Veterans Minister Ginette Petipas Taylor was questioned on May 8 about delays and political interference in building a monument to those who served in Canada’s mission to Afghanistan.
Appearing before the Commons veterans affairs committee, she was asked repeatedly by Bloc and Conservative MPs about the project.
The government had put together a jury of experts to decide on a design, but in 2023, it rejected the jury’s choice and selected another option.
“There was a lack of respect for the process,” said Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus. “This was criticized by all the experts we talked to … there was a jury made up of experts and then the decision though was purely political. And that’s a fact–it’s a political fact,” he said in French.
Ms. Petipas Taylor replied that the government decided on a design that appeared to be favoured by veterans.
“Our veterans are our experts,” she said in French. “I can tell you that I’ve received a number of messages from veterans who said ‘Ginette, congratulations, I’m very happy you chose that monument, and continue’ … so we listened to the veterans.”
Bloc MP Luc Desilets questioned the decision.
“Are you prepared to recognize that delays around the building of the monument are the responsibility of the government due to all of the crazy decisions that were made?” he asked.
Mr. Desilets added some veterans are launching a petition over the government’s decision.
“There’s a petition that will be circulating shortly from veterans,” he said. “The petition says that the monument was tarnished in a political scandal and there was interference.”
Ms. Petipas Taylor defended the delays in the process.
“I recognize that the entire process for choosing the company that was going to build the monument took some time,” she said.
She said in her contact with veterans there haven’t been criticisms of the design.
“I’ve indicated I had the opportunity of meeting with hundreds if not thousands of veterans,” she said. “When they speak about the Afghanistan commemorative monument, people are simply asking me when the monument will be completed.”
The former Conservative government announced plans to build a monument in 2014.
A design competition was announced in 2019, with selection by a jury.
In November 2021 the jury selected a design done by Team Daoust–an architectural firm from Montreal.
However, when the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, Canadian government officials began to question if the design chosen by the jury was the right vision, since the rights of women were being rolled back under the Taliban.
In June 2023, then-Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the monument would be designed by indigenous artist and Armed Forces veteran Adrian Stimson.
The design includes the names of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and features a central segment with helmets and flak jackets arranged on crosses.
While she defended the decision, Ms. Petipas Taylor told the committee she would also ensure that any relevant documents regarding the decision were made available.
“If you’re looking for any documents from my department, I can guarantee you that,” she said.
“If these documents exist in my department, they will be delivered to you.”
