NDP statement on announcement for special measures for Afghan nationals with significant ties to the Government of Canada

The NDP’s Critic for Defence, Randall Garrison (Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke), and the Critic for Immigration, Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East), made the following statement:

"While the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said that these measures are “timely,” there is nothing timely about announcing long overdue measures the day after the tragic death of an Afghan interpreter. The eligibility gaps in the previous Conservative program which ended in 2011, that have led to this situation, were criticized at the time as only 1 in 3 applicants were eligible. It’s unconscionable that a decade later we are still here.
"Just weeks ago, the Minister said Afghan interpreters can apply under existing programs while the NDP had been calling for dedicated measures. The Liberal’s scramble to change their tune is demonstrated by the fact that the government is still unsure how many Afghans are eligible to come to Canada, but that they will be consulting the military’s list of interpreters that have worked with Canada’s military. After all this time, why is the government only consulting this list now?
"Afghans and their families who have put their lives on the line in supporting Canada should be more than an afterthought. The US government has committed to providing airlift services for Afghans while their applications are processing, but details of the program are lacking from the Canadian government, including how quickly they will be able to bring them to safety. These collaborators, who played a vital role, have been abandoned for a decade without the support they desperately needed to find safety in Canada and deserve better. Countless interpreters and vital staff along with their families have been living in danger while the Liberals dragged their feet."