Yes.
My name is David Payne. I was a member of the National Assembly of Quebec for 15 years, and over the last 20 years I lived in Afghanistan for three years while I was managing a parliamentary program.
For the last year and a half, I have been in talks with Afghan women, specifically, often two or three times a week. I can tell you that the situation they are in right now is catastrophic. I could even show you videos that would make your hair stand on end: torture and beatings. I have a list with me that I have compiled of 65 women judges. Several of them have died.
Greece has created a special category for women prosecutors or judges, specifically. Some of them already have their visas. They are already living there.
To answer Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe's question, we have to consider what the Minister, Sean Fraser, said just two weeks ago: that there were no categories for selecting people to be admitted under our programs.
In all modesty, I have to contradict him, because we are well aware that there is a special category for interpreters that was created specifically for this purpose. People who worked at the embassy also have privileges. Some will say that this is deliberate favouritism on the part of the Government of Canada.
Of the 65 judges on the list I have here, Canada, to our knowledge, is not accepting any, because the Minister says there is no category-based selection. We who work in this field would like to understand this justification, because there are selections: in particular, interpreters are selected and embassy workers are selected.
Could we also help some of these 65 Afghan women who are there? I have all the facts and personal information.