal Code to enable the delivery of international assistance in areas controlled by terrorist groups. Colleagues, this is the logical thing to do and, colleagues, it is the right thing to do.

Honourable colleagues, I intend to speak very briefly, as you can see. I felt compelled to share just one important perspective on this with you.

In my first speech in this chamber, I introduced those of you who were here five years ago to people who have influenced me along my pathway in life. Allow me to cite a short paragraph from that speech, where I introduce one such person:

Recently returned from her refugee experience in Iran, Bibi Gul is an Afghan widow with a dependent son. I met Bibi up on the Kabul mountainside where she had literally carved out her home —

— by hand, spoon, knife, whatever simple implement she could find —

— from the rock face. She was making a living by embroidering badges for police forces and other officials. She was using micro loans to purchase equipment, and the specialized threads she was importing from Iran. Bibi had incredible drive and was proud of the home and business she had created.

I learned a lot from Bibi Gul about the power of human ingenuity. I think of her today and wonder how she and her son are doing in this new reality under the Taliban, whose terror she and her family had previously fled Afghanistan in the 1990s.

Bibi Gul was able to access those essential small amounts of capital from one of the many microfinance organizations supported through MISFA, the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan. MISFA was established to provide access to loans and other financial services to hundreds of thousands of people like Bibi so they could earn a living. MISFA was also committed to building a strong and sustainable microfinance sector for Afghanistan, to coordinate international donor contributions and, ultimately, to build the Afghan economy as an essential component of establishing a new, stable and resilient Afghan democracy.

In 2007, our colleague Senator Verner, then the minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency, announced a Canadian contribution of US$16 million for the Afghan microfinance facility. Her cabinet colleague minister Peter MacKay at the time asked me to join the board of MISFA to represent Canada and other international donors in Afghanistan. From 2007 to 2010, I travelled regularly to Afghanistan for board meetings and site visits like the one I did to Bibi’s home-based business on the Kabul mountainside. The year after I completed my service to Afghanistan, our colleague Senator Rebecca Patterson was posted to that country by the Canadian Armed Forces.

Since the early 1960s, Canada has provided humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, initially in response to national disasters. We have had diplomatic relationships with the country since 1968 and established our embassy in Kabul in 2003, which was closed, as we know, in August 2021, following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

From 2001 to 2021, Canada provided $3.9 billion in international assistance to Afghanistan. Colleagues, we know that 40,000 Canadian soldiers courageously served as part of the NATO forces there, with 158 of them — including Captain Nichola Goddard, from my hometown, and one diplomat — losing their lives there.

With Canada’s support, along with other international partners, Afghanistan, with its many dedicated and capable government and civil society leaders, made significant gains in women’s rights; education; economic advancement, including at the grassroots level where Bibi and, frankly, most Afghans exist; in health; in peace and security; and the early very delicate stages of building a stable democracy.

Colleagues, these were hard-fought gains, and the situation was always precarious in Afghanistan — honestly. Even just going to Kabul for board meetings was at times frightening for me because of the instability at that time, including random bombings taking place and often in places I had just been.

Colleagues, quite frankly, after all that effort, investment and hope, the current situation in Afghanistan is heartbreaking.

At the initial briefing on Bill C-41, we heard from representatives of the Canadian Humanitarian Coalition and the Aid for Afghanistan coalition that our colleague Senator Omidvar just spoke to. One of the Canadian civil society leaders there said something which I found to be profound and highly relevant to this discussion and to Canada’s engagement with the people of Afghanistan. That person said, “Healthy, well-fed people are a prerequisite to the necessary political pathway for Afghanistan.” Obvious? Yes, but it is not what we often think about in the moment of immediate crisis.

Colleagues, in situations of humanitarian crises such as the one in Afghanistan, providing people with the basic necessities of life is the humane, critical and urgent thing to do in and of itself.

Also, this important reminder for our Canadian international humanitarian sector leaders is key to keep in mind at this time. For the Afghan people to be able to reclaim their lives, rights and country, and to protect and build on some of the gains they had previously made, they will need to be strong and resilient.

Colleagues, we know that Canada has been providing some humanitarian assistance to Afghans since the Taliban retook the country almost two years ago, but that has been through international organizations and not through our own robust sector.

With the passing of Bill C-41, Canadian organizations will be able to ramp up their humanitarian machinery, engage Canadians who want to join in supporting the effort to respond to the humanitarian crisis and immediately help more Afghans with more resources.

This important support will help Afghans weather these difficult times. I hope it will help Bibi Gul and the hundreds and thousands of women and men who were working hard to create their own sustainable livelihoods.

And, honourable senators, it is my hope that opening the tap on this important support will help Afghans like Bibi rebuild their strength for the next stages of their fight for peace, human rights, social and economic development and democracy.

Colleagues, let’s not tarry. Honourable senators, let’s move this commonsense bill forward to assist Afghan people today and others in the future who may find themselves in similar states of crisis in other places.

Manana, tashakor, thank you.