canada afghanistan solidarity committee

The Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee is looking for Canadians from all backgrounds and walks of life to join the board of our non-profit society in order to grow the organization, plan new projects and support Canadian initiatives with and for Afghans. We will be drawing from our members for when we nominate a new executive board in the new year.

Board members must already be members of the CASC organization. Learn about how to join CASC.

You can nominate prospective members to our board (including yourself) by sending notice through the official CASC email at info [AT] afghanistan-canada-solidarity [DOT] org

It seems that discussion about Canada's role in Afghanistan after 2011 has reached the ends of the earth, with Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee founding member Zack Baddorf voicing his concern while working in Sudan. An excerpt of his op ed in the Vancouver Sun:

Afghanistan needs that same chance, but without peace, it won't be able to develop. I've read with dismay the news of Canadian political leaders announcing that Canadian troops will be returning home from Afghanistan without completing their mission.

I reported from Afghanistan in 2008 and believe we shouldn't abandon the country at this critical time. As a member of the Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee, I believe Afghans deserve peace, justice and stability.

The withdrawal of Canadian soldiers would deny Afghanistan its chance to prosper.

Date & Time:
Tuesday April 27thTime: 7-9pm

Location:
Telus Centre on the University of Alberta campus (87 Avenue NW & 112 St NW, Edmonton)

Presenting:
H.E. Jawed Ludin, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Canada
Terry Glavin, award-winning writer, journalist and founding member of CASCNajia Haneefi, Founder of the Women's Political Participation Committee (Afghanistan)
Lauryn Oates, Canadian human rights and education activist

Refreshments served 

It's looking more likely we'll be moving ahead with a forum in Regina on what Canada's role in Afghanistan post-2011 might look like. The University of Regina appears to be willing to oblige our request for an on-campus event. From the Leader Post:

Lauryn Oates, a Vancouver-based senior advisor to CASC and education specialist in Afghanistan, said regular Canadians need to be discussing our role in Afghanistan, not just parliamentarians.

"This could be a leadership opportunity for (the U of R)," said Oates. "(The university) could take a stand and say, 'We have to talk about this.' "

CASC events — held across Canada — include a panel of speakers whom share their views on the current Afghan conflict. Past speakers have included the likes of Grant Kippen, the Canadian head of the electoral complaints commission in Afghanistan, who gave insights into Canada's best support strategy to Afghanistan.

"We have a line-up of speakers coming to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Montreal," said Oates. "It would be great to include Regina."

The priorities moving past 2011 for Canada ought to include building up Afghanistan's civil society, investing in education and upgrading the country's shockingly low literacy rate, and training Afghan security forces to protect gains, CASC's Vision document states (Look for it on our website shortly!). Olivia Ward writes a summary of CASC's findings in the Toronto Star:

Canada should not be shy about using its influence to pressure the Afghan government toward democracy, according to Terry Glavin, lead author of the report, being released Tuesday in Ottawa.

"What people told us was not to be (afraid) of treading on Afghan sovereignty," Glavin said. "We must tell the president that rule of law is important."...

"When we debate the army leaving Afghanistan, we forget that the root cause of the conflict is lack of development, aid and education," said Banerjee, who led the CIDA mission in Kabul 2003 to 2006.

"In the (UN) human development index, Afghanistan is going down. But security and development go together, which is why Afghans feel so helpless."

After 2011, he said, Canada should loosen its ties with Kandahar, where the troops are based.

MacKenzie said resettling development away from turbulent southern Afghanistan would be possible but moving Canadian Forces would be difficult and costly.

After 2011, he said, Canada should focus on training, mentoring Afghan troops and maintaining reconstruction teams.

The Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee is about to unveil its vision for Canada's role in Afghanistan post-2011. It's time to put aside this irrelevant debate about detainees and get to the real conversation about how to meet Canada's strategic objectives. An excerpt from the Montreal Gazette:

The document takes no issue with the plan to withdraw Canada's battle group from Afghanistan at the end of 2011.

But what many have missed, Glavin said, is that Canada's development and aid package in Afghanistan is also due to expire at the end of 2011.

Yet Parliament is "paralyzed. Nobody knows what to do," Glavin said. Instead, MPs are engaging in an "elaborate work-avoidance activity" focused on the treatment of Afghan detainees more than three years ago.

"We need to have a new conversation in this country about a new mission," Glavin said. "We have to think about 2011 as the beginning of something, not the end of it."

Canada's mission in Afghanistan is the biggest thing the country has done militarily since the Korean War, he said.

"Are we going to turn that legacy into the greatest shame and embarrassment?

"We need to sharply refocus our objectives in Afghanistan. What are we there for? Why did all those soldiers die? How are we going to finish the job?"

To find out, the committee — made up of human-rights activists, Afghan-Canadians, academics, writers and journalists — consulted more than 100 organizations and individuals in Canada and Afghanistan.

"Everyone we talk to says, 'democracy,' " said Glavin. "Anything that gets in the way of that, we have to go through it like a wolf in a flock of sheep."