Afghanistan committee  Yes. Just like in warfare, we can surge; we can reallocate resources to get a robust response in a limited amount of time, even if we're not capable of sustaining that over the long term. I don't understand why we can't do that in other government departments as well.

Afghanistan committee  Get them out on civilian flights if the Taliban will let them leave, and then go through the process of integration at a third location or here in Canada, under controlled circumstances.

Afghanistan committee  Right now I would say no. I think the number of folks we got out since September 1 has been abysmal. I do not believe for a moment that we're going to achieve those numbers unless we change things up.

Afghanistan committee  Having been an intelligence officer previously, I've worked extensively with biometrics and the policies surrounding them. In this particular case, we're talking today—when we're not in Afghanistan—about potentially moving them outside of the country to do biometrics. If things don't screen positively, we can always potentially send them back.

Afghanistan committee  I believe it is. This isn't the first time we've done it. The Kosovo refugees.... We bring them to Canada and put them in a secure place where they're under watch until they're properly vetted. Once they're vetted, we integrate them into the rest of society. If they don't check out, we have other mechanisms in place to send them back.

Afghanistan committee  Absolutely. The moment that President Donald Trump announced to the world that America was leaving Afghanistan, I think anyone who was in Afghanistan knew the writing was on the wall as to what was going to happen. The question was when, and then President Biden gave a date. There were lots of opportunities long before July or August 2021 to bring all the Afghans who helped us, who we had records of, over to Canada.

Afghanistan committee  Some of this work could have been done in a third location outside of Afghanistan, like a triage. Some of the necessary steps to bring them to Canada could have been completed outside the war zone. That could have made things far easier on everyone at the end of August, when things went sideways and people were trying to get on those last flights out of Kabul.

Afghanistan committee  If this is potentially a manpower issue, then this is a great opportunity for the Government of Canada to create more jobs for Canadians and put them to work on these phones or processing this paperwork. Potentially some of these new Canadians who have come over from Afghanistan, who speak English because they were interpreters and who also speak flawless Dari or Pashto, could be gainfully employed in helping their brothers and sisters in Afghanistan come to Canada.

Afghanistan committee  I think the issue, Mr. Chair, is that I'm working off an iPad, so I don't think it will be the same as it is for—

Afghanistan committee  Oh, there we go. Let's try that.

Afghanistan committee  Perfectly. Thank you very much.

Afghanistan committee  There is absolutely a correlation between our abandoning our Afghan allies and its becoming what we would possibly term as a “moral injury”. It's my understanding that many veterans like me—and I can speak for myself, for sure—have suffered greatly in watching Afghanistan tear itself apart.

Afghanistan committee  Sangeen was a combat interpreter. He had interpreted for Canada for six years in theatre. He came over in 2012 under that special interpreter program. He was fortunate enough to speak impeccable English when he came to Canada, because he was an interpreter.

Afghanistan committee  He is doing that on his own, as a proud new Canadian and loyal to his people of Afghanistan. He has done a lot of very good work. He's been featured in many news articles and TV interviews. I think he's an exception to the rule, though. I wouldn't think or say that this is the case with most refugees who come over.

Afghanistan committee  I've had lengthy conversations with Sangeen and his family members specifically. There are very good supports in place once they get to Canada; there is financial funding until they get themselves situated, housing, some education. Often, though, it ends up being more of an individual basis for long-term success.