The federal government has tabled legislation aimed at amending terrorism provisions in Canada’s criminal code they say have previously blocked Canadian individuals and organizations from providing humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.
Bill C-41 will “create a legal pathway” for Ottawa to work with humanitarian partners, which includes non-government organizations (NGOs) such as the Canadian Red Cross Society, to deliver humanitarian aid like food and clothing to people in Afghanistan, says Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.
“The situation in Afghanistan is dire,” Mendicino said on March 9 in Ottawa while announcing the proposed legislation, which he is sponsoring.
Currently, Canadian humanitarian workers cannot deliver aid in areas controlled by terrorists without being prosecuted….