Haiti (Catch all)

[Rex Brynen]

....and the Canadian strategic interest in Haiti is what?

I may be a cynic too, Wilf, but I'm one that also believes that states can occasionally rise beyond self-interest (narrowly-defined) to--on occasion--do the right thing for normative reasons.

It is certainly the case that states often dress up national interest in humanitarian terms, or use humanitarian initiatives to extend power and influence. On the other hand, I've worked in a foreign ministry enough to know that the reverse is true too, and people will sometimes successfully push through policies because they believe them to be morally right.

In the case of Haiti, I think Canada has some comparative advantages--including immigrant links, francophone, prior engagement, relative proximity, and no colonial baggage--that could be usefully employed in Haitian reconstruction.

[William F. Owen]

I may be a cynic too, Wilf, but I'm one that also believes that states can occasionally rise beyond self-interest (narrowly-defined) to--on occasion--do the right thing for normative reasons.

.......and people will sometimes successfully push through policies because they believe them to be morally right.

I always prefer pragmatism and realism over cynicism! - but I do understand your point and even to some extent agree. I just cringe when I hear about "ethics" and "morals" in relation to foreign policy because usually the dissonance and hypocrisy comes in waves 10-foot high!

[Rex Brynen]

I always prefer pragmatism and realism over cynicism!

Yes, agreed!

[slapout9]

Here is what the UK is doing. This is a fantastic idea for first response.

http://www.shelterbox.org/


Another link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAsMoYZpV7A

Think about donating!

[William F. Owen]

Here is what the UK is doing. This is a fantastic idea for first response.

http://www.shelterbox.org/


Another link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAsMoYZpV7A

Think about donating!

Really? £490 per box!!!
I'd love to see what you can actually get than down to by just pallet loading the items and tarp-wrapping them for distribution at the point of supply.

I'm pretty sceptical of any aid than cannot be dropped 7m from a hovering helicopter!

[slapout9]

Really? £490 per box!!!
I'd love to see what you can actually get than down to by just pallet loading the items and tarp-wrapping them for distribution at the point of supply.

I'm pretty sceptical of any aid than cannot be dropped 7m from a hovering helicopter!

How much is 490 pounds in American money?

[Ken White]

LINK. $792.11

[slapout9]

LINK. $792.11

Since it is a kit designed for 10 people to include a stove and water purifier plus cooking and eating utensils and blankets and panchos and simple hand tools....that ain't to bad in my opinion.

[Xivvx]

Here is what the UK is doing. This is a fantastic idea for first response.

http://www.shelterbox.org/


Another link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAsMoYZpV7A

Think about donating!

Very cool idea, Shelter in a box.

My idea was to use the relative abundance of Sea-Cans in Canada and the US to provide shelter. Available for around $3000.00 Cdn a Sea Can can be used to provide a very good home for someone. You can wire in air conditioning, power, plumbing...chop out the interior walls and join two together and make yourself a duplex. Can even get into making multi story houses because they stack so well.

I have a friend who just bought one of the larger ones, chopped it in two and made a two car garage.

[Vahid]

I may be a cynic too, Wilf, but I'm one that also believes that states can occasionally rise beyond self-interest (narrowly-defined) to--on occasion--do the right thing for normative reasons.

It is certainly the case that states often dress up national interest in humanitarian terms, or use humanitarian initiatives to extend power and influence. On the other hand, I've worked in a foreign ministry enough to know that the reverse is true too, and people will sometimes successfully push through policies because they believe them to be morally right.

In the case of Haiti, I think Canada has some comparative advantages--including immigrant links, francophone, prior engagement, relative proximity, and no colonial baggage--that could be usefully employed in Haitian reconstruction.

Dear Rex Brynen,

In the presence of a free-wheeling media environment, states often feel obliged to act responsibly to counter mounting criticism that might threaten their very survival. For instance, while the media coverage for such cataclysmic conflicts as the one in the Democratic Republic of Congo was far from being sufficient (thus concealing the genuine extent of the confrontation that claimed countless lives), the media acted promptly in the case of the Tsunami and the recent earthquake in Haiti. It would have been inconceivable for the Canadian government not to hearken to the voices of the ill-faited Haitians affacted by the earthquake now that the entire world has been focusing in the area. While in realist terms such a helping-hand extended to Haiti is not interest-ridden, we should dig further in order to ascertain to measure the calibre of Canada's altruism.

For instance, while government announced emergency measures to facilitate the immigration of Haitians to Canada, many civil society organisations in Montréal (by the way, this has been very amply covered in the francophone media) are unimpressed by the government's "emergencu measures" since it doesn't subsume cousins, brothers, or sisters amongst the people that can be sponsored by Canadians of Haitian origin. The momentous question is, will the Canadian government make it easier for these people to more easily immigrate to Canada?

Regards,
Vahid

[Rex Brynen]

For instance, while government announced emergency measures to facilitate the immigration of Haitians to Canada, many civil society organisations in Montréal (by the way, this has been very amply covered in the francophone media) are unimpressed by the government's "emergencu measures" since it doesn't subsume cousins, brothers, or sisters amongst the people that can be sponsored by Canadians of Haitian origin. The momentous question is, will the Canadian government make it easier for these people to more easily immigrate to Canada?

I think this is a rather difficult policy issue, and I'm not surprised that the government hasn't made a decision yet. Would this policy then apply to all places that suffer humanitarian disaster (or, for that matter, war) in the future? Would it result in trimming the number of non-Haitians that would be eligible to enter in an effort to maintain immigration targets? Etc.

I'm certainly not doubting that there is a great deal of political interest in policy-making.. as a political scientist, I could hardly believe otherwise. I am saying, however, that sometimes states, politicians, and bureaucrats do things for normative reasons too.