Trudeau minister deflects blame for disastrous exit from Afghanistan

A Trudeau cabinet minister faced rapid fire attacks from Opposition MPs over Canada’s rushed withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some 1,250 Canadians and Afghan allies were left behind to conserve fuel.

On Tuesday, Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, formerly the defence minister, justified Canada’s evacuation efforts from Kabul, Afghanistan before it fell to the Taliban, reported Blacklock’s Reporter.

At the time, Canadian forces used large military planes to shuttle 440 diplomats, staff, and Afghan nationals in a rush to leave Kabul, starting August 4, 2021.

Canada was one of the first countries to remove its embassy staff, MPs previously learned. 

“We put every effort possible to evacuate as many people as possible, and I want to say this, safely as well,” Sajjan told the Commons defence committee. “That was a very key concern, making sure we did it in a safe manner.”

However, Canada’s evacuation efforts were poorly executed and bogged down by bureaucracy, a parliamentary committee previously learned.

A department memo said large military aircraft flew with empty seats to conserve fuel, carrying as few as 40 passengers at a time. Aircraft included a CC-177 Globemaster with a max occupancy of 102 passengers, a CC-130J Hercules with seats for 128 and CC-150 Polaris with room for 194 people.

Minister Sajjan then had a fiery exchange with Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant, who repeatedly asked how many Canadians were left behind, when Kabul fell on August 15, 2021.

“Would you consider the evacuation to be a success despite leaving 1,300 Canadians and Afghan interpreters forced to fend for themselves against the Taliban?” asked Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant. “I wish we could have gotten more,” replied Sajjan. 

“What actions have you undertaken to take responsibility for the 1,300 Canadians and Afghan interpreters that you left stranded back in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan?” asked MP Gallant. “I answered a few of your questions,” replied Sajjan.

The Trudeau government ultimately abandoned some 1,250 Canadians and Afghan allies while closing its embassy. No Canadian representatives remained on the ground” to issue emergency visas to Afghan allies.

The Department of Foreign Affairs denied abandoning anyone with ties to Canada.

“That was very embarrassing for a lot of us on the ground,” testified Major-General Dean Milner, last Canadian combat commander in the region. 

“They could have been a lot of help,” he added. “I was working with a number of them in the Embassy and all of a sudden, boom, they were gone.”

In the weeks leading up to the Taliban takeover, Minister Sajjan expanded a partnership with the Alberta-based Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation. The group aimed to resettle Afghan Sikhs and Hindus subject to persecution in Afghanistan.

After identifying more than 200 trapped persons of concern, Sajjan relayed information to the Canadian Armed Forces to facilitate their rescue through the “appropriate chain of command.” They were eligible for evacuation under federal policy, he claimed.

At the time of Canada’s evacuation efforts, federal officials received many requests for assistance. The minister denied ever instructing the military to prioritize the rescue of one group over another. 

“I wish we could have gotten all vulnerable populations out that we needed to get out, that were actually on our list,” testified Sajjan. 

“I just want to thank the Canadian Armed Forces for putting themselves in extreme risk for pulling off a very important mission,” he added.

Alex Dhaliwal

Calgary Based Journalist

Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.