'We cannot lose hope': Haitian-Canadians ask for Ottawa's help

A call for help for Haiti rang out from a community and cultural centre in Quebec today. In the wake of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry's resignation, community leaders gathered at Montreal's Maison d'Haiti to ask the Canadian government to step up its efforts to deal with the crisis shaking their homeland.

"Canadian leadership can be something because we, the diaspora here, we can work with the Canadian government," said Marjorie Villefranche, the longtime executive director of Maison d'Haiti.

Quebec's Haitian diaspora is estimated to be about 150,000 strong, and over the past few days, many have been struggling to support family in Haiti. As armed gangs have taken hold of the country, and now control nearly 80 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the lives of their loved ones are in peril -- violence is rampant, and so is famine.

"Soon there will be a lack of water, medication and food, so what are we going to do with all that population with nothing," says Villefranche. "People are calling here and saying please help us. So this is how we feel, our hearts are in Haiti while our bodies are here in Canada."

Jean Valery Vital-Herne, who is with an organization called "Food For The Poor" on the ground in Haiti, says he constantly hears gunshots ring outside his home, and that it is now nearly impossible for supplies to be delivered to those in need.

"Food is depleting fast, I don't know what will happen over the next two weeks in terms of food, but also medication because pharmacies are running out of medication," he says. "I have never seen that in Haiti. ever."

This crisis follows decades of unrest and turmoil in the country, as a transitional council and temporary replacement for the departing Prime Minister, Henry, will be in charge of trying to quell the current violence.

Today, community leaders in Montreal said they are concerned that transitional government may not be putting Haitians at the centre of decisions for their own country.

"If it is a transitional government that is decided outside of the country, it will be the same thing as usual since thirty years. What we are waiting for is real change, and we don't see it happening," says Villefrance.

Ottawa has led work to assess the needs of the Haitian National police, now outgunned and outnumbered in the country. Villefranche, however, says she hopes the Canadian government will broaden the scope of its leadership role, and consult with members of the diaspora to understand, clearly, what its role could be in the lead-up to eventual elections in the country.

"We cannot lose hope," says Villefranche. "We love our country and we love our families living in the country, so it is not affordable for us to lose hope."