- by Landon Vogel
- on 4 Jun, 2025
Canada Steps Up Pressure on Haiti’s Power Brokers
Ottawa isn’t mincing words or measures: on March 21, 2025, the Canadian government rolled out new sanctions targeting three men it says are stoking chaos in Haiti. The move zeroes in on Dimitri Hérard, Jeantel Joseph, and Jeff Larose. Each man's name is already familiar to people following the country’s slide into unrest—allegations tie them directly to gangs and to efforts that have repeatedly sapped Haiti’s stability.
Under Canada’s Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations, these individuals will find their Canadian assets inaccessible and won’t be setting foot in the country anytime soon. Officials say this is a clear stand with Haitians—trying to hold accountable the very people accused of pushing violence and violating human rights at a time when the country can barely cope with its security nightmare.
This latest round of penalties builds on earlier moves this year, which included widening the net on who can be sanctioned, cutting off permits, and expanding Canada’s arms embargo. Now, Canada is joining more closely with international efforts, echoing parts of UN resolutions that demand practical consequences for anyone fueling the crisis.
Crisis on All Fronts: Why the Sanctions Matter
The timing feels urgent. Haiti has been reeling from power struggles, brutal gang turf wars, kidnappings, and rising humanitarian pressure. Families in Port-au-Prince and beyond live with the daily reality of violence that has forced many to flee their homes or hide indoors. Aid groups are sounding alarms over food shortages and the collapse of basic health services.
If you’re wondering how far Canada is going, it’s not just words and symbolic moves. Ottawa has put more than $400 million on the table for aid and support programs in Haiti. The hope is that holding high-profile figures financially accountable—by freezing any Canadian assets they might have—will help chip away at the impunity some gang-related actors enjoy.
Still, there’s a blunt reality: the Canadian government has left its travel warnings to Haiti at the strictest possible level. Their message for Canadians is to stay away, plain and simple. Reports of violent street battles, roadblocks, and abductions keep pouring in. The implication? Even with money and sanctions, Haiti’s crisis needs far more than outside pressure to be fixed.
Officials are banking on coordinated international action—working with the UN and other partners—to push for both accountability and support. Their view is that isolating and punishing the most disruptive actors isn’t just symbolic. It’s a potential lever to edge the country back toward security and the rule of law, or at least to slow its slide into even deeper chaos.
- Canada sanctions aim to limit the financial power and free movement of those linked to Haiti’s unrest.
- The three individuals face not just asset freezes but also a ban on ever entering Canada.
- Alongside sanctions, Canada commits hundreds of millions in aid, signaling long-term involvement in the crisis response.
- Travel advisories for Haiti remain severe, reflecting ongoing violence that makes everyday life dangerous for locals and visitors alike.