An Afghan interpreter shot by the Taliban may soon be coming to Canada, after a 2-year fight to help him

There's been a big leap forward in a Newfoundland man's campaign to bring an imperiled Afghan interpreter to safety.

This summer, after years of silence, federal officials sent the interpreter, whom CBC News is calling "Joe" for his protection, an invitation to apply to come to Canada.

Joe has been hunted and shot in Afghanistan for helping NATO forces while they were there.

For two years, Maddox Cove resident and retired Canadian Forces brigadier-general James Camsell has been working tirelessly, raising money for Joe, writing and phoning federal officials and politicians on his behalf.

Camsell, who feared his calls for help were being ignored, said he's "ecstatic" about the news.

"He's actually dealing with Immigration Canada now … unlike the last two years," he said.

The Taliban consider working for coalition forces treason, leaving interpreters at great risk, which means Canada owes interpreters a huge debt, says Camsell. He said it's unconscionable for Canada to abandon Afghan nationals like Joe and his family.

"We have a moral obligation to him. You know, he shed blood for this country. He was wounded. Other interpreters, journalists have been killed over there. So the government needs to do work to get them out," said Camsell.

CBC News contacted Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada about Joe's case. 

The department did not address specific details. 

"Canada continues to make progress in its efforts to resettle at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans to Canada by the end of the year and we will continue to be flexible in our approach to the situation in Afghanistan," the department said in a statement.

Camsell worked with Joe in Kandahar Province in 2008-09.

"When I was there he was receiving what were called night letters or warnings nailed to his compound where he lived with his family, saying, 'Stop helping the Canadians or we will kill you,'" he said.

"In 2010, they tried to assassinate him and shot him through the legs as he was driving home. And when Afghanistan fell two years ago, they started actively looking for him, and if he had been arrested, he would have been killed."