Government of Canada to match generosity of Canadians in response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti

January 14, 2010

Ottawa - Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, today applauded a commitment from the federal government to match Canadians’ Haiti relief fund donations. The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that Canada will match individual donations to registered Canadian charitable organizations to support humanitarian and early recovery assistance to people affected by the earthquake in Haiti on January 12. 

"Many Canadians are deeply concerned about the suffering and loss of life as a result of this catastrophe in Haiti," said Minister Oda. "Canadian citizens have shown time and again their generosity with countries in urgent need, and our government is prepared to match their contributions dollar for dollar."

“People in Leeds-Grenville have shown great generosity in the past whenever there is a disaster somewhere around the world,” said Mr. Brown. “Now they can donate knowing that their money will be doubled by the government.”

The Government of Canada will match the contributions of individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations in support of humanitarian and recovery efforts in response to the earthquake in Haiti, up to a total of $50 million. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will allocate these funds to Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations.

Donations made by individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations over the period of January 12 to February 12, 2010 will be matched by the Government of Canada through the CIDA-managed Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. The Fund will support Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations with significant in-country capacity to deliver humanitarian, early recovery and reconstruction assistance in Haiti.

Details will be made available on the CIDA website at www.cida.gc.ca

Meanwhile, the government has already sent emergency supplies and equipment to the Caribbean country.
Following the earthquake, a Canadian Forces DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) reconnaissance team was quickly deployed to Port-au-Prince, bringing with it urgent supplies and expert personnel to assess the situation.

A massive C-17 aircraft carrying a larger DART deployment of emergency supplies, personnel, and a search and rescue helicopter has just landed in Port-au-Prince. And more planes will be sent in the coming days.

The HMCS Halifax and HMCS Athabaskan, two Canadian naval ships loaded with food, bottled water, medical equipment and humanitarian supplies, have been ordered to set sail for Haiti to provide crucial support.

The Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince is providing emergency support to Canadian citizens in need.