Conservatives would match Liberal commitment to resettle at least 20,000 Afghans, Erin O’Toole says

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This article was published 18/08/2021 (1262 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — A Conservative government would match commitments by the Liberals to resettle not only Afghan citizens who worked alongside Canadian forces, but also thousands more who fear for their lives as the Taliban retake control of Afghanistan, Erin O’Toole said Wednesday.

Just before the election campaign began, the Liberal government committed to resettling at least 20,000 Afghans as the Taliban appeared set to regain power after a bloody 20-year battle.

That commitment includes both refugees and those who worked with soldiers and diplomats during Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, O’Toole did not directly answer the question when he was asked whether a Conservative government would match the Liberals’ pledge. His campaign later said the Conservatives would resettle 20,000 people from Afghanistan in addition to the contractors.

On Wednesday, during a campaign stop in Quebec, O’Toole was asked whether a Conservative government would be open to receiving even more than 20,000 Afghans.

“Yes,” he told reporters.

“Anyone that has worked with Canada and is at risk, because they helped us, whether they had the maple leaf on their shoulder, whether they were with our aid workers, whether they were helping construct schools and help some of the women and girls that we’re worried about now under the Taliban,” he said.

“We want to make sure you’re protected. Mr. Trudeau is leaving them behind.”

The government is under pressure to get people out of Afghanistan faster, especially as the situation appears to have stabilized slightly since the weekend takeover of the country’s capital by the Taliban created chaos at the Kabul airport and a temporary pause on all flights.

The 10th flight from Afghanistan to Canada arrived Tuesday with 92 people on board, including Afghan refugees and their families and Canadian citizens.

The Canadian Press reported that the Liberals arranged for reporters travelling with Leader Justin Trudeau’s campaign to view the passengers being processed in tents on the tarmac after getting off an Air Transat plane at Toronto’s Pearson airport.

Some were carrying small bags, while others had small children in their arms.

Late Wednesday, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan tweeted that Canadian Armed Forces’ flights to and from Kabul’s airport would resume shortly with two military transport aircraft assigned to evacuation efforts.

Of the 20,000 Afghans to whom Canada has promised refuge, about 6,000 will be those with direct connections to Canada, while the others will include human rights advocates and journalists, Trudeau said Wednesday during a campaign stop in British Columbia.

Speaking in his capacity as prime minister, Trudeau said the challenges of securing safe passage on the ground in Afghanistan have slowed the pace of flights to Canada.

“That is why as a global community, we are all pushing so hard on the Taliban to ensure free access for Afghans to the airport,” he said.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby revealed Tuesday that the U.S. military is co-ordinating departures from Afghanistan with the Taliban under an “amnesty” as it accelerates the airlift of Americans and Afghan allies from the Kabul airport.

The U.S. is sending additional troops to Kabul in a scramble to complete the evacuation by Aug. 31.

With files from the Associated Press and The Canadian Press

Stephanie Levitz is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @StephanieLevitz