CollingwoodToday.ca asked each of the federal candidates in Simcoe-Grey a series of six questions via email. The following responses were submitted by the candidates and/or their campaigns. The answers have not been checked for accuracy; they represent the candidate’s platforms and opinions. External links have been removed.
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Q: What action should Canada be taking in response to what is happening in Afghanistan right now?
Terry Dowdall, Conservative: The situation in Afghanistan is tragic. Part of what makes it tragic is that the government knew this was happening as it called the election. The UK recalled its Parliament to deal with this issue. Here, the Liberals dissolved our Parliament instead. This is not an easy situation, which is why it is important to have all-hands-on-deck.
Even weeks ago, the fast-tracking of emergency visas would have helped more people, as many spoke of bureaucratic delays, especially after the government decided to shut down the embassy. I think we all can agree that more could have been done by the government. But that was then.
Now we need to rededicate ourselves now to working with our allies and Afghanistan’s neighbours to help anyone able to flee the country. We also need to work with our allies, like India, to establish humanitarian and refugee corridors. We can also provide political and material support to Afghans resisting the Taliban occupation.
This is not easy, but it is the situation we now face. A Conservative government will never recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government in Afghanistan. Only under immense pressure did the Prime Minister come around to that view.
Lucas Gillies, NDP: Canada should engage meaningfully with our allies and do everything possible to save lives. Canada should provide increased supports to humanitarian and women’s rights organizations in Afghanistan.
We need to make the paperwork process simpler for Canadian allies wanting out of Afghanistan or relocating from neighbouring countries. We need to welcome these progressive thinking people and their families to Canada as they are people who helped our armed forces as interpreters, journalists, women and others who are educators, development workers and business owners.
We have a moral obligation to help our allies and this work needs to continue over the coming months. Canadians stepped up recently to help Syrian refugees come to Canada, we can mobilize to do the same for Afghanistan.
Adam Minatel, PPC: Our veterans are the staple of our democracy, and we highly regard their service, sacrifices and dedication to our national values and integrity. We wish that all those who supported our troops, allowing them to operate with more ease, while supporting our causes for liberty, democracy and equality, are granted fair access to Canada.
We categorically denounce the Taliban as a legitimate government, and fear for the safety of their nation, especially women and children. We would open channels immediately to seek out advantageous dialogue, and be transparent in our commitment to supporting our allies who fought, and died while in their service, alongside our troops.
Bren Munro, Liberal: Canada continues to work hard with respect to the developing situation in Afghanistan. It is a complex and difficult situation, but our armed forces have been working for many weeks to evacuate as many Canadians and vulnerable Afghans as possible – including Afghans who supported our mission in the country.
Canada has evacuated approximately 3,700 people out of Afghanistan in a matter of weeks, who are now coming to safer lives.
Our work is not done. We are negotiating with Afghanistan’s neighbours to allow people with Canadian visas to enter their territory and access Canadian consular services and we will continue to work with our allies to support Afghans who worked for the CAF, whether they remain in Afghanistan or a third country.
Further, Canada has committed to taking in 20,000 Afghan refugees.
We will continue working with our allies and international partners to help as many people as we can.
Ken Stouffer, CHP: We should do everything possible to rescue Canadians stranded there. We need to be praying for all the people at risk of being killed by the Taliban.
We need to reflect seriously on what we can learn from this fiasco.
Nick Clayton, Green: It is shocking how quickly the Taliban have taken Afghanistan.
We need to support women’s rights in every way we can, starting with funding NGOs working on the ground. We need to support immigration by opening up as many spaces as possible, with a priority on supporting women and girls who want to flee the country.
