Conservative MP accuses Trudeau of changing tone on Taliban

In a press conference on Tuesday after the G7 meeting to discuss evacuations in Afghanistan, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to walk back a previous statement about the Canadian government having "no plans" to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government.

"How will you convince the Taliban to cooperate when you’re threatening sanctions against them?" a reporter asked Trudeau.

"We know very clearly that the Taliban wants to be recognized as a government," said Trudeau. "They want to be part of the global community. They have insisted that they are different than when they were 20 years ago, that remains to be seen, we are highly skeptical, the Taliban remain on Canada’s list of terrorist entities."

"But certainly, the international community has a few very clear expectations and demands of the Taliban if they want to be even engaged with constructively and positively, whether it’s financially, whether it’s in terms of food security, whether it’s plenty of things that are needed in order to set up a functional society that they have just taken by violence," Trudeau continued.

"We know that access to the airport now, and access for people to be able to leave the country in the coming weeks is going to be extraordinary important," he added.

The statement contrasts a previous one from Trudeau last week, in which he gave no wiggle room for recognizing the Taliban-led government.

"Canada has no plans to recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan," said Trudeau.

"When they were in government 20 years ago, Canada did not recognize them as a government. They have taken over and replaced a duly-elected democratic government by force, and... are a recognized terror organization under Canadian law," he continued.