A Nation Responds: Devestation in Haiti is Not About Politics CTV

I know that CTV is the Conservatives personal choir, but the question today was the most ridiculous to date. Will the government's handling of the Haitian crisis blunt the anger over prorogation?

Are they nuts? Do they really think that Canadians are that stupid? One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. If Harper thought he could exploit this crisis for political advantage, he's more evil than I thought.

Canada's government, in fact, was one of the last to respond. Our foreign minister said he didn't even know if we were going to provide aid at all.

But Canadians responded, as we always do, and expect nothing less from our government. Whether Harper was PM or not, had nothing to do with it. In fact, any other leader whether, Jack Layton, Elizabeth May or Michael Ignatieff, would have done everything humanly possible, and may not have made Canada one of the last to react.

I just hope that the aid doesn't stop there. There was no reason for this earthquake to have claimed so many lives. Haitians were forced into poverty by U.S. foreign policy, and we can no longer hold the bully's coat.

This should be a wake up call, when you consider the billions of dollars being wasted on the War in Afghanistan. The world would be better served if we traded bullets for necessities, and started providing the most basic human rights: food, shelter and clothing.

Harper's and Wallin's corporate buddies could still make a profit, so they needn't worry.

Feds react quickly to Haiti earthquake disaster, but some MPs want Parliament back But Grit MP Justin Trudeau says it's no time for politics as world responds.
By CYNTHIA MÜNSTER
January 18, 2010

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government responded quickly last week to Haiti's earthquake disaster, sending a massive Canadian relief mission by air and sea and pledging to match Canadian donations to a maximum of $50-million, but some MPs say Parliament should be recalled at this time.

NDP MP Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, Ont.), his party's foreign affairs critic, said although there is an emergency fund the government can draw from to assist in international emergencies and the Canadian Forces Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is always ready to go, he pointed out that a reconvened Parliament could respond fairly quickly too. Mr. Dewar said the government can decide and act on the short term needs of this situation, but Parliament could provide more accountability on further decisions ....