Montreal’s Haitian community remembers 300,000 killed 15 years after earthquake hits

Fifteen years ago, a magnitude seven earthquake ravaged Haiti and led to the deaths of up to 300,000 people and more than a million displaced.

In Montreal, the shock of the earthquake that happened on Jan. 12, 2010 is still being felt. At the Maison d’Haïti on Sunday, a commemoration ceremony took place to remember the lives lost and to serve as a tribute for all those who experienced this terrible tragedy. 

“It’s important to remember all the people who disappeared during that earthquake,” said Marjorie Villefranche, the executive director for the Maison d’Haïti, adding, “it’s important to pay tribute to them, to the population of Haiti and I think it’s important to be together in those difficult moments.” 

“I remember well that there was the first shock, it was terrible and caused the first damage,” said Lyvie Cantave, a survivor of the earthquake who was 27-years-old when living in Port-au-Prince at the time the quake hit.

“Fortunately, I did not have anyone close to me who was directly affected.”

“There were 300,000 people who died and it’s very important. It’s a global tragedy in this century and I think for myself it’s very important because I lost part of my family in this tragedy,” said Frantz Voltaire, the director for the Centre international de documentation et d’information haitienne, caribéenne et afro-canadienne (CIDIHCA).  

The event was referred to as “AYITI Toujours Vivante” which translates to AYITI still alive. Ayiti is the Haitian Creole word for Haiti.

The event also featured a traditional Haitian dance performance from the ekspreyson dance centre. 

“It’s still vivid, but what people probably hear, forget a little bit, it’s the struggle that we are still having in the country and that we don’t stop,” added Villefranche.

During the ceremony, survivors of the earthquake were given candles and shortly after there was a moment of silence at 4:53 p.m., the moment the quake hit 15 years ago.

The organizers also paid tribute to all those in Haiti who are currently resisting political violence and that of armed gangs. 

“We need to understand that the actual situation in Haiti is the failure of the international community to deal with the earthquake but also to deal with this kind of situation,” said Voltaire. 

“For me, it’s 15 years later, given how the situation has gotten worse, for me, I have the feeling that we missed a turning point,” added Cantave.

“We see what’s going on in the country actually and it’s like a second earthquake. This is a challenge for us and I think as a diaspora we have a role and we must take our role very seriously and find a solution with the population over there,” said Villefranche.