The President, Mgr Richard Smith Archbishop of Edmonton and the Vice-President, Mgr Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will be in Haiti from December 14th to the 21st, 2011. Michael Casey, Managing Director of Development and Peace, will accompany them.

During their stay they will visit emergency programs and of reconstruction supported by the Canadian population "We want to show firsthand the progress of the reconstruction programs in this country," says Normand Comte, Programs Officer for Development and Peace’s Haiti program, who is coordinating the visit.

Canadian Catholics contributed more than $20 million to CCODP in response to the disaster. Within the year following the earthquake, Development and Peace had already disbursed $2.8 million to support the emergency relief projects of its 24 partners in the country, which included a number of religious communities. An additional $10 million has now also been committed for 2011 to 2013 to reconstruction projects.

The delegation will be visiting the capital Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and Hinche, where they will be meeting with peasant and women’s organizations. This visit is intended to celebrate the long-standing relationship between the Church in Haiti and the Church in Canada; eepen the relationship of the Bishops of Canada with the Bishops of Haiti; see firsthand the reconstruction and emergency aid projects that are being assisted by CCODP because of the generous donations of Canadian Catholics and recognize and encourage the dedicated work of Canadian religious and other Canadian volunteers in Haiti.

Since November 2010, Development and Peace has been supporting reconstruction programs that include the construction of houses and community infrastructure, support to peasant families and defending the rights of the poor. "In the long-term, we want to improve the quality of life within communities and for people, for life to be more dignified," adds Normand Comte.

HL/ HaitiLibre