Afghanistan Committee on Feb. 7th, 2022

[Barbara Grantham]

We are in contact with the government every week, frankly, trying to find various approaches to resolve the issue. We have been since probably October or November. We're in very regular touch with colleagues across a number of departments. It's chiefly Global Affairs Canada because that's the funder and the holder of the contracts, obviously, in the first place. I know they're working with other departments to try to find a solution to this.

I do believe there is clear understanding and acknowledgement of the issue and the imperative of the issue. The unfortunate thing is that the sense of urgency that we feel is not aligned with the timeline the government seems to feel is possible. We're running against a clock of weather, famine and malnutrition.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much.

I fully understand the urgency of the situation. Children are starving now, and they need the aid now. While we talk about it, it does not help them at this point. Other jurisdictions have managed to find a workaround or an exemption, but Canada still has not been able to do so. That's mystifying to me.

I'm gathering from you that the urgency is utmost and that your recommendation to the government is to act forthwith to provide either an exemption or a workaround similar to that of other jurisdictions. Am I correct?

[Barbara Grantham]

That's correct.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

With the other two organizations, your stature may be a little bit different, but you're seeing that on the ground as well, with the NGOs. Could I just quickly ask both Mr. Fontaine and Mr. Nickerson if you would agree that the government needs to act forthwith to provide either an exemption or a workaround to Canadian organizations so that they can provide aid on the ground in Afghanistan now?

Mr. Fontaine, go ahead.

[Manuel Fontaine]

Anything that at the moment is an obstacle to providing the needed urgent humanitarian assistance needs to be looked at very carefully and worked on.

As you know, the Security Council has adopted a resolution bringing exemptions to the sanctions regime for the UN, but it is important that all countries absolutely move on that.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Nickerson, go ahead.

[Dr. Jason Nickerson]

Yes, we would agree. Obstacles need to be removed to ensure that humanitarian organizations are able to do their work and respond to needs on the ground.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you. I gather from your comments that it's not just for Afghanistan—obviously, we have to deal with that—but for other countries as well.

Mr. Nickerson, in terms of Doctors Without Borders, I'm sure on the ground you're working day and night to provide assistance and support to people who face persecution or who have been attacked because of persecution from the Taliban. Are you able to provide aid to them as well, particularly to those in hiding—women and girls who may be in hiding? How do they go about getting aid?

[Dr. Jason Nickerson]

I will ask my colleague Ms. Flokstra to respond, please.

[Martine Flokstra]

What we see is basically a steep increase in patients. Of course, as a consequence, a large part of the health system is not functioning and has collapsed. It is now somehow kept afloat, because that is what is currently happening with the humanitarian assistance and the humanitarian funding reaching the country. Systems are kept afloat, but they are still extremely fragile. As we have done for the past decades in our hospitals, we are treating patients who are also victims of violence. That can be domestic violence or other violence.

I would like to reiterate that there is a structural problem. The humanitarian assistance that's now given is so required, but it is very unclear what the future will bring. As we said, it's a band-aid for the current situation while the future is unknown. Humanitarian need is about the need of a person. It's a disease, and a disease does not have a political preference. I think that should be crucial in humanitarian assistance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you very much. Time is up.

Ms. Grantham, I see that you have a hand raised. Do you want to say something in 10 or 15 seconds?

[Barbara Grantham]

I will say it in 10 seconds. I just wanted to specifically answer Ms. Kwan's question.

I want to reiterate what I said earlier about the importance of local women-led NGOs within the Afghan context. They are absolutely critical to creating safe environments for women and girls. In creating the cohort of women leaders in Afghanistan, with Canadian support, to build up those women-led women's rights organizations, we as Canada can play a very critical and instrumental role.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Kwan.

We will now go to the second round, beginning with the Conservative Party.

Honourable Member Ruff, you have five minutes, please.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for coming today and thank all the members of your organizations. I will get into a bit more detail, but having spent time in Afghanistan, I know how difficult a theatre country it is and the risk that so many NGOs take.

I have a couple of quick questions that should require quick answers.

Ms. Grantham, you talked about a specific women's program. Could you spell that out or repeat it? I missed the whole title there.

[Barbara Grantham]

Sure. As a Canadian humanitarian organization operating in Afghanistan until August, one of the key roles we were able to undertake, with support from the Government of Canada, was to build up the cadre, or the cohort, if you like, of local women's organizations in Afghanistan led by Afghan women.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

What's the name of that program?

[Barbara Grantham]

I don't have.... There were a number of programs—

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

You gave one in your opening five minutes, right at the end. It was one of the last things you said.

[Barbara Grantham]

Oh, okay. I will go back and check my notes.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

All right. Thanks.

My next question for all three organizations is really simple. You have all sort of stated that you've been in communication with the Liberal government. When was the last time any of your organizations met with any Liberal government minister, and who?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Go ahead, Mr. Nickerson.

[Dr. Jason Nickerson]

Just so I understand your question, are you asking when was the last time we met with a minister?

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

When was the last time Doctors Without Borders met with any of the ministers?

[Dr. Jason Nickerson]

We haven't met with a minister, I don't believe, since the election. It would have been sometime in late 2021.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Thank you.