Evidence of meeting #60 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was haiti.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Edmond Mulet  UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), United Nations
Claude Boucher  Canada's Ambassador to Haiti, As an Individual

Noon

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Thank you, Madame Barbot.

Unfortunately, we're pretty well out of time. I don't know what your schedule is like, but if you would like to take a few moments to quickly answer that question, we'll then conclude with a few remarks.

Noon

UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), United Nations

Edmond Mulet

Okay, I'll do it quickly.

I am going to touch on the question of reconciliation. When René Préval was a candidate for election, he announced that he was going to establish a government of national unity. The first thing he did after having been elected was to call together the six largest parties and ask them to nominate ministers. All the members of the cabinet represent different political parties, even the Lavalas party. Everyone is represented.

When he has important decisions to make for the country, the President brings everyone together, whether they are from the civil society, from political parties, from Parliament, or from the private sector. He is constantly working for national reconciliation. He even meets with the people from Groupe 184 who strongly opposed him, Mr. André Apaid, Reginald Boulos, etc. The latter is the owner of the daily Le Matin. On the paper's 100th anniversary, Mr. Préval went to the reception and there was a reconciliation. Mr. Boulos now makes public statements in which he supports the government.

I see things moving forward. This reconciliation, this national dialogue starts with the very head of the government. In addition, the private sector and civil society are expressing a desire to work together and to leave behind those 20 years of confrontation and polarization. I find that very encouraging.

As regards Haiti's debt, it is about $1.3 billion, but the negotiations that the Préval government is holding with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are going very well. This is all about macroeconomics. It is possible that in one or two years, the debt may be totally wiped out, but that is not a given. Some conditions, dealing with governance and integrity among other things, must be fulfilled. A debt like that is not easily eliminated: we want the government also to make some efforts in the area of tax collection. And it is doing so.

The inflation rate in Haiti is one of the lowest on the continent. In fact, the government has assumed enormous financial and fiscal responsibilities. So I think that in these two areas, the country is going in the right direction.

Noon

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Thank you, Mr. Mulet.

I'm disappointed that Mr. Dewar left a little early.

Haiti, I think, always used to be our major recipient country. Now, Afghanistan, of course, has taken that role. But Canada remains very much committed to Haiti.

The foreign affairs department announced a while back $10 million through the Global Peace and Security Fund to help with security and the judicial system in the country. And specifically with regard to Mr. Dewar's question, a colleague passed me some information on health care: Canada has made a commitment to invest nearly $520 million over the next five years. When CIDA made some announcements in February of 2007, there were a number of specific projects mentioned: $18.75 million for the Haitian health system development support project; $17.5 million for the expanded immunization support project; $9.2 million to support the United Nations transitional appeal; $19.8 million for the program to rehabilitate basic economic infrastructure in Haiti; and $5 million to implement Haiti's national school feeding program. Those are some of the specifics on what Mr. Dewar asked about in regard to health care.

Whatever the amounts are, we hope to see some fruit and very positive stories down the road in terms of success in Haiti. We know that MINUSTAH and others involved there are very optimistic and hopeful. I guess it depends on where we start, but some would say we can only go up from here. We do look forward to more and better democratization, so that we can see the parliament and justice system working, and all those things you mentioned today. We just wish you all the best in that.

Thank you for being here.

12:05 p.m.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), United Nations

Edmond Mulet

Thank you very much.

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

We are adjourned.