Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Official Opposition, issued the following statement on the Conservative Opposition Day Motion to establish the creation of a special committee to examine the failure of the Liberal government to act in the years and months leading up to the fall of Afghanistan:

“Justin Trudeau put his own political interests ahead of taking care of thousands of Canadians and Afghans. He chose an election for him over salvation for others. People were failed and Canada’s reputation has paid the price.

“Canadians watched the horror of people running down runways, families trying desperately to get out of Afghanistan, and women bristling with the fear of repression coming with the Taliban. Those images are etched in our minds and Parliament must now do the work that the election prevented from happening.

“Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government must explain why they failed to act. Canadians deserve to know what could have been done in the years and months before the crisis peaked this summer, and what should be done now to make up for lost time.

“That is why Canada’s Conservatives are using our first Opposition Motion of the 44th Parliament to call for the creation of a special committee to examine the failure of the Liberal government to act in the years and months leading up to the fall of Afghanistan.

“Conservatives will be a voice for those fleeing violence and persecution. We will never rest when there are people at risk because they wore a Canadian flag on their sleeve or on their heart.”