Afghanistan Committee on May 9th, 2022

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Anand, you are the Minister of National Defence. My understanding is that you did not meet with members of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan. However, do you know whether members of your government or your caucus met with them?

It's actually an easy question to answer. If you know, the answer is yes, and if you don't, the answer is no.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I am not aware.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Minister.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

You are telling me, then, that the Minister of National Defence does not know whether members of her own government met with representatives of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, when I, a Bloc Québécois private member for the riding of Lac‑Saint‑Jean, do know that members of your caucus met with them.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I will say that under Operation Aegis, we ensured that 3,700 Afghan nationals were evacuated from Afghanistan. That was the effort that DND played in conjunction with our allies.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

That's not what I asked.

If you tell me it's a matter of national security, that will be the end of it, but you'll have to tell me if that's the case. Please don't dodge the question.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

I appreciate that, but what is the question?

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Did members of the Liberal caucus meet with representatives of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan?

It's not a difficult question.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Chair, I already answered that question.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

That means I am aware that members of your caucus met with those representatives, but you, the Minister of National Defence, are not.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe—

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

That's incredible. The Bloc Québécois has more information than the Minister of National Defence.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, can we respect the chair?

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I'm done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

You're done?

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Do I have any time left?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

You still have 15 seconds.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

All right.

Earlier, Minister, when you answered one of my questions about NGOs, you said that the Taliban would remain on the list of terrorist entities permanently, and I agree that they should.

Do you think the Criminal Code should be amended to help NGOs working on the ground?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Be brief, please, Minister. The time is up.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

As I said when I answered that question, it is important to remember something.

The Taliban is listed as a terrorist entity already under the Criminal Code. There are no plans at the current time to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chair, did the minister come here to answer questions or—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, the time is up—way up.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I'll let Madam Kwan take the floor.

Please go ahead for two and a half minutes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Could the minister advise us on how many Afghans your department identified as people who have an enduring relationship with Canada and should be evacuated to Canada?