…that I reflect on what has been a devastating week in Haiti. While I am tremendously proud of Canada’s efforts to help the people of Haiti and for being so quick to send our DART team, HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Halifax (amongst so many others) to provide relief efforts, I wonder why we always seem to wait for a tragedy to react. Haiti has needed our help for years. If we had supported them earlier and provided money for infrastructure spending perhaps so many people would not have been killed.

It is the same response that we gave to Afghanistan. The tragedies that were occurring there for years before we intervened post 911 were mostly ignored by our government. At some point we need to stand up and say that it is our responsibility to help the less fortunate before some natural or man-made devastation wakes us out of our stupor.

I send my heartfelt sympathies to the friends and families of those who have been killed in this earthquake. I wish to also express my deep abiding gratitude to all the men and women who have stepped up to provide aid at this time.

Debborah Donnelly

GPC candidate – St. Paul’s