Press Releases and Media Advisories

Canadian Mission for Accompanying Haitian Elections
Publishes Preliminary Statement on
December 3, 2006, Elections

OTTAWA, Thursday, December 14, 2006 — Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Head of the Canadian Mission for Accompanying Haitian Elections (CMAHE) and Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, today published a preliminary statement on the Haitian elections of December 3, 2006. The statement outlines the Mission's observations concerning the electoral preparations and the conduct of the vote.

"The elections of December 3, 2006, ran smoothly and, for the first time in 20 years, allowed electors to freely exercise their right to vote for the leaders of their local and municipal administrations." Mr. Kingsley further commended the Provisional Electoral Council, and in particular Council Executive Director Jacques Bernard, for its instrumental role in organizing these complex elections within the given time frame with the support of its international partners. "Election authorities built on the lessons learned from the first two rounds of presidential and legislative elections in order to ensure a successful conduct of the vote," said Mr. Kingsley.

The CMAHE also made recommendations concerning the long-term improvement of Haiti's electoral process and the establishment of a permanent electoral council.

The CMAHE is carrying on from the International Mission for Monitoring Haitian Elections (IMMHE), and has been on the ground in Haiti's 10 departments since mid-October. The CMAHE's mandate is an integral part of Canada's significant contribution to Haiti's long-term development, and the Mission will continue its monitoring work until mid-December 2006.

In the coming weeks, the CMAHE will publish an exhaustive report on the elections of December 3, 2006, which will include recommendations for ongoing improvement of the electoral process.

The CMAHE's preliminary statement is available on the IMMHE Web site at www.mieeh-immhe.ca and on the Elections Canada Web site at www.elections.ca.

Information:

Haiti: Robert B. Lussier, CMAHE Analyst and Public Relations Officer
509-451-7194 or 509-256-2626, extension 242


Ottawa: Elections Canada Media Relations
1-877-877-9515