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 Mlanie Joly announced last week Canadians had been helicopteredout of Port-au-Princeto an undisclosed locationand then broughtto Montreal usingchartered flights.

Some of those people are making their way toOttawa. withscheduled flightsWednesday, Friday andSunday.

Jolyannounced yesterday there wouldbe an additional flight this week due to last-minute demand. As of Sunday evening, there was no word on when thatwould take place.

She saidanyone who wants to leave must immediately contact Global Affairs.

Haiti's government declared a state of emergency March3in Ouest Department, which includes the capital, in response to gang violence and the deteriorating security situation.

There's also ashortage of food and medicine.

"You wake up to the sound of gunfire, and then in the morningthere are quite a few dead bodies in someneighbourhoods," said Georges Eddy Lucien,a visiting scholar from Haitiat 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 aresuffocating," 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 saidCanada 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 than250 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 thesafety of loved onesstill in the country.

'Haitian spirit' alivein Ottawa

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

Berwin Sydney arrived from Haiti three years agoas an international studentandwas unable to return last year when he finished his degree.

Sydney's organization advocates forBlack communities, helps immigrantsand develops Black culture in Canada. He said he's getting ready to welcome at least one person onSunday's flight.

"The Haitian community in Ottawa is growing, the people in Ottawa arevery 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, thesocial dynamics are all different. Andit feels like starting from zero, especially in the cold season," he said.

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

"Right now, the city is promoting French integration.that's a very big part ofpeople 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 flightshave stopped," he said.

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

"Haitians area people that suffer a lot, but despite all the fighting we keepmoving forward. We never give upthis is the Haitian spirit."