Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly acknowledged the challenges of aiding Afghan citizens in fleeing from the Taliban after the Conservatives criticized the installation of a plaque to commemorate the August 2021 airlift. The effort was made more complex, as explained by Global Affairs Canada official Weldon Epp, since Canada had fewer resources on the ground after closing its embassy earlier compared to other countries. Senior soldiers, including Retired Maj.-Gen. Dean Milner, also added that a lack of preparedness and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unforeseen snap election hampered the Afghan evacuation. Despite criticisms, Joly emphasized that all NATO countries faced difficulties in responding to the Taliban’s advances. Additionally, opposition parties argued that the Canadian government did not learn from the evacuation, despite Emergency Management Assistant Deputy Minister Julie Sunday suggesting her team worked well despite an overwhelming demand.