Members of Canada’s Haitian community are criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for failing to silence false claims that illegal Haitian immigrants are eating dogs and cats.
Prime Minister Trudeau appeared late show with stephen colbert On Monday, the host jokingly alluded to former President Donald Trump’s comments about immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Trump made these claims during the presidential debate on September 10th.
During the show, Prime Minister Colbert asked Trudeau if “dogs and cats are OK” in Canada, but the prime minister dodged the question, saying, “I’m going to ignore the issue.”
Trudeau highlighted a conference he attended about the political crisis in Haiti as an example of Canada bringing together countries “trying to have a positive impact on the world,” which prompted the joke.
WATCH | Prime Minister Trudeau praises Canada on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert:
On Thursday, Frantz Andre and Darlene Logis of Quebec Haitian Solidarity, a Haitian rights advocacy group, told reporters in Congress that since President Trump amplified disinformation, Haitians have seen “intolerance on the rise.” He said he realized that there was.
André said Trump’s false claims not only inflamed bigotry, but also “in a way authorized a blatant display of anti-Haitian racism.”
“The prime minister did not take the opportunity to show solidarity with Haitian society,” Andre said, calling Trudeau’s silence on the issue “outrageous.”
Activists say some Haitians have complained that their neighbors and co-workers have been barking and screaming at them since September 10.
Logis said the incident was a missed opportunity for Trudeau to stand with the community and push back against unfounded comments.
“There would have been no price for him other than to speak out and demonstrate sensitivity and empathy for the Haitian people,” Logis said.
After Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed that illegal immigrants are eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, ABC News Presidential Debate Moderator David Muir said the city’s administrator told ABC He told the News there were “no reliable reports” of such incidents.
Beyond the hateful rhetoric, Andre said, “The racist foreign policies of Canada and the United States over the past two decades have harmed Haitians at home and those forced to migrate to other countries, including Canada. It had serious consequences for both,” he added.
“To end anti-Haitian hatred, Canada must adopt a foreign policy independent of the United States and, above all, one that respects Haitian sovereignty,” Andre said.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment.
