OTTAWA – Green Party of Canada Leader and MP for Saanich-Gulf Island Elizabeth May condemns the decision of International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino to suspend indefinitely new aid from Canada to Haiti.
“I was stunned by the Minister’s announcement. His suggestion that unemployed Haitian workers be hired to collect garbage in Port-au-Prince without pay is condescending and typical of the Harper Conservatives’ ideology,” said May.
“The decision to freeze Canadian aid to Haiti stems directly from the new Conservative strategy for international development. The Harper Conservatives are trying to use developing countries as mere supply tanks of raw material for Canadian businesses; improving the living conditions of Haitians is secondary,” said Green Deputy Leader Georges Laraque.
“We can certainly re-examine the way we aid Haiti, but not freeze aid indefinitely. We have a moral duty to maintain aid programs in Haiti while we look for ways to improve our processes,” concluded May.
- 30 -
Media Contact:
Stéphane Vigneault
Communications Coordinator, Green Party of Canada
cell: 613.614.4916