In an Open Letter, 21 of Canada’s law firms are calling on the Government of Canada to fulfill its promise to resettle vulnerable Afghans.
The letter outlines the urgency of this matter and provides details on how we can take immediate action. The Government of Canada must do the following to aid in this crisis:
- Devote dedicated government resources to review and rapidly determine the accumulated backlog of applications by Afghans for resettlement in Canada
- Coordinate the work of officials across government by creating a committee of Cabinet and consult extensively with Canadians who are knowledgeable about the situation “on the ground” both here and in Afghanistan
- Tailor Canadian resettlement policies and programs to the circumstances of this crisis
More than 100,000 Afghan lives have been lost at the hands of the Taliban. The resurgence of this faction has forced Afghans to flee their homes and go into hiding.
Recent reports indicate that the Taliban now has access to government and legal records disclosing information about lawyers, judges, and other individuals who worked alongside Canada and its allies.