Liberal Member of Parliament Maryam Monsef, the women and gender equality minister in the Canadian government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called the Taliban “our brothers” Wednesday during a briefing on the Afghanistan withdrawal.
“I want to take this opportunity to speak to our brothers, the Taliban. We call on you to ensure the safe and secure passage of any individual in Afghanistan out of the country,” Monsef said Wednesday in Ottawa, according to the National Post. Monsef, who is Muslim, also reportedly encouraged the Taliban to end all “violence … genocide, femicide” and “the destruction of infrastructure including heritage buildings.” (RELATED: With Canada Day Celebrations Cancelled, Thousands Blanket Ottawa Streets To Protest Trudeau Government ‘Corruption’)
A @JustinTrudeau cabinet minister just called the Taliban, a designated terror organization, “our brothers.” #cdnpoli #lpc #cpc #ndp pic.twitter.com/zAoKxRxPLI
— Warren Kinsella (@kinsellawarren) August 25, 2021
When asked if her comments indicated a more tolerant stance on the Taliban by the Trudeau government, Monsef said that “The Taliban are a terrorist group and yet they’ve claimed to be Muslims. We are calling on them to immediately cease the violence, the femicide, the genocide, the rapes, the lootings and to return immediately to the peace negotiation table in an inclusive and meaningful way,” according to the National Post.
She noted that “the reference to brothers is a cultural reference, of course,” the outlet reported.
Afghan men wave a flag above the portrait of late Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Massoud (R) in Paryan district of Panjshir province on August 23, 2021, as the Taliban said their fighters had surrounded resistance forces holed up in the valley, but were looking to negotiate rather than take the fight to them. (Photo by Ahmad SAHEL ARMAN / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Monsef reportedly refused to walk back her remarks, saying that Muslims routinely refer to themselves as “brothers and sisters” and that she”believe[s] deeply that the Taliban are a terrorist organization.” (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Rips Justin Trudeau For Using COVID-19 Pandemic To Push Social Controls)
Trudeau has said Canada has “no plans” to recognize the Taliban as the legal government of Afghanistan. In August, the prime minister called a snap election for Sept. 20, saying “Canadians deserve their say, and that’s exactly what we are going to give them.” He was first elected in 2015.