Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about an extremely important issue. I would just like to say that I will be splitting my time with the member for Honoré-Mercier.
I would like to start by paying tribute to my colleague and good friend, the hon. member for Bourassa, for all the work he has done on this issue. Throughout this crisis, since this horrendous event on January 12, he has been there for our colleagues and friends in the Haitian community in Montreal and Haiti, just as he always will be. His has been a very strong voice during this crisis, and he has always been present. It is thanks to him that we can have this debate this evening. It is important that we show our friendship for the Haitian people, and all the parties have done that this evening.
Our Haitian friends have gone through a few extremely difficult years. Their country was devastated by natural disasters, from deforestation to systemic poverty to the four back-to-back hurricanes in 2008 that caused enormous damage. Just when the country was starting to rebuild and get back on its feet again, the earthquake hit on January 12, causing over 250,000 deaths and making more than 1.5 million people homeless. They were literally in the street because they did not want to go back into their homes, which were still standing, for fear they would collapse on them.
Now, nearly 12 months later, cholera is ravaging the Haitian population. More than 2,000 people have died, and tens of thousands are at risk. On top of all that, Haiti is in the midst of a human and political crisis. The elections that were just held were rife with irregularities. Two candidates made it through the first round of voting to the run-off, which sparked a wave of violence throughout the country. Haitians do not believe or trust these results. They want a recount. They want to know that their votes will count, but they are not confident they will. With all the violence and instability in the country, the humanitarian aid so many Haitians depended on has almost stopped flowing, which is obviously making things even worse.
This country is experiencing catastrophes of near biblical proportions on many fronts, such as weakened infrastructure, epidemics, malnutrition, violence and anarchy as a result of a lack of respect for police forces. However, in my opinion, the greatest catastrophe is the total loss of the sense of community, of that essential trust that exists and must exist between a people and its leaders. That trust forms the foundation of the social contract. The people of Haiti do not believe that their government can offer them services and that it is there to help and serve them. When we talk of governance, we know that Haitians are worried about the elections that are currently underway. They cannot trust that their vote was properly counted or that the will of the people was represented by this vote. But governance problems go deeper than that. Haitians have lost all hope that their government will be there for them, that it will provide the safety and prosperity that any community should be able to expect from its leaders.
In my riding of Papineau we have a big Haitian community. Since I was elected two years ago, but even before that when I was a candidate, I have had the great pleasure of spending time with and befriending a number of members of that community. I have discovered even more than what I already knew, that Haitians are a passionate, proud people who are full of hope and full of life. They are a people who are interested in politics and in the future of their community and their society.
The people of Haiti have lost all confidence in their government's ability to provide services or even offer minimal stability. Tonight we are talking about Canada's role. We are very proud of our country, one that has always intervened with military might, whether during the first world war or the second. Our diplomacy has had an impact on the United Nations. And then there are the positions we took during the cold war and in support of nuclear disarmament. Canada has provided development aid around the world. It has always been there to spread justice and create more opportunities in the poorest countries of the world. Canada has always been there, supplying solutions to the world.
And that is why we are so proud of our country. Haiti has always been a good friend to Canada and vice versa. Because of our diaspora and our friendships, we have suffered with them throughout these difficult years. It is our duty to be there during these difficult times, and we must respond to their needs.
This evening we have spoken a lot about the desperate, essential and immediate needs. We have to be present during the elections and help find solutions to restore the public's confidence in its democratic institutions. The public needs a president who reflects the will of the country. It is important that the exemplary generosity that Canadians have shown in the months following the earthquake be validated by spending the money we promised them and targeting aid adequately.
There are many things we can do with regard to agriculture to rebuild the foundation of this country. There are things we must do with regard to civil society and the status of women. The hon. member for Winnipeg South Centre spoke warmly and knowledgeably about the situation of women in Haiti and the importance of involving them. To me, essentially, this is how we will help Haitians regain confidence in their government's ability to provide services.
There are tens of thousands of different agencies working in Haiti—NGOs, local agencies, international agencies. They are all there to help Haitians. That is great, but we are creating a country that does not believe it can help itself. It has lost faith in itself.
Like my colleagues from Montreal east, I have the opportunity to spend time with many members of the Haitian community. We see to what extent these people can and want to improve the situation. We have to work with the NGOs in order to make the government accountable and to provide expertise from our diaspora to encourage Haitians to count on their government and to believe in their government. It is not up to Canada, the United Nations, the United States, or the Red Cross. It is up to Haitians to stand up and restore this pearl of the Antilles to its glory days.