431-00203 (Foreign affairs)

Respect for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is fundamental to the development of more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous societies. Consequently, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and bilateral engagement.  Global Affairs Canada consistently advocates for the rights of religious and ethnic minorities around the world through both bilateral and multilateral forums.

For example, most recently, as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process on Human Rights on January 21, 2019, Canada called on the Afghan government to undertake a review of the security challenges faced during past parliamentary elections and to apply the lessons learned to ensure the safety of Afghans during the September 28, 2019 presidential election. The Afghan government must do more to prevent incidents such as the tragic July 2018 attack which targeted the Sikh and Hindu community in Jalalabad and killed Avtar Singh Khalsa, the Sikh candidate for the 2018 parliamentary elections. Canada strongly condemns all terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and offers its heartfelt sympathies to all the victims of the attacks and their families.

Canada uses the opportunities of multilateral meetings on Afghanistan, such as the Heart of Asia –Istanbul Process and the November 2018 Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, to raise issues related to human rights in Afghanistan. Canada also raises its support for the full inclusion of all members of Afghan society, regardless of ethnicity, gender or background. Canada is committed to helping the people of Afghanistan create a more peaceful environment that is safe and secure and a country that is well governed.

Canada continues to work with members of the international community to help strengthen the capacity of the Afghan government to protect human rights, to ensure stability and security for all Afghans, including members of minority groups. For example, Canada contributes to the Law and Order Trust Fund of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, which support fair representation of minorities in security institutions.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has also recently condemned the horrifying attack on Sikh worshippers in Afghanistan that occurred on March 25, 2020 (https://twitter.com/FP_Champagne/status/1243583795032403968). Canada firmly believe that freedom of religion or belief, including the ability to worship in peace and security, is a universal human right. People must be able to practice their religion without fearing for their lives and safety.

Canada recognizes and applauds the strength and resilience of the Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan. Canada is committed to working with the Afghan government to ensure that Sikh and Hindu minority groups are able to fully participate in Afghan society. Canadian officials frequently raise the issue of human rights with their Afghan interlocutors, and will continue to take every opportunity to emphasize the importance of ethnic minority rights in Afghanistan.

The Government of Canada takes the protection and promotion of human rights seriously and is deeply concerned with the discrimination and violence that has affected Sikhs, Hindus and other religious and ethnic communities in Afghanistan.

Resettling refugees is a proud part of Canada’s humanitarian tradition. It demonstrates to the world that Canada has a shared responsibility to help those who are displaced, persecuted and most in need of protection. The Private Sponsorship of Refugees program is one of the oldest and best known resettlement programs in the world.

On March 12, 2020, the Government announced the 2020-2022 Immigration Levels Plan. As part of this plan, Canada planned to welcome 20,000 privately sponsored refugees in 2020 and 60,000 over the next three years. This plan reflects the Government’s sustained commitment to resettle privately sponsored refugees.

However, since the time of that announcement, the resettlement environment has significantly changed. We are living in extraordinary times and the Government of Canada has implemented a number of temporary measures, including travel restrictions, to protect the health and safety of Canadians and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

As part of these measures, resettlement movements for overseas refugees have been temporarily suspended. Implementation partners, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the International Organization for Migration also announced they are temporarily suspending resettlement activities. Despite this, Canada intends to continue to uphold its international commitments and overseas refugee resettlement will resume once conditions allow.

Support for religious freedoms both at home and abroad remains a priority for the Government of Canada and we continue to consider requests from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle individuals in urgent need of protection on a case-by-case basis.