Montrealers gathered Saturday to protest in front of the Liberals campaign office in Park-Extension demanding the federal government condemn and reject what they say is a corrupt Haitian regime.
“Right now, there’s a problem in Haiti, there’s a civil war, people are dying, they’re not eating and we need to show solidarity,” said Frantz André, member of Solidarité Québec-Haïti.
The Montreal rally came after weeks of protests and violent demonstrations in Haiti over the economic crisis and recent death of journalist Néhémie Joseph of Radio Méga, who had been covering the disruption. Joseph was found dead in his car with gunshot wounds.
On Friday, thousands of protesters in Port-au-Prince demanded the resignation of the country’s president, Jovenel Moïse.
On Saturday, Montrealers united in solidarity with the people of Haiti, asking Canada to act.
“We want … our government, whether it’s Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Green, whatever, that it be a government that recognizes the humanity of the people in Haiti and recognizes that they have the right to choose their own president,” said protester Jean Saint-Vil.
The protesters said Canada has been too complicit.
“There’s a puppet government in power,” said Saint-Vil. “Instead of listening and respecting the sovereignty of the Haitian people who want to bring their thieves to justice, they’re protecting them.
“They’re telling me not to go to Haiti but yet they’re propping up that same government — this is not acceptable.”
Candidates from the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois in the Papineau riding were also present to show their support for the Montreal Haitian community.
Solidarité Québec-Haiti said they will increase their activism if the government does not act fast.
“We’re going to further (the protests),” said André. “And actually, we cannot speak of that yet, but we will certainly continue until we get an answer from Mr. Trudeau.”
Global News reached out to the Liberal Party but they were unavailable for comment.
— With files from The Associated Press
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