AFGH Committee Report

Government Response to the Second Report of the Special Committee
on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan

The Government of Canada has carefully considered the Second Report of the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan, and taken note of the observations and recommendations contained therein.

The Government of Canada would like to thank the members of the Special Committee for their work in preparing this report.

This response provides an overview of the Government’s approach to the quarterly reports and addresses the recommendations of the Committee.

Quarterly Reports on Canada’s Engagement in Afghanistan

In October 2007, Prime Minister Harper created an independent panel of eminent Canadians to consider options for Canada’s continued engagement in Afghanistan, and provide non-partisan recommendations.  The report of this panel (“the Manley Report”) was released in January 2008.  The Manley report contained a number of recommendations including that the Government should provide the Canadian public with franker and more frequent reporting on Canada’s role in Afghanistan.  The Government of Canada accepted the recommendations.  This led to the adoption of a Motion in the House of Commons, on March 13, 2008, in which the Government of Canada pledged to provide quarterly reports to Parliament, on Canada’s progress in Afghanistan.

To assist in providing such reports, the Government agreed that Canada’s efforts in Afghanistan would focus on a targeted set of objectives, in keeping with proven Canadian strengths and consistent with the Afghan objectives and the efforts of the international community.  The first four priorities focus primarily on Kandahar. Canada will help the Government of Afghanistan to:

• enable the Afghan National Security Forces in Kandahar to sustain a more secure environment and promote law and order.
• strengthen Afghan institutional capacity to deliver core services and promote economic growth, enhancing the confidence of Kandaharis in their government.
• provide humanitarian assistance for extremely vulnerable people, including refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.
• enhance border security, with facilitation of bilateral dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan authorities.

Nationally, Canada will help:

• advance Afghanistan’s capacity for democratic governance by contributing to effective, accountable public institutions and electoral processes.
• facilitate Afghan-led efforts toward political reconciliation.

Underlying all of these priorities is the role of the Canadian Forces, as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in counter-insurgency efforts.

In addition to these priorities, the Government announced three signature projects that will be visible examples of Canada’s continued commitment to the future of Afghanistan: the repair of the Dahla Dam and its irrigation systems; the building, repair or expansion of 50 schools in Kandahar; and the expansion of support for polio immunization in Kandahar, with a view to eradicating the debilitating disease by the end of 2009.

To support these priorities and projects, the Government of Canada identified and, in September 2008, announced a series of benchmarks and indicators that will help to gauge levels of progress. These benchmarks and indicators also identify if and when adjustments to its approach are required, and report results frankly to Canadians. All priorities and benchmarks are aligned with the Afghanistan Compact, the five-year agreement that provides the framework for international  community engagement in Afghanistan through to 2011. The Government will continue to

present quarterly reports to Parliamentarians and Canadians based on these benchmarks, fulfilling the Committee’s call for “frank and detailed results-based assessments of Canadian support to the realization of internationally agreed benchmarks and timelines.” 

As has been noted elsewhere, measuring progress in the midst of conflict is not an easy task.  The ability to make and report on progress is affected by the security situation, and progress may not always be evident or measurable on a quarterly basis.  While the appendix in each report provides a snapshot of progress achieved, it should not be read in isolation from the rest of the narrative assessment, which often contains fuller information, addresses some of the challenges encountered (which often impede progress) and/or future courses of action Canada will take to meet its benchmarks.

In addition to quarterly reports the Government uses other mechanisms to inform Canadians and parliamentarians about progress in Afghanistan, such as outreach activities (including the 360° Afghanistan), the “In Focus” newsletter and the Government of Canada’s Afghanistan website (www.afghanistan.gc.ca).

Recommendation #1:  If quarterly reports cannot be published in a more timely manner, the Government should publicly brief the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan on progress being made, as soon as possible after the end of a reporting quarter.

The Government welcomes the opportunity to brief the Special Committee on progress in Afghanistan whenever invited to testify.

Canada arguably has the most proactive and comprehensive public reporting structure in NATO/ISAF, and some countries – including the United States – as well as the United Nations, are examining and moving towards our use of benchmarks and progress indicators in Afghanistan.

The quarterly reports are already being produced and tabled as soon as possible following the end of a reporting quarter. All Members of Parliament and all Senators are also briefed by the Government following the tabling of the quarterly reports, which is also as soon as possible following the end of a reporting quarter.

The Government appreciates the Special Committee’s interest in the progress being made in Afghanistan and we stand ready to provide a special dedicated briefing to the members of the Special Committee as each report is issued, should the Special Committee so desire. 

Recommendation #2:  Government quarterly reports should offer textual and graphic descriptions of all ANA brigade headquarters and kandaks supported by Canadian Forces units and OMLTs in Kandahar Province, so the Special Committee can gain a more complete understanding of the status of associated benchmarks; and Recommendation #4:  Government quarterly reports should include a textual and graphic description of the training level achieved by all ANP units supported by the Canadian Forces and Canadian CIVPOL in Kandahar Province, so the Special Committee can gain a more complete understanding of the status of associated benchmarks.

The Government will provide members of the Special Committee with a simplified organisational chart of the Brigade headquarters, 3-4 infantry kandaks, a combat service support kandak and a combat support kandak. To protect the security of the Afghan National Army as well as Canadian Forces and civilian personnel, the organisational charts would be without strength and capability milestone levels.

In addition to hard copies, the quarterly reports are posted to the Government of Canada’s Afghanistan website (www.afghanistan.gc.ca).  This ensures that all Canadians can access the information and learn about the progress Canada is making.

However, it also means that anyone or any group around the world, including the Taliban, can access the information.  The reports need to balance the information Canadians need to know and the security requirements of the Canadian Forces and our Afghan partners.

For this reason, the quarterly reports cannot provide textual and graphic descriptions of all Afghan National Army (ANA) brigade headquarters and kandaks supported by the Canadian Forces and Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) in Kandahar province.  Detailed information on the training levels of ANP units cannot be similarly included. The provision of such information could expose the vulnerabilities of both the ANA and ANP, as well as compromise the security of the Canadian Forces, OMLTs and Canadian civilian police (CIVPOL) members.

Recommendation #3:  Government quarterly reports should identify the overall trend of progress indicators across quarters and specifically explain measures being taken to mitigate or remedy any lack of progress or retrograde development.

In the second quarterly report, which covered the quarter ending September 30, 2008, the Government of Canada introduced benchmarks by which Parliament and Canadians could judge whether, how and in which priorities our mission in Afghanistan is succeeding.  As was explained in that report, many benchmarks were quantitative – counting the number of teachers or police trained, for example – but others were more qualitative, conveying assessments of government capabilities or political change.

Since then, the Government of Canada has provided the results of each progress indicator on a quarterly basis; in some cases, the quarterly results already include cumulative results to date, where this is measurable.  However, as some of the progress indicators are more qualitative in nature, cumulative results are more difficult to report.

The fifth quarterly report, which covers the period April 1 – June 30, 2009, marks one year since the priorities were introduced, and nearly one year since the introduction of the benchmarks and progress indicators. This provides a good opportunity to report on progress to date, where measurable; for this review, such results will be included in the appendix. While each quarterly report will continue to report on progress achieved in the reporting quarter, the Government of Canada will endeavour to report on overall progress to date on a yearly basis, including contextual analysis.  For the fifth quarterly report, the review will focus on cumulative results; as further time passes, the annual exercise will be able to provide more contextual information on trends.

Conclusion

The Government of Canada reiterates its appreciation for the work of the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan and the recommendations put forth in its second report, on one of the six priorities Canada has set for its mission in Afghanistan.

The Government of Canada is proud of the honest and frank nature of the quarterly reports.   The quarterly reports provide a measure of transparency and accountability towards meeting our six priorities.  The Government welcomes the Special Committee’s recommendations and will endeavour to implement them, while ensuring the safety of Canadian forces, civilian personnel and Afghan partners in the field.

The recommendation to examine trends of progress will be implemented on a yearly basis beginning with the fifth quarterly report.