*Minister Paradis in Montréal to discuss Canada’s development priorities*

*August 13, 2014 – Montréal, Quebec* – Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Development Canada

Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International
Development and La Francophonie, participated in a round table with members
of the Haitian-Canadian community in Montréal to discuss ongoing challenges
for Haiti in creating the conditions necessary for sustainable economic
growth and private sector development, as well as the ongoing humanitarian
needs in Haiti.

“Canada continues to be concerned by the ongoing challenges facing the
Haitian people,” said Minister Paradis. “Although hundreds of thousands of
Haitians are now settled in new homes, unfortunately thousands still remain
internally displaced. These people need access to safe drinking water,
sanitation facilities, and primary health care as well as support to help
eliminate cholera. We want to ensure that their needs are being met and
that Canada’s investments in Haiti are delivering concrete results.”

Minister Paradis also consulted with Quebec non-governmental and civil
society organizations. Discussions touched on Canada’s leadership role on
maternal, newborn and child health initiatives and how to ensure that
global commitments deliver real results to those in need while remaining
accountable to Canadian taxpayers. Canada is committed to scaling up
interventions that will have the greatest impact, including in the areas of
nutrition, vaccination and newborn health.

After the round tables, Minister Paradis announced funding to Oxfam-Québec
for activities being undertaken, in collaboration with Médecins du Monde,
that are improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, as
well as primary health care and treatment for water-borne diseases for
internally displaced people in Haiti. He also affirmed Canada’s support of
the upcoming elections in Haiti through the United Nations Development
Program and the National Democratic Institute.

“Canada is committed to advancing democracy and good governance in the
world,” added the Minister. “We continue to call on all Haitian political
actors to take the necessary steps for fair, transparent and inclusive
elections in 2014.”

Minister Paradis and his colleagues are traveling across the country this
summer to consult Canadians as well as Canadian organizations on Canada’s
number one development priority, maternal, newborn and child health, as
well as Canada’s global development programming more broadly.
Quick Facts

– Canada provided urgent humanitarian aid to those affected by the
earthquake in 2010 and continues to support projects that contribute to the
long-term reconstruction and development of Haiti
<http://www.international.gc.ca/development-developpement/countries-pays/haitiafterearthquake-haitiapresseisme.aspx?lang=eng