Politics

MacKay visits military in Haiti

Defence Minister Peter MacKay wrapped up a two-day visit to Haiti on Sunday, where he visited 1,500 Canadian troops who are helping to rebuild the earthquake-ravaged country.
Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay, right, and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive exit a tent following a meeting Sunday in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. ((Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press))
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wrapped up a two-day visit to Haiti on Sunday, where he visited 1,500 Canadian troops who are helping to rebuild the earthquake-ravaged country.

MacKay was visiting military personnel at medical facilities and temporary camps.

Millions of Haitians lost their homes when disaster struck Jan. 12. Hundreds of thousands are still living in tent cities or still need basic shelter.

The landscape in and around the capital appears much like it did shortly after the quake, CBC's Paul Hunter said after returning to the country on Sunday.

Bodies still lying in rubble

"We've just driven from the Port-au-Prince airport to the Canadian Embassy where I am now. It's not a long ride. It's about 40 minutes. It looks exactly as it did when I left about a month ago now. It's as if I didn't leave.

"Yes, there are more aid workers here, and there were aid workers on the plane. They're still flowing in constantly. But there are also more tent cities … and there are these bigger tent cities and more of them," Hunter said.

He was told that in the hills surrounding the downtown area of Port-of-Prince, there are still bodies in the rubble. Structures once dotting the cinder-block shantytown cascaded like a waterfall during the quake. There wasn't much road access before the quake and it's worse now.

"There are no toilets in these areas and the rainy season is about to begin. It's overwhelming," the journalist said.

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean made an emotional statement in Ottawa the day after the massive earthquake hit Haiti. ((Pawel Dwulit/Canadian Press) )

On Monday, Canada's Governor General, who was born in Haiti, will travel to Haiti.

Michaëlle Jean will mark International Women's Day in the Caribbean country as she begins a two-day visit. On Tuesday, she'll visit Canada’s military installations at the port of Jacmel and then travel to downtown Jacmel to see the effects of the earthquake on the city.

Her delegation will include her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, as well as Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay.

The trip will mark the first time Jean has visited her birthplace since the earthquake killed more than 200,000 people.

Haiti's prime minister said Jean's visit is appreciated by Haitians.

Jean-Max Bellerive said her trip and similar ones by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers demonstrate that Canada cares about Haiti, and will continue caring during the long-term effort to rebuild the shattered country.

Bellerive made the comments while standing next to MacKay.

With files from The Canadian Press