Afghan Emigrants To Canada
Seems as though one useful initiative may come out of Canada's Afghanistan mission that may have long-lasting, and positive results. Assuming that those Afghans who had courageously (and usefully) agreed to act as language interpreters for the Canadian Forces would be willing to leave the tribal, ancestral verities of violent hostilities behind and accept that Canada is a land dedicated to equality and egalitarian opportunities.
We might assume we are getting the cream of the crop; Afghans with sufficient education to enable them to have acquired a foreign language. Afghan citizens with initiative and aspirations to becoming greater within themselves than their culture and their governments might allow for them to achieve. A certain amount of vision and ingenuity would be involved in presenting as a language interpreter, even in a place where good-paying jobs are scarce.
Uppermost in anyone's mind would be the chances of surviving the opportunity for employment that being engaged as a foreign-troop language interpreter represents. After all, the country is battling a long-term, violent and vicious insurgency, where the deaths of civilians have become rather banal occurrences. Where it makes sense to wreak vengeance on those deemed to be aiding the enemy, working alongside foreign troops.
Easy and obvious targets for revenge by the Taliban. So by Canada agreeing to commit to what the United States, Britain and Australia already do, invite interpreters to apply for emigration to their respective countries as a way to express gratitude and responsibility for their well-being, after withdrawal, is only the honourable thing to do.
The announcement that Canada is prepared to re-settle hundreds of Afghans who have worked for the Canadian military in Kandahar, is a just and fair decision, one we should all be able to live with, with full equanimity. "We are expecting we'll end up re-settling 550 people who qualify for the program", Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced.
Heaven knows, Canadians need something to feel good about, related to our venture in Afghanistan. We cannot make much of a long-range difference in the country, aiding those within Afghanistan to live better lives, but we can and should assist those who have helped us to help them, help themselves.
We might assume we are getting the cream of the crop; Afghans with sufficient education to enable them to have acquired a foreign language. Afghan citizens with initiative and aspirations to becoming greater within themselves than their culture and their governments might allow for them to achieve. A certain amount of vision and ingenuity would be involved in presenting as a language interpreter, even in a place where good-paying jobs are scarce.
Uppermost in anyone's mind would be the chances of surviving the opportunity for employment that being engaged as a foreign-troop language interpreter represents. After all, the country is battling a long-term, violent and vicious insurgency, where the deaths of civilians have become rather banal occurrences. Where it makes sense to wreak vengeance on those deemed to be aiding the enemy, working alongside foreign troops.
Easy and obvious targets for revenge by the Taliban. So by Canada agreeing to commit to what the United States, Britain and Australia already do, invite interpreters to apply for emigration to their respective countries as a way to express gratitude and responsibility for their well-being, after withdrawal, is only the honourable thing to do.
The announcement that Canada is prepared to re-settle hundreds of Afghans who have worked for the Canadian military in Kandahar, is a just and fair decision, one we should all be able to live with, with full equanimity. "We are expecting we'll end up re-settling 550 people who qualify for the program", Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced.
Heaven knows, Canadians need something to feel good about, related to our venture in Afghanistan. We cannot make much of a long-range difference in the country, aiding those within Afghanistan to live better lives, but we can and should assist those who have helped us to help them, help themselves.
Labels: Afghanistan, Canada, Immigration
posted by Pieface | 2:25 PM
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