Has Canadian foreign policy in Afghanistan supported the national interests of the Afghan people?
The students responding to this question are Pearl, who lives in St. Albert and whose great-great-great grandfather immigrated from China to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway; Jean, a Francophone student who lives in Calgary; and Violet, who is a member of the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement.
We need to do more to help girls and women in Afghanistan. Sima Samar’s story shocked me. Can you imagine not being able to go to school just because you’re a girl? And getting death threats because you are trying to help women change their lives? Canadian foreign policy in Afghanistan should help Afghan women learn about-and enjoy-their human rights.
My big brother is in the princess Patricias, and he did a tour in Afghanistan. I support Canada’s foreign policy on Afghanistan and the work that Canadian troops are doing over there. They’re taking care of our national interests because they’re making the world safer for everyone. I’m proud of my brother because he tried to help the afghan people enjoy the kind of freedoms that we take for granted in Canada.
I think that we should get out of Afghanistan-right now. I don’t agree with our government’s foreign policy. We aren’t really helping the afghan people; we’re fighting with them. How about practicing some of those Canadian peacekeeping values here at home? We need to take care of our own national interests first; then maybe we can go and help people in other countries.