B.C. woman staying in Haiti as Canadians evacuate during political unrest

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CARRIES, HAITI (NEWS 1130) – Despite violent riots and a high travel warning from Canada, one Dawson Creek woman is not joining the dozens of Canadians currently evacuating Haiti.

Kim O’Dwyer, director of Mission of Grace in Haiti, has been living in the country for nine years and for almost as long, she’s been the mother to twin boys she adopted at 11-months-old.

While Haiti recognizes the adoption, Canada has yet to issue documents that would allow the boys to come to the country.

“They should have stamped it two years ago because all of the paperwork, adoption, everything is finalized and done,” O’Dwyer says. “It just hasn’t happened for whatever reason.

“We were just at our last leg at the Canadian Embassy here, before all the riots started, with our adoption lawyer, and now I’ve heard all Canadian Embassy personnel have left too,” O’Dwyer tells NEWS 1130.

While she doesn’t know if she would flee Haiti even if they boys were allowed into Canada, without being able to bring them it’s not even on the table.

“I would have considered it. It would have at least been an option,” she says. “I always worry that I might have to be evacuated because of my nationality without my children.”

O’Dwyer lives in Carries, a village about an hour outside of Port-au-Prince, where most of the deadly riots have been erupting.

Angry about skyrocketing inflation and the government’s failure to prosecute an embezzlement case, people have been demanding the resignation of President Jovenel Moise, with protests escalating in recent weeks.

“We’re not in danger, our lives aren’t in danger here,” O’Dwyer says. “Where I am at, just really tough living conditions, just to survive because of the protests.”

She says it’s been difficult to find food and water.

“The food depots are empty because everybody’s been trying to get food for the last week, and water trucks aren’t coming to deliver water anymore so we’re trying to find good water to drink,” O’Dwyer says.

In addition to looking after herself and her sons, the missionary group runs an orphanage with 75 kids, a girls’ home with 17 girls, and an elderly home with about 20 people, plus staff.

HAITI EXPAT WATCHING POLITICAL UNREST FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA

O’Dwyer has seen the country go through highs and lows during her time there, just like Luke Charlemagne, President of The Canadian Haitian Cultural Association of B.C.

He moved from Haiti to Montreal in 1991 and then to B.C. in 2010. He’s gone back many times and was even supposed to go next month, but personal reasons hindered travel plans.

“It’s really heartbreaking because it’s a country that I found [last year] was going ahead pretty good. A lot of situations were changing, especially the safety,” he told NEWS 1130.

“I’ve seen the country going forward and moving back a few times now in my life, unfortunately.”

Charlemagne has an aunt and brother-in-law still living in the country, who have been staying inside and only going out to get gas or food.

“Haitians are pretty proud people so all of these demonstrations happening right now are not just because they want riches,” he adds.

“Most of this wealth is not being shared properly, either by the politicians or by the business class, so that’s mostly what’s happening right now.”

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