Haitian earthquake relief – Please donate
Latest reports suggest that over 100,000 people have died in the earthquake that shook Haiti a couple of days ago.
Canada is on the scene for disaster relief while humanitarian groups are also supporting the effort.
The physical infrastructure in Haiti was terrible even before the earthquake and many homes have collapsed.
There are over 2,000,000 people in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and many of them need assistance.
Please consider donating to help the people of Haiti.
Latest news about the Haitian earthquake
Information for Canadians in Haiti:
Canadian Embassy
Delmas between Delmas 75 and 71
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone: 011 (509) 2249-9000 (Embassy)
Fax: 011 (509) 2249-9920
Email: General: prnce@international.gc.ca
Some pan-partisan Hill folks have set up a Facebook group with links where you can donate too.
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.
January 14th, 2010 at 5:39 am
I heard the Government of Canada will be matching donations. Have you heard anything to confirm that report (CTV last night)
January 14th, 2010 at 5:49 am
Thanks for posting this.
Red Cross is about the most efficient way for individuals to donate at this time. Shortly, I expect one of the major banks to step up for collection as well.
January 14th, 2010 at 9:01 am
I want to help them.May God protect.
January 14th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Yup, they're matching individuals' donations to registered charities up to a total of $50 million. Info is in the link below. Maybe Stephen could add that link to this post?
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA….
January 14th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
link is not working
January 14th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I lived in a Caribbean country for a few years and experienced, first hand, an earthquake larger than the magnitude of the Haitian quake — and its aftermath. What shocked me the most, after having been through the earthquake, was how corrupt the government-sponsored “relief” efforts were. The churches, co-ops, and unions got together to launch an alternative emergency response, because much of the international help never got as far as the most needy victims — and went into the pockets of the government and to pay back the IMF loan that had just been called in.
When giving to a relief agency in a country as poor and corrupt as Haiti, it's a good idea to look at all the possibilities, the Red Cross being only one. Faith-based organizations, which are on the ground, which know the people, and which use very little of the donated funds for administration are worth looking into. After the earthquake my family and I experienced, the Mennonites were very active in quake relief. The Mennonite Central Committee: 1-888-622-6337 or http://mcc.org/
The Anchoress blog also has a list of relief agencies with a reliable track record:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/theanchoress/2...
I was collecting clothing for a tent city of displaced people and asked one of my neighbours how to give it to the Red Cross. She looked at me as though I was crazy. She said, “Don't give it to the Red Cross. They'll give it all to their friends and families.” “So,” I asked, “how do I get it to them?”
She said I should go down to the tent city myself, walk in, kids would run up to me, their moms would follow — give it to the moms. So, that's what I did.
I don't know what the situation is in Haiti, but Red Cross relief is often run by the local people and if corruption is an issue –which, surely, it is in Haiti — then it's questionable whether the Red Cross is the most
January 14th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Government of Canada is good.
January 14th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
I looked into this during the tsunami and found that the Mennonites were the most reliable. The money gets down to the people instead of the organization. They take nothing off the top. I will be sending my money there.
January 15th, 2010 at 4:21 am
Reposted from yesterday:
I lived in a Caribbean country for a few years and experienced, first hand, an earthquake larger than the magnitude of the Haitian quake — and its aftermath. What shocked me the most, after having been through the earthquake, was how corrupt the government-sponsored “relief” efforts were. The churches, co-ops, and unions got together to launch an alternative emergency response, because much of the international help never got as far as the most needy victims — and went into the pockets of the government and to pay back the IMF loan that had just been called in.
When giving to a relief agency in a country as poor and corrupt as Haiti, it's a good idea to look at all the possibilities, the Red Cross being only one. Faith-based organizations, which are on the ground, which know the people, and which use very little of the donated funds for administration are worth looking into. After the earthquake my family and I experienced, the Mennonites were very active in quake relief. The Mennonite Central Committee: 1-888-622-6337 or http://mcc.org/
The Anchoress blog also has a list of relief agencies with a reliable track record:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/theanchoress/2…
January 15th, 2010 at 6:58 am
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA….
January 15th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Apologies if this info is already somewhere on your blog, Stephen, but just in case:
I don't have an active blog anymore, but at the risk of being seen as spamming, I'm posting this link in the comments on blogs that I visit that have comments/info re: Haiti. Here it is in full:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whtsnw/tms/rthqk-haiti...
Anyone reading this who has a blog will hopefully consider posting this link. Among other things, it gives info on which charities are on the up-and-up. Unfortunately, there are reports of scams involving fake charities out there. The last thing anyone would want is to have their donation go to some criminal.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Another reliable organization would be Salvation Army. I agree, and preferr these organization over some political money. It will only end up in the wrong hands. Although it appears, that there is no Government in Haiti left.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
When all is said and done, Mr. Harper stood out as a leader. No nonse Steven. I am so proud of our Government.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Well, there is only so much to go around and Haiti is a disaster of huge proportions right now so the PM made the right choice.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:49 am
I agree. Faith-based organizations, like the Salvation Army actually put in sweat equity and do not hand the money over to corrupt governments to enrich the few. I hope that this time, the countries which are coming to Haiti's aid stick around and get the country on its feet and not support yet another corrupt government. I hate to sound anti-American but it seems that every country which the USA 'helps' ends up in worse shape than before but a handful of contractors come away incredibly wealthy.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I did read that he said, the phones are down. Wonder if that diplomat is one who signed the petition.
I like your response better.
January 17th, 2010 at 2:20 am
I can see PM Harper demanding action but I cannot see him saying G**-damned.
January 17th, 2010 at 10:43 am
East of Eden. I could not agree with you more. Although most Americans are sincere in their desire to assist and help, even in the mighty USA there is a lot of corruption. All you have to do is listen to the news. I sincerely hope that our Government has a better handle on all this monetary aid and where it goes. I would hate to see another corrupt Government in Haiti. It will take many years to rebuilt the country. This is the upside of this disaster, and I sincerely hope that the developed countries stick around to rebuilt.
January 17th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
East of Eden. I could not agree with you more. Although most Americans are sincere in their desire to assist and help, even in the mighty USA there is a lot of corruption. All you have to do is listen to the news. I sincerely hope that our Government has a better handle on all this monetary aid and where it goes. I would hate to see another corrupt Government in Haiti. It will take many years to rebuilt the country. This is the upside of this disaster, and I sincerely hope that the developed countries stick around to rebuilt.