Canada ready to help Haiti

There is no confirmation of Canadian casualties in the Haiti earthquake, although 6,000 citizens from this country reside there, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Tuesday.

Of those, only 700 are registered with the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince, he said.

"Canada is offering its condolences to all those affected by this disaster. Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti," Cannon told a news conference in Ottawa. "We invite Canadians who are in the area to call home and reassure their loved ones."

Late Tuesday,  a group of 17 B.C. high school students travelling in Haiti were confirmed to be safe by their principal.

The Grade 12 students from Mount Sentinel School in South Slocan — a town of about 360 people located 800 kilometres east of Vancouver — arrived in Port-au-Prince just a couple of hours before the quake struck.

The school's principal, Glen Campbell, said there hasn't been telephone contact, but he has received two emails saying everyone is safe. The students are in Haiti to help set up a farm in a local community.

Haiti is the second largest recipient of humanitarian aid from Canada, Cannon pointed out: "We have a close relationship with Haiti and are ready to act," he said. "We are committed to helping Haiti. We have done this in the past."

Officials in Ottawa and Port-au-Prince are closely monitoring the situation and "Canadians are ready to give consular assistance," Cannon said.

Government officials are also considering whether to deploy its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) —  Canada's team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel which provides help to areas affected by disaster for up to 40 days. Canada currently has five soldiers in Haiti, posted there for security reasons.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement Tuesday evening extending his "sincere sympathies to all affected by this disaster."

"Canadians are profoundly concerned about the impact of today's earthquake in Haiti," Harper said.

"Our nation is home to a large community of Canadians of Haitian descent. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they seek word about the safety of their loved ones."

While officials assess the damage and the possibility of Canadians being injured in the quake, "Canada stands ready to provide any necessary assistance to the people of Haiti during this time of need," Harper said.

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean issued a statement saying she is following the tragedy in her native country "with great attention and concern."

"This natural disaster has hit a country with an extremely fragile infrastructure, where many buildings are already unstable, and where living conditions are often very difficult. I fear for its people," she said.

"I would like all Haitians to know that they are not alone and that Canadians will respond to this emergency."

In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama said his "thoughts and prayers" were with the people of Haiti and pledged to come to their aid if needed.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti," Obama said in a statement.