Thursday, January 14, 2010

Governor General Michaelle Jean did not have to say a word

Update The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is giving $1 million to the Haiti relief effort. Thumbs up for that!

Governor General Madame Michaelle Jean did not have to say a word. Her heartfelt and hopelessly restrained tears told us how dismal the earthquake tragedy is for the poorest people on earth, and for her personally. The same news report yesterday said that Canadians gave $100 million to the Asian Tsunami relief effort. The scenes of carnage and anguish will also move anyone with a heart to do donate what they can to the Haiti Relief fund.

There may never have been a Governor General who was more openly emotional, and empathetic as Madame Jean. Her heartbreak and tears alone were too real to this woman who grew up in the country where poverty, political corruption, and social hardships, and unrest have been part of the culture for decades. I wonder how many more people who watched Michaelle Jean fight back tears, felt like helping out after seeing her at Wednesday's press conference.

This lady acts on the empathy she feels, and sense of justice. Last year she felt it was important to share a meal of seal with First Nations people. This Governor General connects with people and could move Canadians and Canada to give very generously to help Haiti. To see her own people and relatives suffer, must have felt like a personal injury, and so overwhelmingly tragic, given that people were already miserable with poverty, crime, poor sanitation, political corruption, and overcrowding. Among many nations, Haiti's horrific trauma, laid upon bleak desperation, seems to be too cruel to be real. Like other major events, it sadly is real. The rest of the world will help, and here's one place to start from here:

The Red Cross offices in St. John's, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook and Wabush stayed open to 7 p.m. Wednesday to accept donations. They're also extending their hours on Thursday and Friday. You can drop your donation off in person, or do it Online.
Here are the provincial Red Cross offices and contact information

Regional Office

17 Majors Path
St. John's, NL
A1A 4Z9
Phone: 709-758-8400
Fax: 709-758-8417
Service Centres

Central Service Centre
28 Cromer Avenue
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
A2A 1X2
Phone: 709-489-5522
Fax: 709-489-6602

Western Service Centre
9 Main Street, P.O. Box 172
Corner Brook, NL
A2H 6C7
Phone: 709-634-4626
Fax: 709-634-1370

Labrador Service Centre
Wabush Shopping Plaza
Wabush, Labrador
A0R 1B0
Phone: 709-944-2570
Fax: 709-944-7117

2 comments:

NPC said...

It's heart breaking to see it on tv. We have to do all we can to help. Thanks for the online link

Charlie said...

For sure NPC.