VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #0086/01 0222048
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222044Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0302
INFO ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0011

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID MOPS HA CA
SUBJECT: CANADA AND HAITI 
 
¶1.   (U)  Summary.  Haiti, even before the recent earthquake, was a 
major foreign policy priority for Canada.  Haiti is Canada's second 
largest recipient of humanitarian assistance worldwide, with a 
number of Canadian federal and provincial agencies as well as 
private sector institutions active in the country.  Trade and 
investment levels were at modest levels, however.  Canada has been 
an important contributor to MINUSTAH, and will remain an key 
partner on the future of Haiti.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U)   Since coming into office in February 2006, Prime Minister 
Stephen Harper has put Haiti as one of his government's top foreign 
policy priorities, most notably beginning with a February 2007 
policy address describing an increased focus on Haiti and Latin 
America, followed by a visit that year by PM Harper.   As the only 
two major francophone countries in the Western Hemisphere, Canada 
and Haiti have long had special bonds.  Over 100,000 Haitians now 
live in Canada, with the greatest concentration in Montreal, 
Quebec.  Although these Haitian-Canadians are far more likely to 
vote for the opposition Liberal Party or the Bloc Quebecois, the 
ruling Conservative Party has for years been patiently courting 
these voters, as well as other immigrant groups. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U)  Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean is Haitian-born 
and did not even come to Canada until she was in her teens.  In 
addition to visits to Haiti and welcoming the Haitian Prime 
Minister to Ottawa in December 2009, she has been highly visible in 
Canada's reaction to the recent earthquake.  The government - 
unusually - included her in the Prime Minister's first 
post-earthquake meeting with the Haitian Charge d'Affaires in 
Ottawa, which was - also unusually - televised live.   The 
government then - again, unusually -- allowed the Governor General 
to speak to the nation directly about Haiti, during which she 
underscored her own personal concern for Haitians, urged Canadians 
to give generously to earthquake relief, and expressed appreciation 
(seemingly, on behalf of Haitians everywhere) for Canadian 
humanitarian assistance to Haiti in the wake of the latest disaster 
in Haiti. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U)  Long before Canada's robust response to the earthquake 
(the following links provide specifics on Canada's humanitarian and 
financial contributions: 
http://www.comfec-cefcom.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/o ps/fs-fr/dart-eicc-eng 
.asp, 
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CID A.nsf/eng/NAT-11992614 
-JXG, and 
http://www.international.gc.ca/humanitarian-h umanitaire/earthquake_ 
seisme_haiti.aspx ), Haiti had become Canada's second largest 
recipient (after Afghanistan) of foreign assistance, with C$ 555 
million committed over five years through 2011.   (The following 
link provides details on the Canadian assistance program in Haiti: 
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CID A.nsf/Eng/JUD-12912349 
-NLX.)  Canadian aid dollars in Haiti were already feeding over 
300,000 school children a day, building infrastructure, and 
providing emergency relief after natural disasters.  Canadian aid 
had also helped to register more than 90 percent eligible voters 
and to immunize more than 620,000 children against polio and 
measles.  More than C$65 million dollars have gone to strengthening 
the operation of Haiti's parliament.  Individual Canadians, NGOs, 
and church groups also operate clinics, orphanages, schools, and 
women's shelters. 
 
 
 
5..  (U)  In addition to  the Canadian International Development 
Agency (CIDA), a large number of  federal and Quebec provincial 
agencies have separate  programs in Haiti, including on: 
governance assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and 
International Trade, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, 
and the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development 
Canada; policing and security from the Department of National 
Defence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Correctional 
Services of Canada; and, food production and safety through the 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. 
Canada continues to provide  technical assistance for the 
establishment of a functioning taxation and customs system, and to 
build Haiti's export capacity in agriculture, textile and cultural 
products.   Canada has contributed both police and troops to 
MINUSTAH; two RCMP officers were killed in the earthquake. 
 
¶6.  (U)  Because of the fragile nature of the Haitian economy, 
Canada-Haiti business interests are relatively small, but some of 
the larger Canadian businesses operating there had been Gildan 
Activewear (textiles), Scotiabank and Desjardins Group (financial 
services), and Somine (mining).  (No statistics are available about 
the value of these investments.)  Remittances from Haitians in 
Canada to family members in Haiti estimated at C$250 000 per year. 
Canada exported  goods to Haiti in 2008 worth C$ 58 million, while 
importing C$ 29 million worth of goods from Haiti.  Canada is 
currently negotiating a trade and development agreement with 
CARICOM (of which Haiti is a member).  Canadians also had been one 
of the few reliable sources of tourism dollars in Haiti. 
 
 
 
¶7. (U)  Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will chair a special Haiti 
donors' preparatory conference in Montreal on January 25 to bring 
together key donors and to hear from key international 
organizations and non-governmental organizations over the key 
challenges ahead for Haiti.  PM Harper is expected to speak as 
well. 
 
 
 
¶8. (U)  Comment:  Canada has long been a key partner on assistance 
to Haiti, and - in no small part due to cultural and linguistic 
capabilities - will remain a major player as the international 
community responds to the latest natural disaster and humanitarian 
nightmare. 
JACOBSON