Harper travels to Haiti

Prime Minister Stephen Harper istravelling to Haiti on Monday to take stock of the earthquake damage and try to determine Canada's role in the Caribbean country's long-term recovery.

Harper is expected to land in Port-au-Prince on Monday afternoon aboard a Canadian military transport plane carrying relief supplies.

The giant Boeing C-17 cargo plane, which can carry huge loads and land on short runways, was being loaded with relief supplies Sunday night while the prime minister was returning to Ottawa from the Olympics in Vancouver.

He is scheduled to head to Gov. Gen. Michalle Jean's ancestral hometown, Jacmel, which wasdamaged by last month's earthquake. He'll then visit Logne, a key hub of Canadian relief activity.

Harper is also to meet with Haitian President Ren Prval and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive.

"We are continuing to work with the government of Haiti to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance," Harper said in a statement Sunday.

"At the same time, we now need to address the long-term challenges of reconstruction, based on the principles of sustainability, effectiveness and accountability," he said.

Harper will spend only one night in Haiti, sleeping on board Canadian navy vessel HMCS Athabaskan due to lack of accommodation in Haiti's devastated capital.

The Athabaskan is anchored off the coast, serving as a base for Canadian troops taking part in the relief effort.