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‘The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles’: Canada still bars Afghanistan aid

Published

6 months ago

April 27, 2024

Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.

But by the time its new system is fully up and running, the Taliban will have been in control of the country for about three years.

Humanitarian organizations say that’s an interminable delay for those who need help, especially since other countries moved more quickly to unblock aid flows.

“It’s extremely frustrating, if I can put it as nicely as I can,” said Asma Faizi, head of the Afghan Women’s Organization.

Her group supports Afghan newcomers to Canada as well as women living in Afghanistan and in exile in nearby countries. It also runs an all-girls orphanage in Kabul, which has been blocked from Canadian aid since the Taliban takeover.

“Canadian organizations that want to work inside Afghanistan are ready, willing and able to work. But they are prohibited,” said Faizi.

As the law is written, aid workers are vulnerable to criminal prosecution if they pay taxes on labour or goods to Afghanistan’s Taliban government.

Doing so would amount to providing financial support to an entity that Canada lists as a terrorist organization.

The United States, Australia, the European Union and the United Kingdom all created carve-outs to their own terrorism laws by February 2022 to allow aid to flow — about six months after the Taliban took full control.

In June of that year, a multi-party committee of members of Parliament called on Ottawa to follow suit.

Since then, Afghanistan has faced a deteriorating humanitarian crisis caused by natural disasters, widespread food insecurity and an economic collapse as the international community largely shuns the current government.

The United Nations has determined that 23.7 million people in the country currently need humanitarian aid.

Last June, Parliament passed a bill that enacted a blanket exemption to terrorism financing laws for humanitarian workers providing life-saving aid in response to emergencies.

It also committed Ottawa to eventually create a permit process for development workers, such as those building schools, to apply for exemptions to terror laws.

For World Vision Canada, the delay in getting that process set up has meant proceeding with health and nutrition work in Afghanistan on a humanitarian basis but pausing development projects aimed at advancing women’s rights.

The blanket exemption just isn’t enough for some aid groups, said the group’s policy director Martin Fischer.

Ottawa has yet to provide a clarity on what it defines as humanitarian versus development work. The exemption that is already in place only applies to the former.

“There’s still this passing of responsibility,” he said, that requires aid organizations to determine for themselves what they need to do to protect themselves from prosecution.

He lamented that the government is not using long-standing definitions issued by Global Affairs Canada or the United Nations, which lay out the difference in terminology.

Faizi said groups are trying to address a wide spectrum of issues — from hunger and disease to political repression — and remain confused about which projects should fit into either category.

For example, she said, vaccinations could be considered long-term preventative aid. But their provision could also be seen as a response to a short-term emergency as the health system buckles and deadly illnesses spread.

Mental-health programs are normally categorized as development work, but Faizi argued there’s a strong case that stopping a trend of youth suicide in Afghanistan could be considered a humanitarian endeavour.

Faizi also said that in failing to take swift action to allow permits for what it defines as development work, Ottawa seems to be going against its own feminist international assistance guidelines.

That policy called for flexibility in delivering aid and for the acceptance of more risks in order to help women and girls in unstable countries.

“The problem arose when they decided that Canada was going to take this unprecedented route of creating a very complex and bureaucratic process,” she said.

A more flexible approach is needed, said Faizi, and one that recognizes “some of the money” could fall into the wrong hands even as aid organizations try to save lives.

An report from Public Safety Canada published last week says “efforts are ongoing to operationalize the authorization regime.”

It says the process requires sorting out privacy rules and ensuring the permit process passes an equity analysis.

Ottawa “intends to launch this regime by spring 2024 and will work towards achieving full operational capacity by late 2024,” the report reads.

Asked for more detail, a spokesperson for the department said applications will be accepted in the spring, and “staffing efforts are currently underway to further bolster the team administrating the regime.”

The process has fallen behind Ottawa’s own benchmark.

The federal Liberals budgeted $5 million for the fiscal year that just ended in order to vet the permits. Another $11 million was committed for the financial year that started this month.

Ontario Sen. Ratna Omidvar advocated for the bill.

She said she is “relieved” that some aid is arriving as a result of the humanitarian exemption, but hopes Ottawa moves quickly to ensure more organizations can help.

“I’m concerned about the amount of time that it is taking us to develop the systems and the protocols,” Omidvar said.

“Whenever public safety and security is in the mix, things will take longer for the smaller fish — always.”

Canadians have a special duty to the Afghan people, the senator said — and especially women, after two decades of Ottawa helping train teachers, journalists and politicians.

“Everything fell off the cliff” when the Taliban took over, she said.

“Canadians need to understand, accept and acknowledge that we were complicit in all of this.”

Omidvar said Afghans feel betrayed and live behind “virtual bars.” Women are unable to go to a park without a male guardian and take great risks to continue their education online.

“Using the word ‘tragedy’ comes easily, but that is an abdication of our responsibility to Afghanistan,” she said.

Canada is ignoring the thousands of Afghans who have since immigrated here but have connections, skills and passion for their homeland, she said.

Afghan Canadians could help turn the world’s attention to their homeland, she added, and improve living conditions for those trapped under Taliban rule.

“I don’t believe we can change history,” she said.

“But we can be front of the line in terms of aid, humanitarian and developmental.”

Aid groups trying to support people in Afghanistan are at the vanguard of a procedural change that, once it is eventually in place, could ease humanitarian work elsewhere.

Fischer noted that the permit process could come into play as Canadian groups seek to respond to crises in other regions run by terror groups, such as Yemen and the Gaza Strip.

“The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2024.

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Coronato scores twice, but Flames video coach plays hero in Calgary’s win

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

MONTREAL – Matt Coronato scored the game-tying goal and the overtime winner in a dramatic finish, but video coach Jamie Pringle was the hero on Tuesday night.

Before Coronato powered a Calgary Flames comeback, Brendan Gallagher appeared to give the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 lead with 8:24 remaining in the third.

Pringle, however, instantly flagged the goal for offside. Then the Flames challenged successfully, and Coronato did the rest as Calgary flipped the script and won 3-2 in overtime.

“I was just saying that a post is normally a goalie’s best friend, but I think the video coach is now number two,” Flames netminder Dustin Wolf said.

Canadiens forward Josh Anderson had set up Gallagher on an odd-man rush, though it was unclear in real-time if Anderson had full control of the puck when he entered the Flames’ zone backward.

The Bell Centre’s roof nearly blew off with Canadiens fans celebrating like it was a sure thing, but Pringle thought otherwise.

“We’ve always been confident in Jamie,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said. “He’s the best guy in the league. So another situation where he flashed it up, challenge right away.

“We don’t get this win if it’s not for the courage that he showed. You have a great guy in that chair for a reason. And Jamie did a great job for us, keeping us in this game tonight.”

Pringle, a 49-year-old from Picton, Ont., who’s also known as “Chips,” is in his 14th season with the Flames.

And it wasn’t the first time he played a crucial role in a victory this season.

In Calgary’s 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 13, the video coach successfully challenged two goals, including one Corey Perry deflection that the hockey world was convinced should have counted.

Pringle made the snap decision anyway, even though a failed challenge would put his team on the penalty kill.

“He’s hot this year,” forward Blake Coleman said. “You know what? He needed to redeem himself after a tough last year. We had some good chats down the stretch, and he’s been on fire.

“I’d say of all the guys on our team, he’s probably the one who hasn’t missed a night so far.”

Coronato showed up at the right time on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old winger tied the game with 2:46 remaining in regulation when he cruised into the slot and went off the post and in. He then buried the winning goal seven seconds into the extra period, coming one second shy of tying the fastest OT goal in NHL history.

“He’s remarkable. He’s had so many chances to score, and he’s kind of been snaked bit a few times,” Wolf said. “To see him score on two unbelievable shots, that’s a scouting report on him, his shot’s lethal.”

“The kid can shoot it,” Coleman added. “Couple big ones.”

Coronato, a 13th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, spent most of last season in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers.

This season, he’s played two games in the AHL and eight in the NHL. And with performances like Tuesday’s, he can expect plenty more in the big leagues.

“Sometimes with younger players, you put them in the American League for a bit and it’s hard on them,” Huska said. “There’s a long-term plan for sure. We know how good he’s going to be for us. We just want to make sure that we are putting him in situations that he’s going to be ready for and be able to have success.

“He’s done an excellent job of preparing himself to play, and we saw the result of his effort tonight.”

The Flames (7-5-1) picked up their second win in seven games to kick off a three-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Canadiens (4-7-2) dropped their fourth in a row ahead of four games away from home.

“We didn’t throw up on ourselves tonight, but we still feel a bit sick to our stomachs,” head coach Martin St. Louis said, referencing a post-game assessment he delivered after a 6-3 loss last week in Washington.

The Canadiens didn’t paint a picture of doom and gloom in the dressing room despite coming a couple minutes shy of securing two points and snapping their skid, but St. Louis said his players should leave this game “hungry” to get in the win column.

“If I was in their shoes, I’d wish we played tomorrow,” he said. “That’s what I would want to feel like. That’s what I want to be like.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

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Blues Dylan Holloway rushed to hospital after being struck in neck by puck

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway left Tuesday night’s contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning and departed the rink on a stretcher after being struck by a puck late in the first period.

Holloway was hit in the neck area by a puck with 2:37 remaining in the period, and proceeded to finish his shift, continuing to participate in the play before skating to the bench under his own power.

As play was stopped with 1:11 remaining for a high-sticking penalty that was later called off, teammates started calling and gesturing for assistance.

Blues trainer Ray Barile and medical staff from both teams tended to Holloway for several minutes before emergency medical technicians carted him off the bench on a stretcher.

“I was just sitting beside him and saw something was happening,” Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko said. “I told Ray. He knows what he’s doing. I was just kind of curious to what’s going on. Doctors came in and, like, I think everything is good right now. But we were worried, everybody.”

Holloway was seen raising his arm as he was carted off. The Blues later announced that Holloway was alert and stable and was rushed to a St. Louis area hospital for further observation.

“I think the only way I can put is if you’re at work, and you get a call, and one of your family members is sick, and you rush to the hospital,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said.

“Holly’s a family member. That was tough. I thought we, as a group, showed a lot of fortitude, and the way mentally being able to push through that, because the easiest thing to do is your head goes somewhere else. But, we were able to get updates on Holly and kind of put our minds at ease a little bit and refocus ourselves.”

Referees Wes McCauley and Cody Beach sent the teams to their locker rooms and started the first intermission after Holloway was transported off the bench due to the nature of the injury.

“It’s hard,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “It’s your teammate. Then we got news that he’s going to be fine. And then, you have to wrap your head around it a little bit and go play a hockey game again, right?

“So that’s just, unfortunately, the reality of the sport, and it took us awhile to get going.”

St. Louis rallied to score three goals after falling behind 1-0 early in the second period to beat Tampa Bay 3-2.

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Niederreiter scores twice in 900th career game as Jets beat Utah 3-0

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

WINNIPEG – Nino Niederreiter showed his veteran savvy in his 900th NHL career game on Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Jets forward scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves in a 3-0 victory over the Utah Hockey Club that kept the team’s early-season success rolling with a fourth consecutive win (12-1-0).

On his first goal, the 32-year Niederreiter lifted a Utah opponent’s stick in Winnipeg’s end, allowing the Jets to get the puck and head toward the visitor’s net.

Niederreiter then joined the rush, deked and put the puck around netminder Karel Vejmelka for a 2-0 lead at 7:30 of the third period with his sixth goal of the season.

“Obviously, the game wasn’t very pretty,” Niederreiter said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of flow out there. I think that is something that we knew and just had to stick with and do the little things right.

“Eventually, we would create our own luck and that’s what happened there.”

And what about his deke in front of 12,932 fans at Canada Life Centre?

“I still got it somewhere in there,” Niederreiter said with a smile. “It’s a great feeling, like I said. It’s a cool night to score a goal like that.”

His second goal — the 230th of his career — was into an empty net with 2:59 remaining. He also has 225 assists for 455 career points.

Gabriel Vilardi scored the first goal at 17:57 of the second period on the power play and Adam Lowry picked up two assists.

Hellebuyck recorded his second shutout of the season and 39th of this career.

Niederreiter signed a three-year contract extension with the Jets last December. The $12-million deal kicked in this season.

He’s now scored against 33 NHL teams, including the Jets.

“It’s a cool stat, but I think it also says that I’ve been traded a few times,” he said. “But I guess it gives me the chance to do that.”

Niederreiter was drafted in 2010 by the New York Islanders (fifth overall), becoming Switzerland’s highest NHL pick.

He’s also played for the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators before being traded to the Jets in February 2023.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel was impressed by Niederreiter’s quick-thinking stick lift.

“We’ll throw that on the old system video,” he said. “But that’s just going the distance, coming all the way back and he creates that.

“We’re never out of it. You never know how a puck’s going to bounce. He just kept coming and obviously we turned that offence the other way.”

Arniel said the team recognized Niederreiter’s milestone.

“That’s special. That’s a lot of games,” Arniel said. “We had a little tribute to him, saw all his pictures from all the jerseys he’s worn and the places he’s played.

“He hasn’t changed a bit. He’s a big power forward and that line I thought was really good. They take that (Clayton) Keller line on, those skill guys. They did a really good job.”

Niederreiter is on a line with Lowry and Mason Appleton.

“Those guys on the PK were really strong,” Arniel added. “When that line plays like that they’re a force, they’re hard to handle. They wear teams down because they spend so much time in the offensive zone.”

Utah (5-5-3) ended a run of picking up points in three consecutive games (1-0-2).

Vejmelka stopped 25 shots for Utah in its second game of a four-game road trip.

“They know what to expect of each other. They play a really, really structured game, and they were patient tonight,” Utah head coach Andre Tourigny said of the Jets.

“I think that was a good chess game. They got one on the power play and from there they waited for the opportunity to have a killer goal. They did a good job.”

NOTES: Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey picked up his 14th assist of the season when his point shot with five seconds left in a power play was tipped in by Vilardi. … Kyle Connor had his franchise-record, season-opening points streak end at 12 games. He almost picked up an assist until Vilardi tipped in Morrissey’s shot.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.

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