The major flaw in the immigration program for Afghan interpreters

This is an old story, but I haven't heard this major flaw addressed yet so I'm putting it out there.

There's a program to fast-track immigration applications for Afghan interpreters serving the Canadian Forces. I am very glad that such a program exists. These guys have, by far, the greatest risk, the worst working conditions, and the lowest pay of all the many language professionals serving Canada or Canadians. They are serving our country; the least we can do is give them the protection of our country.

However, there is a major flaw in this program:

Neither Kenney nor officials in his department could say exactly when the successful immigrants, who are allowed to bring along two family members each, would arrive in Canada.

They are allowed to bring two family members each. But surely it isn't uncommon to have more than three people (i.e. the interpreter and the designated two family members) in a household? Surely it isn't uncommon to have more than two minor children? Think about your family. Think about your family of origin when you and all your siblings were minors. How well would it have fared if the primary breadwinner left and took only two people along, leaving the rest behind?

How many interpreters are facing a Sophie's Choice of which two family members to take to safety in Canada? How many interpreters are declining to take part in this program simply because they don't want to have to leave some of their dependents behind, perhaps to face retribution for the interpreters' actions?

I was relieved when I heard that my country was going to help protect my Afghan brethren, but now I'm ashamed that we have such a short-sighted, bureaucratic, punitive rule that only allows interpreters with average-sized families to access our protection by sacrificing some of their family members.

An appropriate rule would be that they can bring their household, or they can bring their spouse and children, or even to say that the program is just for the interpreters themselves and they can have their family follow them through normal family reunification measures later. (Not saying that leaving the whole family behind is better, just that it's a more appropriate scope for a rule.) But a limit of two family members is completely arbitrary, in a casually cruel sort of way.

I want my country to be better than that.