Canada out of Haiti?

Former minister in Aristide’s government elaborates

Tessa Vanderhart Staff

Patrick Elie is concerned about the integrity of Canadian democracy. Elie is a former minister in the first democratically-elected government of Haiti, under president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In a March 27 speech in University Centre, Elie connected Canada’s involvement in the coup that ousted Aristide to Canada’s involvement with the U.S..

Elie began by describing the present political climate of his former country, focusing on the involvement of his new country, Canada.

“I think democracy is going the way of the dinosaurs,” Elie said. “You’re not going to be consulted, but you’re secure in the belief that you live in a democratic country.”

When it comes to Haitian democracy, he said: “instability is a sign of life.” He denouned the fact that relatively few Canadians are aware that Haiti held highly contested elections February 7. The Haitian government found that René Préval received 48.8 per cent of the popular vote, but on Feb. 16, 2006, it was decided that rather than continue in the runoff election to a second ballot, Préval would be declared president.

Elie accused Canadians of sleepwalking through politics and becoming a wealthy nation by “plundering,” comparing Canada’s role in Haiti to U.S. foreign interventions.

“What does it say about the nature of the regime that exists here? I wish it weren’t true, but frankly, 10 years from now, I wouldn’t be surprised to find a 51st star on the American flag,” he said.

“It’s not that far-fetched: already, for example, your government has gone and engineered what it calls a ‘regime change’ in Haiti.”

He then moved on to describe the recent political history of Haiti, beginning with the American occupation of the country in 1915, until the first democratic elections in 1990. Aristide was elected, and deposed almost as quickly by a coup d’etat. Elie was a cabinet minister again from 1994-96, along with current president-elect Préval, and was involved in dismantling the Haitian army.

“The Haitian people wanted the real thing: a democracy where people would draw up the political agenda,” Elie said. “Still, the enemies of democracy would not stop, and attempted to destabilize Aristide.”

He went on to compare this to criticize Prime Minister Stephen Harper for meeting with “de facto” prime minister of the interim government, Gerard Latortue, when Préval has been elected president but cannot be sworn in until there is a second election to choose the Parliament.

“Power should be decided not by coup d’etats or the barrel of a gun, but by the ballot,” said Elie.

He continued to say that Haiti was subjected to a “barrage of disinformation” used to defame Aristide for political interests — according to Elie, the cheap labour and gold available in the Carribbean nation.

Elie described America as more of a failed and rogue state than Haiti: “they break international laws every second day; and a nation that has a $9 billion deficit is a failed state.”

“If this is a model for the rest of the world, well, thank you, it won’t work,” Elie said.