Canada airlifting vulnerable citizens out of Haiti: Foreign minister

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Canada launched an emergency program Monday to get vulnerable citizens out of Haiti as conditions deteriorate.

Children and those with medical conditions will be flown by helicopter to the Dominican Republic, said Foreign Minister Melanie Joly in a statement.

Evacuations totaled 18 on Monday.

“Today, Canada started to facilitate small-scale departure options for vulnerable Canadian citizens from Haiti to the Dominican Republic,” Joly said. “We are grateful for the support of the Dominican Republic in helping us bring Canadian citizens to safety”.

“Due to eligibility requirements for entry into the Dominican Republic, this option is only available to Canadian citizens who have valid Canadian passports. However, Canada continues to work with partners and allies on finding other options for those not included
in this group.”

As of Monday, about 30 Canadians qualified to leave immediately.

Haiti has been under siege internally since mid-2021 when gangs took over infrastructure and violent upheaval saw battles for turf. Medical help has evaporated and starvation looms as food supplies are almost non-existent.

A rampage by gangs March 18 targeted previously peaceful upscale neighborhoods in the country’s capital. At least a dozen people were killed.

Thousands have been killed in the conflict while hundreds of thousands have fled the country.

“We know that the security situation has deteriorated in recent weeks, and those who wish to leave are unable to do so because of the security situation at the airport in Port-au-Prince,” Joly told reporters at a press briefing, Monday.

Gangs have burned police stations, stormed the airport and freed about 4,000 inmates from the two largest prisons.

The US began airlifting Americans out of Haiti by helicopter last week.

Meanwhile, a transitional presidential council that is to choose a new leader to replace Ariel Henry is also in turmoil, with Caribbean leaders meeting with officials from the US, Canada, and France to decide how to put the council in place.