NDP Statement on the Fourth Anniversary of the Fall of Kabul

Ottawa, August 15, 2025

NDP Foreign Affairs, Defence, and International Development Critic Heather McPherson made the following statement:

"Canadians care deeply about the people of Afghanistan.

Today, on the fourth anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Kabul, I am thinking of the women and girls in Afghanistan who are suffering immensely due to gender apartheid. The horrific denial of their rights and freedoms under this terrorist regime include restrictions on access to education, work, and medical care, and to live freely.

In 2023, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-41, which aimed to allow Canadian humanitarian and development organizations to operate again in Afghanistan without fear of prosecution under the Criminal Code. New Democrats secured a humanitarian exemption in this bill, but ultimately voted against the legislation because of unnecessary and draconian restrictions placed on the Canadian aid sector’s ability to operate in Afghanistan and other fragile contexts.

More than two years after this bill passed Parliament, the system remains broken, and Canadian organizations are still unable to do development work in Afghanistan due to the bureaucratic mess created by the Liberals’ Bill C-41. While Canadians across the country want to help, they still can’t. This is unacceptable.

For years, New Democrats have been advocating for improvements to the immigration processes for Afghans. The Special Immigration Measures created for Afghanistan intake has closed, leaving many people with ties to Canada unable to apply, while the processing backlog means some wait for years to reach safety and their loved ones.

New Democrats will continue to fight for the human rights of all people, especially women and girls in Afghanistan. We will continue to advocate for the inclusion of gender apartheid as a crime under international law. And we will continue to advocate for better clarity, expediency, and fairness in Canada’s immigration system."
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