No Canadian military to Haiti

 Immediate Release

February 17, 2023

Yesterday (February 16) Justin Trudeau said Canada would deploy two naval vessels to Haiti. Canada’s Prime Minister made the announcement at a CARICOM summit he attended to press Caribbean nations to deploy forces on a US promoted mission to Haiti.

“During Black History Month Justin Trudeau traveled to a Caribbean Community meeting to press small largely Black countries to join a US promoted intervention into a country birthed in a revolt against racial slavery”, said Bianca Mugyenyi, Director of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute. “The announcement that Canada will deploy naval vessels to Haiti seems designed to please Washington and prod Caribbean countries to dispatch their forces.”

Yesterday Trudeau met unelected, unconstitutional and unpopular Haitian leader Ariel Henry who was appointed prime minister 18 months ago by the Core Group, which consists of the representatives of the US, Canada, France, Spain, Brazil, EU, UN and OAS.

“If Justin Trudeau wants to help Haitians, he should withdraw Canada from the Core Group and stop propping up Ariel Henry who has contributed to the country’s crisis”, added Mugyenyi.

“Haitians have been calling for the US and Canada to respect their sovereignty and to stop dictating to them, not another foreign military occupation”, concluded Mugyenyi. 

The end of this month marks 19 years since the US, France and Canada overthrew Haiti’s elected government. After the 2004 coup, a UN force occupied the Caribbean nation for 13 years. UN forces engaged in widespread sexual misconduct and through their reckless sanitation practices introduced cholera to the country, which killed over 10 000.

For more information contact the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute: 514-436-7629, info@foreignpolicy.ca