Quote Originally Posted by Xivvx View Post
I agree completely, there has been a firm commitment to pull out combat troops in 2011, but I'm seeing this as setting up the next long term mission for us.
As long-term missions go, I would be happy to see us take it on.

Canadian population of Montreal is critical to any referendum on the status of Quebec w/in the Canadian confederation. The last referendum was won by pro-Canada forces by less than 1% of the vote - much of the margin of victory provided by Haitian-Canadians.
There's no doubt that immigration saved Canada from political collapse in 1995, since most immigrants to Quebec vote federalist.

That being said, I don't think anyone is being quite so instrumental at the moment--the links to Haiti have become deeper and more organic, including a Governor-General who is of Haitian origin. The Montreal police and RCMP have played major roles over the years in CIVPOL assistance to Haiti, and no fewer than 42 Montreal cops were already there working with the UN and Haitian National Police when the quake struck.