Transcript:

The role that Canadian police play at the UN mission Haiti.

My name is Graham Muir. I’m a Chief Superintendent in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and I’m presently serving in Haiti as the police commissioner for the mission here.

What we’re doing here is trying to establish a secure enough environment for the people of this country to hold their elections and then get on with the important business of governing their country, and establishing their communities, and raising their families and so forth.

We have two principal mandates here. First, with the police presence that we have, we’re on the field supporting the Haitian national police in the day-to-day conducting of their duties -- everything from public order maintenance to criminal investigations, and so on and so forth.

The second most important thing that we’re doing here is endeavouring to develop, train and effectively reform the institution itself, which is the Haitian national police.

Canada has an extraordinary reputation in terms of policing abroad. What we bring here, which is relatively unique in terms of the international environment, is a wealth of solid policing experience. And we do it in French here, which is obviously of importance to the local folks.

If I had one underlying message, it would be the importance for Canada to understand that it is true that Haiti is a difficult and troubled place, and it has been for many years past. It is also true that if we are to have the effect and make the contribution that we must do as a country, that we choose to stay and sustain the effort over a period of time so as to render something better for these people.