Immigration minister pressed on applications of 2,900 Afghans who helped Canada – National

NDP caucus chair Jenny Kwan says she is in search of pressing solutions about what has occurred to the purposes of two,900 Afghans who helped the Canadian army.

Kwan is demanding Immigration Minister Sean Fraser clarify why the Afghans, whose credentials had been checked and verified by Canada’s army, haven’t had their purposes to come back to Canada authorized.

Defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre informed a parliamentary committee Monday evening that the Defence Division had checked and verified the credentials of three,800 Afghans, together with interpreters, who supported the Canadian army.

However the committee heard from Eyre and Invoice Matthews, deputy defence minister, that solely 900 of them have had their purposes to come back to Canada accepted up to now by the Immigration Division.

The federal government has dedicated to bringing 18,000 Afghans and their households to Canada who served as interpreters for the Canadian Armed Forces, or labored on the Embassy of Canada, or had another enduring or important ties with Canada.

Kwan mentioned she is planning to pursue the matter vigorously with the division because the lives of Afghans who helped Canadian troops are in peril from the Taliban.

She additionally plans to ask if the Immigration Division has misplaced information of Afghan interpreters who need to come to Canada, saying the federal government has “betrayed them.”

“With each single passing day, the dangers are heightened for Afghans,” Kwan mentioned. “And for individuals who served this nation and their family members, it’s flawed that the federal government has left them behind.”

A spokesperson from the minister’s workplace mentioned the division plans to increase extra invites to Afghans who’ve a confirmed relationship with Canada within the coming weeks.

After World Affairs Canada and the Division of Nationwide Defence affirm an Afghan’s ties to Canada, their identify is handed on to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, press secretary Aidan Strickland mentioned in an announcement Tuesday.

IRCC then sends an electronic mail to the folks on that listing inviting them to use, she mentioned. Solely individuals who obtain an invite are capable of apply for the particular program.

“We have now already acquired purposes for greater than 14,905 Afghan refugees beneath the Particular immigration program for Afghans who assisted the Authorities of Canada and authorized over 10,000 purposes. IRCC continues to course of purposes as rapidly as doable,” Strickland mentioned.

Greater than 6,200 Afghans have arrived by the particular program, she mentioned.

Kwan mentioned the Taliban is searching down interpreters and their households, and she or he desires Canada to challenge a one-time journey doc so weak Afghans wouldn’t have to lift their heads to use for passports.

It’s harmful for Afghans who helped Canadian Forces to use to the Taliban authorities for passports, Kwan mentioned.

“If you end up being hunted down and you are attempting to cover from the Taliban, you may’t simply stroll into the workplace run by the Taliban and say, ‘Are you able to challenge journey paperwork, challenge passports for my total household?”’ she mentioned.

“The minute you do this, you’re placing a pink flag proper on prime of your head to be focused.”