Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada

January 24, 2010

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Jean-Max Bellerive, Prime Minister of Haiti, made the following remarks on their meeting today about Haiti relief efforts:
 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
“Prime Minister, once again, welcome.  This is the second time we have met in my office in the last few weeks.  Last time we met, enormous challenges were in front of you and this time unfortunately those challenges are so much larger.  We are all looking at the terrible situation in your country and the task ahead of you is unimaginable. 
 
“I say that, Jean-Max, as a fellow Prime Minister, I just can not imagine, but you know that our government is with you, and the Canadian people are entirely behind us in this regard and want to do everything we can. 
 
“You are not alone.  We will be working together at the conference tomorrow and in the weeks, months and years to come to rebuild your country.
 
“Welcome to Canada.”
 

Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive:
“Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.  Indeed, it is the second time we are meeting in your office in a month – less than a month, in fact.  And I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Canadian government, first of all, but all Canadians as well.
 
“Right from the first hours following the earthquake, there was an extraordinary response on the part of the Canadian government and people, NGOs, Canadian civil society associations – both those already on the ground and those that came to Haiti very soon after the quake – and, of course, the Haitian community living in Canada.  They mobilized very quickly to determine how best to assist Haiti.
 
“I am proud and with a great deal of hope, because the talk was mainly of the future, of support, of other economic points and of helping life return to normal in Haiti, some two weeks after the earthquake.  And this indeed poses a new set of challenges, but Canada’s solidarity, the strength of the Haitian people…I have to tell you, I am extremely impressed as Prime Minister by people’s resilience.
 
“There has been a lot of talk about violence in Haiti. This is not true. The people are calm.  The people are very frustrated at having to wait, of course, but they are showing great patience.  I have come today for the conference tomorrow.  We need to talk with our partners to explain the medium- and long-term outlook and present suggestions for the short term, and to see what type of support we can obtain, while bearing in mind that primary responsibility for what must take place in Haiti today and tomorrow rests with the Haitians.  So I thank you once again, the people and government of Canada.”