Ottawa's Haitian community prepares to welcome evacuees

As charter flights continue to evacuate Canadian citizens from Haiti, Ottawa's growing Haitian community says it's stepping up to welcome those new arrivals.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced last week Canadians had been helicoptered out of Port-au-Prince to an undisclosed location and then brought to Montreal using chartered flights.

Some of those people are making their way to Ottawa. with scheduled flights Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. 

Joly announced yesterday there would be an additional flight this week due to last-minute demand. As of Sunday evening, there was no word on when that would take place.

She said anyone who wants to leave must immediately contact Global Affairs.

Haiti's government declared a state of emergency March 3 in Ouest Department, which includes the capital, in response to gang violence and the deteriorating security situation.

There's also a shortage of food and medicine.

"You wake up to the sound of gunfire, and then in the morning there are quite a few dead bodies in some neighbourhoods," said Georges Eddy Lucien, a visiting scholar from Haiti at Carleton University.

He arrived in November and was set to return home late last month, but he's been unable to reunite with his family due to the conflict.

"The people there are suffocating," he told Radio-Canada in French. "There's no way of getting around, So if, for example, Canada decides to stop [the flights], it could be a problem." 

Lucien said Canada needs to maintain its long history of offering humanitarian aid.

"Canada developed international leadership in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Canada refused to participate in the war in Iraq," he said.

"I think Canada needs to draw inspiration from these actions and attitudes to better tackle the Haitian crisis."

So far, more than 250 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their close relatives have left Haiti.

Several people CBC reached out to for this story did not want to comment due to concerns about the safety of loved ones still in the country.

'Haitian spirit' alive in Ottawa

Although Montreal is the landing spot for the chartered flights, one member of non-profit Roots and Culture Canada said some Haitians will be making their way to Ottawa.

Berwin Sydney arrived from Haiti three years ago as an international student and was unable to return last year when he finished his degree.

Sydney's organization advocates for Black communities, helps immigrants and develops Black culture in Canada. He said he's getting ready to welcome at least one person on Sunday's flight.

"The Haitian community in Ottawa is growing, the people in Ottawa are very welcoming," Sydney said. "Our organization plays a significant role in fostering this sense of community and belonging."

The adjustment can be significant, he said, especially for people who've arrived under the stress of an evacuation.

"The climate, the food, the social dynamics are all different. And it feels like starting from zero, especially in the cold season," he said.

Despite the challenges, he's happy Ottawa's made itself a natural landing place for Haitians. 

"Right now, the city is promoting French integration. that's a very big part of people choosing to come to Ottawa."

Sydney said his cousins and friends are still in Haiti, as is his mother, who turned 81 on Sunday.

"It's extremely difficult … we wanted to get her in to celebrate her birthday, but it's not possible because all the flights have stopped," he said. 

While the situation is dire, he has no doubt in the spirit of the community.

"Haitians are a people that suffer a lot, but despite all the fighting … we keep moving forward. We never give up — this is the Haitian spirit."