#193 - Evacuate

We return to Afghanistan, and to the unfinished work Canada left behind. Following our recent conversation with retired Canadian Forces member Cory Moore, we are joined by three guests from Aman Lara, a Canadian registered charity working on refugee extraction, resettlement and protection. Jon Feltham, Executive Director of Aman Lara and retired Canadian Armed Forces member Julia Aitken, Program & Communications Director at Aman Lara Denis Thompson, Major-General (Ret’d), former commander of NATO Task Force Kandahar We examine Canada’s response to Afghans who worked alongside Canadian and NATO forces, through the lens of recent Federal Court decisions that highlight how many individuals were left behind after the fall of Kabul in 2021. We discuss: The reality faced by Afghan interpreters, contractors, and families still in hiding How Canada’s approach relied on “process without a plan” The bureaucratic gaps between DND, Global Affairs, and IRCC How veterans became de facto evacuation coordinators during the 2021 crisis How Ukraine’s uncapped emergency program contrasted so sharply with Afghanistan What Aman Lara has accomplished (over 7,000 evacuations and 5,800 resettlements) and why the work is far from over 🔗 Aman Lara is a registered Canadian charity. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to support refugee protection and resettlement efforts, we’ve included a donation link here - https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/130744 🎧 Subscribe for in-depth conversations on Canadian immigration law, policy, and the human consequences behind the headlines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.