Canada sending another evacuation flight out of Haiti

Canada is offering an additional evacuation flight out of Haiti next week due to a spike in the number of requests to flee the Caribbean country as it deals with gang violence and a shortage of food and medicines in the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Three flights have already made their way to Montreal and members of La Maison d’Haiti in the St-Michel borough were on hand to facilitate the arrival of hundreds of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their close relatives. 

“It is not enough, in the sense that there are so many Haitians who have family there. Is this a repatriation only of Canadian citizens? Is this a repatriation to relieve the families here, who are Canadian citizens? Is this really a support or is it just a technical thing? Plus, they took forever to repatriate. Canada is among the last countries repatriating,” explained Marjorie Villefranche, the executive director of Maison d’Haiti.

“There is a population here, of Canadians, of Haitian origin, who are worried about their families there. So there are no numbers. We are talking about human people.”

The evacuation for Canadians began two weeks ago, as gangs reportedly control some 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince and launch daily attacks in the capital city.

“There is a difficult chaotic situation, with literally armed gangs shooting at each other and killing the population, in fact, and destroying everything around them. they destroyed the national library, they destroyed the archives – we wonder what they want,” said Villefranche.

“My friends are in Port-au-Prince, they are locked up in their homes, with difficulty to get food, and gasoline, because there is no electricity, only generators.”

Stephania Dorvilus, who moved to Montreal from Haiti in November, is worried for her friends there.

“I’m trying not to focus on the situation because it stresses me,” said Dorvilus.

“People are leaving their homes, to feel comfortable and safe from armed gangs. So I don’t want to say that they should stay and let the gangs kill them, but I think that they should unite, so that the situation changes. “

Haitian-Montrealer Walter Scott says he hopes to see that happen soon.

“To give a certain breath to these people, you know, who have never stopped suffering from poverty. And this has been happening for a very, very, very long time,” said Scott.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a message on social media that officials logged numerous extra requests leading up to what was set to be the last scheduled government-sponsored flight out of the country. Anyone who wishes to leave should contact Global Affairs Canada. 

Meanwhile, those at the Maison d’Haiti here in Montreal want to see action to end this crisis.

“What we are asking for is that Canada takes the leadership to resolve this situation with us, not for us,” said Villefranche.