Haiti stunned by Fantino plan to freeze aid
International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino has stunned the biggest recipient of Canadian foreign aid, Haiti, by announcing via a newspaper interview that Ottawa has frozen new aid projects for the Caribbean nation.
Mr. Fantino, the former Ontario provincial police chief who is six months into the job as the minister responsible for foreign aid, told Montreal newspaper La Presse that he has put new assistance projects for Haiti “on ice” while he ponders a new approach because the aid is not getting the results “that Canadians have a right to expect.”
Canada is one of the largest aid donors to Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, which was devastated by a major earthquake in 2010. Canada provided $250-million in aid in 2010-11, and since the earthquake, has insisted it is making a major, long-term commitment to rebuilding Haiti.
On Friday, Mr. Fantino’s announcement of a freeze of new projects surprised Haiti’s ambassador, Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, as well as Canadian aid agencies that do work in Haiti.
Haiti’s ambassador to Canada, Frantz Liautaud, said he heard about it through the news media.
“I’ve had no communication from CIDA so far, but I’ve asked right away for a meeting with Mr. Fantino,” Mr. Liautaud said. He said he called Canada’s ambassador to Port-au-Prince, who didn’t know about it, either. “He also learned about it from the press,” Mr. Liautaud said.
Since taking over the portfolio in July, Mr. Fantino has not approved any new aid projects for Haiti, Mr. Liautaud said. But Mr. Liautaud thought that was part of a general slowdown for new aid to all countries since Mr. Fantino arrived in the job.
Just two months ago, in November, Mr. Fantino visited Haiti and had a meeting with President Michel Martelly, who discussed his priorities, Mr. Liautaud said. “And Minister Fantino, after the conversation, said, ‘Listen, I will help you.”
In his interview with La Presse, however, Mr. Fantino decried the fact that Canada had contributed $1-billion in aid. “Are we going to take care of their problems forever? They also have to take charge of themselves,” he was quoted in French as saying.
Haiti stunned by Fantino plan to freeze aid - The Globe and Mail
International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino has stunned the biggest recipient of Canadian foreign aid, Haiti, by announcing via a newspaper interview that Ottawa has frozen new aid projects for the Caribbean nation.
Mr. Fantino, the former Ontario provincial police chief who is six months into the job as the minister responsible for foreign aid, told Montreal newspaper La Presse that he has put new assistance projects for Haiti “on ice” while he ponders a new approach because the aid is not getting the results “that Canadians have a right to expect.”
Canada is one of the largest aid donors to Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, which was devastated by a major earthquake in 2010. Canada provided $250-million in aid in 2010-11, and since the earthquake, has insisted it is making a major, long-term commitment to rebuilding Haiti.
On Friday, Mr. Fantino’s announcement of a freeze of new projects surprised Haiti’s ambassador, Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, as well as Canadian aid agencies that do work in Haiti.
Haiti’s ambassador to Canada, Frantz Liautaud, said he heard about it through the news media.
“I’ve had no communication from CIDA so far, but I’ve asked right away for a meeting with Mr. Fantino,” Mr. Liautaud said. He said he called Canada’s ambassador to Port-au-Prince, who didn’t know about it, either. “He also learned about it from the press,” Mr. Liautaud said.
Since taking over the portfolio in July, Mr. Fantino has not approved any new aid projects for Haiti, Mr. Liautaud said. But Mr. Liautaud thought that was part of a general slowdown for new aid to all countries since Mr. Fantino arrived in the job.
Just two months ago, in November, Mr. Fantino visited Haiti and had a meeting with President Michel Martelly, who discussed his priorities, Mr. Liautaud said. “And Minister Fantino, after the conversation, said, ‘Listen, I will help you.”
In his interview with La Presse, however, Mr. Fantino decried the fact that Canada had contributed $1-billion in aid. “Are we going to take care of their problems forever? They also have to take charge of themselves,” he was quoted in French as saying.
Haiti stunned by Fantino plan to freeze aid - The Globe and Mail
