Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here. We really appreciate it. You are so likeable that we would have preferred to benefit from your presence for longer than a single hour. I guess that will have to wait for another time. As you said, we will have many other opportunities to discuss all these issues that are of concern for both sides. So we will take all these opportunities to discuss them and to make sure that we work together for the betterment of our fellow human beings all over the world. Thank you once again for joining us.
In your mandate letter, the following is stated:
Continue to help support Afghan citizens through humanitarian assistance and to work with our allies to protect democratic and human rights, including for women, girls and minorities.
As you must know, the fear of being prosecuted under the Criminal Code is one of the difficulties currently faced by Canadian organizations operating in Afghanistan. This is because the Afghan government is considered under Canadian law to be a terrorist organization.
On February 17, my colleague, Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, attempted to pass a motion in the House of Commons to remove this threat and thereby facilitate the work of our organizations on the ground. Unfortunately, this motion was defeated. It did not receive unanimous consent.
What do you think about this legitimate concern of non-governmental organizations, who need to be assured that they will not be prosecuted if they have to do business with a government that is classified as a terrorist government by Canada?