The following blog is maintained by members of the Canada Haiti Action Network. Many of the postings are drawn from the website of CHAN. To visit that website, including its archives and events pages, go to www.canadahaitiaction.ca.

The Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN) is an information and action network with member committees in cities across Canada. The network was formed in 2004 out of concern over the violent overthrow of elected government in Haiti on February 29, 2004 and the forced exile of the elected president, Jean Bertrand Aristide.

The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 now raises far deeper concerns about the direction of the country. In whose interests will Haiti be rebuilt--those of its poor majority, or those of international financiers, sweatshop factory owners, and food growers and exporters in the United States and Europe? " Solidarity and national sovereignty, not charity", is the watchword of the Canada Haiti Action Network in this new period of Haiti's history.

The member committees of CHAN work for the following goals:

• Universal respect of Haiti’s sovereignty
• For massive earthquake relief and aid, delivered in a manner that assists and strengthens the sovereign and popular instituions of the Haitian people
•  The safe return of political exiles and the freeing of all political prisoners
• A full Parliamentary inquiry in Canada concerning its role in the overthrow of elected government in Haiti in 2004, and reparations to the Haitian people from all the countries that took part in that illegal act
• Cancellation of all outstanding debt obligations by Haiti to international financial institutions

CHAN maintains a website to share the latest information about Haiti and to store important documents and reports. It encourages and sponsors travel to and from Haiti in order to increase awareness between popular, cultural, and faith organizations in our two countries. It also hosts an e-mail listserve. To subscribe to the CHAN listserve, send a request to: canadahaiti@gmail.com