Haiti... you knew it was coming

 If you've followed international news in the paper or on tv, especially crises in developing countries, over the past few years you would have known that when Haiti was hit by a crisis it would be of monumental proportions. Extreme poverty not only severely restricts opportunities for education, health care and employment but also for reasonable infrastructure and emergency planning. Struggling just to survive the day almost always prevents planning for tomorrow. While some are quick to criticize the slowness of the on the ground response, this "slowness" was preordained by the poverty of the country and its people.

While the instantaneous and selfless giving of so many to this emergency is heart warming we are sobered by a question from a caller this week. He wanted to know, “In six months time, after the tv cameras have gone home, who will be there to help the people rebuild their devastated lives?” This week Stephen Harper suggested that it will take a decade to rebuild Haiti. In your dreams Stephen. The environmental, educational and economic poverty of Haiti will require decades if not generations to dismantle. Haitians envisioning and then building a new Haiti will require a life time of work. Assistance from the outside will be needed for a long time.

Today Canada announced the remainder of Haiti’s bilateral debt will be written off. While little and late it is a step in the right direction. Canada can and should take an active leadership role in the elimination of all Haiti’s external debt including that owed to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. To do less sentences this country to continued destitution and despair.