Statement

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

---

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER HARPER ON HIS VISIT TO HAITI FOLLOWING MEETINGS WITH PRIME MINISTER PRÉVAL

July 20, 2007
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

I'm proud to be in Port-au-Prince today to demonstrate the support of our government for the United Nations stabilization mission and the 46 Canadians who are currently serving here.

This is my first visit to Haiti and my first tour of the Caribbean and South America since becoming Prime Minister.

As I said during earlier stops in Colombia, Chile and Barbados, our government is committed to reviving and expanding Canada's political, economic, social and security engagement throughout the Americas.

Haiti is crucial to Canadian interests for several reasons.

First we are connected by family ties of tens of thousands of Canadians of Haitian origin.

In addition, the security of our entire region will be enhanced by greater stability in Haiti, and a stronger Haitian economy will serve our goal of expanded trade and improved employment opportunities for people throughout the Americas.

This morning I saw firsthand the progress achieved on the security front by Haiti's national police and the UN mission during a visit to Cité Soleil.

It is apparent that the people who live there feel increasingly secure, and it is gratifying to see Canadian aid achieving real results for the long-suffering people of that community.

These signs of progress underscored my positive and productive discussions with President Préval.

I encouraged him to continue working to restore the rule of law in Haiti, and to focus on building open, accountable government.

I told him that Canada remains committed to supporting his efforts in this regard, as well as those he is leading to establish good governance and to fight corruption.

Lastly, I reassured the President that Canada's New Government and all Canadians care deeply about the success of our joint endeavours and that he can count on our help to make Haiti safer and more prosperous.

---

The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
[Note: You are receiving this e-mail for information only, and because you have subscribed to our distribution list. To modify your subscription or to have your name removed from the list, go to: (http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/subscribe.asp?login)]