February 8, 2010

On January 12, 2010, a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti and caused a horrific loss of life, injury and massive damage throughout Port au Prince. 

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere where 85% of people already live in poverty and given the desperate needs that people face on a day to day basis, this earthquake caused even further devastation.

OPSEU and the Canadian labour movement have demonstrated the meaning of solidarity and mobilized to bring support to workers, their families and their communities. Through the Social Justice Fund, OPSEU immediately donated $5000 to the Canadian Red Cross relief in Haiti, the Executive Board matched that donation and gave an additional $5000 to Médecin Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders.

OPSEU members can still donate to Haiti relief and reconstruction efforts.  Here are some organizations the labour movement as a whole has supported:

• CLC and the Canadian Red Cross are working to provide a way for union members to make a donation that is matched by the federal government’s pledge to match individual donations dollar for dollar. Find out more at www.redcross.ca or www.clc-ctc.ca

• Médecin Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) can be reached at : www.msf.ca

• The Humanitarian Coalition consists of Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Care Canada and Save the Children Canada.  These funds are also matched by the federal government. Go to:  www.humanitariancoalition.ca