Solidarity Mission to Haiti: Observations on the process of reconstruction

Saturday, January 14 2012

From December 14 to 21, 2011, the President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, and the CCCB Vice President, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, were part of a Solidarity Mission to Haiti.  Following this recent visit, the CCCB President sent a letter to the Bishops of Canada together with a complete report titled CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI: SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS. Among the observations are a number of positive reflections on the work in Haiti by the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. For example, under Section 5, the report states:: “No Haitian Bishop or representative of a Haitian Church agency during the December 2011 solidarity visit raised any question or doubt about the partners and programs in which Development and Peace is involved.”

Also as of today, Development and Peace has released a two-year progress report on its work in Haiti (found on its website http://www.devp.org/), while the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, has also made a statement on Canada’s work there, and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has made a commitment to settle 5,000 Haitian families. The two latter texts are available on the CIDA website,  http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/home.

Archbishop Smith and Archbishop Durocher were accompanied on their solidarity visit to Haiti by Development and Peace Executive Director Mr. Michael Casey, its Latin America and Caribbean Programs Officer Mr. Normand Comte, and its communications officer Mr. François Gloutnay, as well as CCCB Assistant General Secretary Mr. Bede Hubbard.