There is another important group stuck in Afghanistan. They are the people who risked their safety to advance Canadian democratic principles. They are the women leaders, the human rights advocates, the journalists and those who assisted Canadian journalists, the LGBTQ community and members of Afghanistan's persecuted ethnic and religious minorities. For them to even apply to Canada, they must be outside of Afghanistan and be registered as refugees, except they cannot get out of Afghanistan. These people are stuck in an unimaginable catch-22. We need to create a pathway for them to come to Canada.
Let's turn our attention to the events unfolding in Ukraine. We are shocked by the unprovoked Russian invasion, but we are encouraged to see the extraordinary and flexible immigration measures IRCC has put in place. Unlike the requirements for Afghans, families in Ukraine do not need to attain refugee status to come to Canada. Temporary resident permits and single-journey forms are being used to overcome policy obstacles. These measures should be applied in Afghanistan. The mechanisms exist. Let's use them.
In conclusion, we have three requests of government: one, work with us to find a way to confirm identity in Afghanistan; two, respond to the vast number of applicants who have not yet had their applications acknowledged; three, apply the immigration measures envisioned for Ukraine to Afghanistan.
Thank you.