Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 7th, 2022

[Michael Grant]

Thank you very much for your question.

I will answer it, but Mr. Carrière or Ms. Cesaratto could add something.

Indeed, we are the largest donor after the United States, but we cannot act alone. We need to work with our partners and international organizations. In New York, Canada is the chair of the Economic and Social Council's Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, which has tried to improve the way the UN and Haiti's international donors work. So the only solution is to work together.

I would ask Ms. Cesaretto and Mr. Carrière to complete my response.

[Sylvia Cesaratto]

Thank you for your question.

As you pointed out, Haiti is extremely fragile. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, with some of the lowest socio-economic indicators in the world and certainly in the Americas.

Our programs are targeted at the most vulnerable people and those most affected by the socio-economic crisis in Haiti. It is therefore the citizens of Haiti who will be the direct beneficiaries. These programs are based on all the pillars of our commitment, and our implementing partners are primarily Canadian and international non-governmental organizations, such as UN bodies or the UN World Food Programme, or WFP.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Ambassador, is there anything you would like to add?

[Sébastien Carrière]

Indeed, Canada's solidarity with the Haitian people is unwavering. You have described it well.

I would also say that beyond development aid, there are what my colleagues call “pockets of excellence” in this country, that is to say, economic projects that work very well without international aid. I'm thinking of a man called Pierre Léger, in the Cayes region, who is the world's leading producer of vetiver, an essential oil that serves as the basis for almost every perfume you know...

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Marty Morantz]

I'm sorry, that is the end of the round.

We'll move on to Mr. Bergeron, who has the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

It's a shame, because it was very interesting to hear about this excellence that is found in some places.

According to the Government of Canada's own data, barely 1% of the Haitian population is fully vaccinated against COVID‑19. The bulk of the government's contribution is through the COVAX initiative, but we know that it has made bilateral donations based on criteria that we don't quite understand. Since this seems very arbitrary, we have asked that the government prioritize Palestine, Haiti and Taiwan, for a variety of reasons. I think the ones regarding Haiti are obvious to everyone.

As I was saying, the Canadian government has made bilateral donations without our having a clear understanding of the criteria, including to Egypt and that region, to Jamaica and Barbados, but not to Haiti.

Why is it that we have not yet helped Haiti with immunization, when they are struggling in every way to try to get out of the pandemic?

It seems to me that this would be a concrete way to help. What do you think?

[Michael Grant]

Thank you very much for your question.

Actually, we are closely monitoring the health situation related to COVID‑19 in Haiti.

Canada has already contributed $12 million to the COVID‑19 effort. In terms of vaccines, I think we're now looking at other countries that we can donate to. We are working with the United Nations, our partners and the Pan American Health Organization.

Ms. Cesaratto, is there anything you would like to add?

[Sylvia Cesaratto]

Thank you.

I was, in fact, going to add that we had also given $50 million to the Pan American Health Organization, which has been setting up programs in Haiti, especially to do outreach to people who are reluctant to get vaccinated, which is a big problem.

At the beginning of the pandemic, we also revised our existing program by adding $13 million to directly address the personal protective equipment needs of our project beneficiaries.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Marty Morantz]

That is the end of the round.

Ms. McPherson, you have the floor for two minutes and 40 seconds.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to say that the questions on vaccinations are very important to me and a key priority for me. I would like to highlight that the promises on the vaccinations are not the same as the delivery of vaccinations and that we should keep that in mind.

I have some questions for our guests today on the $50 million and how that is going to be allocated. My first question is with regard to food security. We do know that $12 million has been allocated to the World Food Programme for food security issues happening in Haiti right now. I am wondering whether or not that is being seen as sufficient and whether or not that is going to deal with the scale of the issues that we have. Could I get some clarity on that piece, please?

[Michael Grant]

Briefly, the challenges in Haiti are quite extreme, so for Canada, whether it's on an annual basis or in an extraordinary year, we're looking at where we can make the most difference. For many years, we've been working on food security and in the health sector. Clearly the challenges remain. I don't think that anyone can say that we have all the answers.

Maybe, Sébastien, on the ground, can you perhaps give a bit of perspective of where the most effort and most impact can be made?

[Sébastien Carrière]

Specifically on food security, to answer the member's question, the World Food Programme is working on a program that's called school canteens, cantines scolaires in French. They were feeding upwards of three-quarters of a million of kids every day.

There is also a component of it that is sourced locally, from local farmers and so on. That aspect is very interesting.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

My next question may actually be good for you, Mr. Ambassador, so I can get some more things in here.

There was also $17.48 million allocated to the sexual and reproductive health rights of the most vulnerable women and adolescents. I'd love to know some more information about that project. Could you also touch on whether or not these dollars have actually been spent and have been delivered? If so, when? If not, when?

I'm sorry to do everything so fast.

[Sébastien Carrière]

I have about 30 seconds, so I think maybe a written response on the specifics of that project would be in order.

That's only to say I visit projects. I can see, myself, through field visits, the aid actually getting delivered and being used to help Haitians, Haitian women in this case, who need—

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

That $50 million has been delivered, then?

[Sébastien Carrière]

With that specific $50 million that was announced two weeks ago, some of those projects were already in the pipeline. Some are just starting now.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Marty Morantz]

I'm sorry, that is the end of the round.

Madam Clerk, would you follow up with the ambassador on a written answer to that question.

Mr. Aboultaif, you have the floor for five minutes. Please proceed.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

The interim Prime Minister Henry has committed to holding a referendum to modify the country's constitution by February 2022 and to organize presidential and legislative elections early in 2022.

Does the Canadian government believe that Haiti is in a position to hold free and fair presidential and legislative elections? Why or why not?

[Michael Grant]

I think Ambassador Carrière mentioned earlier that at the present time the situation is such that it would be very difficult for Haiti to hold elections. What is needed first is an agreement between the various parties on a way forward. There is a difference of opinion as to when general elections should be held. It's for Haitians to determine when that is best.

When they determine a way forward, Canada, and I believe international partners and organizations, will be ready to support that.

Perhaps, Sébastien, you can comment on the specifics in terms of the timeline in 2022.

[Sébastien Carrière]

It's an excellent question.

Beyond the security situation, there's a vast debate in the country amongst political scientists and constitutional experts who are asking themselves, should you have a referendum to reform the constitution if you're not elected with a mandate to change the constitution? As with every political issue, there are people on both sides making arguments that contradict each other.

The interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry is making a speech this afternoon at 3:30. He's addressing the nation. We'll see if the referendum comes up. It's been coming up less, I would say, publicly in the debate, which is maybe a sign that he is abandoning it. We'll have to see what the intentions are and what the week will bring. Today is very calm. There are usually demonstrations on February 7. Today it's extremely calm out there. It's like a statutory holiday. There's absolutely nothing happening, which is good.

My understanding is that negotiations between the various courts will continue. Montana group made a letter public last week in which they invited the Prime Minister to a dialogue. The Prime Minister said he would answer that letter tomorrow, so we'll see what that brings. I'm sure there will be something about that in his address to the nation at 3:30 this afternoon, as well.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Carrière, as political debates could take months and months or can sometimes happen sooner than people expect, either way, what do you need on the ground? Is there a road map as such?

Time is always of the essence and the situation is always demanding, because the unrest isn't new to a country such as Haiti. It has been there for a long time, in addition to disasters of all kinds, natural disasters and things like that. The country has been very unfortunate in terms of the overall situation on all levels. That might push the conversation to take place more quickly and to have some reasoning on the ground to be able to get out of this ASAP.

What do you need on the ground there? Is there anything we need to know ahead of the speech by the Prime Minister?

[Sébastien Carrière]

What I would say is that there's a lot of fatigue out there amongst the population with the political process. Some Haitian friends are even telling me in private, “Let them all go and we'll just manage this ourselves.” That's how much people are fed up.

There's a real sense of insecurity. Every Haitian I know knows somebody who has been kidnapped and thinks they're next, and that is not a nice sword of Damocles to live under. What we need is patience. We need to accept that Haitian politics has its own rhythm. We need to make sure that our own impatience as foreigners doesn't get the better of us, and let them chart a path forward together.

Dates are important. February 7 is an important date. It can be seen as a milestone that you try to negotiate something in advance of, but tomorrow is the 8th and that's also a good date for a political accord. The fact that it's not settled today doesn't matter as much to me as that the dialogue is ongoing.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Marty Morantz]

That is the end of the round.

Ambassador, could you finish your thought?

[Sébastien Carrière]

I think I was done.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you.