Mr. Speaker, since the bombing of Afghanistan began, an additional 130,000 refugees have fled the country. Especially now, with winter fast approaching, we must turn our attention to humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan. Our cause, to root out terrorism sanctioned by the Taliban, will suffer terrible harm if Afghanistan refugees starve to death.
I ask all members of parliament to join with me in calling upon the coalition to make humanitarian aid to the innocent in Afghanistan a top priority.
Men, women and children must be fed, shelter must be provided and the injured cared for. We must make humanitarian aid a central component of our mission in Afghanistan.