When the helicopter finally left the ground from a grass field in Haiti, David Rocheleau says he finally felt a sense of relief.
After making it out of the embattled island nation plagued by anarchy and gang violence, the Quebec resident told CBC News it took a “convoy-like” row of armoured vehicles to get him to the helicopter headed to the Dominican Republic — all trailing behind a motorcycle that drove ahead to check for gangs in the area.
But Rocheleau said Canadian authorities had nothing to do with his rescue on Wednesday. Instead, he said, the business he worked with paid tens of thousands of dollars for the private rescue company, International SOS, to get him out.
He filmed his rescue and gave CBC News exclusive access to the footage.
“Someone in the Canadian Embassy who has all this information could have done this … that’s what pisses me off,” Rocheleau said. “If someone had their head together and took the initiative, they could have easily done it.”
Canada’s efforts to get citizens out of Haiti ‘not cutting it,’ says Quebecer who fled
David Rocheleau describes his ‘stressful and worrisome’ escape from Haiti and says the Canadian government’s support network in the country should be bolstered to support other Canadians stuck in Haiti. ‘The U.S. is doing it, why can’t Canada get out and do it?’ he told CBC’s Travis Dhanraj.
Roughly 3,000 Canadians are registered in Haiti, according to Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The government agency said Friday it responded to 245 inquiries since violence erupted earlier this month among rival gangs, closing the international airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and leaving foreigners stranded amid increasing kidnappings, robberies and violent crime.
GAC said some of the requests it received had to do with general travel information and the security situation in Haiti, while others concerned ways to evacuate.
But Tanya English said when her Canadian relative trapped in Haiti attempted to reach out for help, GAC was no help.
CBC News is not identifying English’s relative in Haiti in order to protect their safety, but it has been in direct contact with the relative, who is trying to conserve their phone battery amid an electricity shortage and granted English permission to share their story.
The Canadian, who spent decades doing humanitarian work in Haiti, was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and was supposed to return to Canada at the beginning of March for a followup treatment appointment, English said.
That trip never happened.
Canada hasn’t decided yet on evacuating citizens from Haiti, ambassador says
André François Giroux, Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, says the Canadian government is preparing for ‘all eventuality’ regarding its citizens in Haiti, but said ‘assisted departure’ is ‘very much a last-resort option.’ Giroux’s comments come after some Canadians told CBC News they feel abandoned in Haiti amid worsening violence.
Canadian frustrated with Ottawa’s response
Email correspondence between English’s relative and GAC was obtained by CBC News.
After being given information on how to keep themselves safe, the Canadian wrote on March 17, “Thanks for the info but I was hoping you could help me to evacuate. How can you help me to evacuate?”
Global Affairs then replied, “As you are registered with ROCA, it will enable you to receive important safety updates from the Government of Canada,” referring to Registration of Canadians Abroad, a free service that allows the government to notify travellers of an emergency.
On Wednesday, GAC asked the Canadian if they’d be willing to leave Haiti if departure options become available at a potential “cost recovery basis.” But the following day, it sent another email saying the government of Canada “is not facilitating assisted departures or repatriation flights for Canadians in Haiti at this time.”
“They get this glimmer of hope, thinking, ‘Ah, finally,’ and then they’re completely shattered again,” English said. “They’re just getting absolutely utterly depressed because absolutely nobody cares.”
GAC has not responded to specific questions from CBC News in time for publication, but the agency indicated it cannot comment on specific consular cases.
People take cover from gunfire near the National Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, on Thursday. Violence erupted earlier this month among rival gangs, resulting in a state of anarchy. (Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters)
Although the Canadian is still trapped in Haiti, they said they found a potential escape plan through a veteran-led non-profit based in Florida called Project DYNAMO. The organization has confirmed to CBC News that the Canadian requested its help.
But unlike Rocheleau, who waited on standby for two days at a hotel with armed guards hired to keep his group safe, the days went by and Project DYNAMO was unable to obtain the air clearance to get the Canadian out of Haiti.
“I have four helicopters sitting 20 minutes away from me right now — idle,” said Bryan Stern, the founder and CEO of Project DYNAMO. “They’re fuelled, they’re funded, they have pilots. Why won’t they fly? Well, the Dominicans will say that they can’t give us authorization to fly…. Haiti says [they] don’t care.” Haiti shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
Sitting in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s capital, Stern expressed frustration that his group — which does rescues free of charge through donations — has yet to get permission to use the airspace from the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while for-profit companies have been able to operate similar missions.
Bullets can ‘start flying’ at any time
Paul Doucet, regional security director for International SOS, said in an interview the company credits its compliance with regional laws and connection with relevant departments to having received clearance to fly.
“I can give you complete assurance, 100 per cent, that [how much is charged per rescue] is not why we were successful.
“At no point did that play a factor in how we were able to conduct that mission.”
Doucet said he could not comment directly on how much International SOS charges for its rescue missions.
Roberto Álvarez, the foreign affairs minister of the Dominican Republic, said in an interview that there is no connection between whether organizations charge money for rescue missions and how quickly they receive approval from the ministry.
The delay in permits being granted is largely because of security checks that need to be done, he said.
Since the violence erupted, Álvarez said, about 500 people have received permission to fly from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.
Police officers point their guns during a confrontation with gangs near the National Palace in Port-au-Prince on Thursday. Gang violence in the country has closed the city’s airport and left foreigners stranded amid increasing kidnappings and robberies. (Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters)
“Every day [they] wake up with [their] bags packed, waiting and waiting,” Tanya English said about her relative, who is still awaiting rescue from Project DYNAMO. “When you get that discouragement every single day, hoping that it’s going to happen, and then it doesn’t.”
Her relative says the roof of their home is riddled with bullet holes from nearby shootings, which could become a real problem once it rains. Food is also getting scarce, with her family member mainly eating out of cans, English said.
Every time they leave the house to get food, “they dash for it,” she said. “You never know when bullets are going to start flying.”
They are still awaiting a response from Global Affairs Canada on possible ways to leave the country. “At the worst time … everyone is just turning their backs,” she said.
Haitian soldiers gather near a runway at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport following a gunfight with armed gangs near the airport, as the government declared a state of emergency, in Port-au-Prince on March 4. (Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters)
In an interview from his home in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., on Friday, the day after he returned from Haiti, Rocheleau said he and his wife were finally able to get a good night’s sleep for the first time since the violence erupted.
While Rocheleau said he never felt in imminent danger in Haiti, worries were always at the back of his mind. Before the escape plan with the private company was approved, the 63-year-old said he thought of trekking through the mountains to escape as he sat in his hotel and listened to gunshots outside.
“I could tell there’s someone out there shooting at somebody … but you’re trapped,” he said. “It was like a prison, but a prisoner at least knows there’s a release date.”
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
