Canada unveils another $93-million for Haiti quake reconstruction

     The International Cooperation Minister of Canada, Bev Oda, has announced that Canada will put out another 93-million dollars on top of the original 400-million dollars into the aid of Haiti's recovery after a devastating earthquake. The 93-million dollars will be spent towards the goals of : improvement of child health, education and agriculture. This new initiative will revolve around reconstructing and improving everyday lives of Haiti inhabitants; efforts such as building new schools, hospitals, and providing food all contribute to the reconstruction of Haiti. While Oda states that Canada is fulfilling its promises to Haiti of improving life, the federal government and Western donor nations are feeling skeptic that Canada has not done enough in the 12 months since the earthquake. The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 killed 300,000 and left over 1.4 million homeless.

     Mrs. Jean, a Haitian born Canadian feels that other nations have been giving as little effort and money as they can contribute to the cause. Haitians feel abandoned because of the slow pace of recovery, although the earthquake happened a year ago, over 1 million still live in camps and remain homeless. What started as a natural disaster is becoming a disgraceful reflection of the international community. However, Canadian officials argue that the slow pace of recovery is the result of the Haitian government's weakness, which was completely devastated by the earthquake.

     While money does not define the amount of effort that Canada has contributed in the recovery of Haiti, it definitely helps, especially when Canada contributed almost half a billion to the recovery of Haiti. However, sometimes people think that it is the willingness and display of care that earns the credit rather than giving the resources. In reality, I think that both factors are important in the aid of recovery because without resources, no advancements will be made and without care, it just seems that our connection as a species is so weak and that we are escaping the human nature of sympathy.

     In my opinion, I do not think that Canada has not contributed enough, but they can certainly contribute more to this cause. It is just as the article says, Canada is giving the minimal support they can; but then again, who is to say that Canada has to aid in this cause? There are many more worse outcome of this recovery process; the Haitians do not have any right to demand the help of other countries although it is humanely righteous for other countries to do so.