PMO announces assistance to New Zealand earthquake recovery
March 3, 2011
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced Canada’s contribution to help New Zealand with relief and recovery efforts following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the Canterbury region on February 22, 2011.
“Canadians were deeply saddened and shocked by the terrible toll this disaster has taken on the people of New Zealand,” Prime Minister Harper said. “Canada is happy to provide assistance to help the people of Christchurch and the rest of the Canterbury region recover from this tragedy.”
Prime Minister Harper has spoken with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key about the devastating earthquake that has affected so many New Zealanders. Canada is proud to make a $500,000 contribution to the Government of New Zealand’s Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, launched on February 27.
The donations received through this global appeal will be used to help the communities, families and people of Christchurch and the rest of the Canterbury region in the ongoing recovery effort. The Appeal is designed to complement pre-existing organizations such as the New Zealand Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The Government of New Zealand has expressed its intention to work alongside these organisations to make sure the funds are used effectively.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
The Prime Minister’s Office – Communications
From the Prime Minister’s Web Site
LATEST: Kiwis are rallying to help the Christchurch recovery effort, with more than $14 million pouring into relief funds as the nation today marked the tragedy with two minutes’ silence.
Hundreds of people from outside the city have arrived to help with the massive clean up operation, including around 200 farmers who manned 20 diggers to clear more than 1100 tonnes of silt from the New Brighton area yesterday.
The show of solidarity comes as Prime Minister John Key urged all New Zealanders to observe two-minutes’ silence at 12.51pm today, exactly a week after the 6.3 earthquake ripped the heart out of Christchurch with the loss of up to 200 lives.
Key and Labour leader Phil Goff were both marked the occasion at the Christchurch Art Gallery, the headquarters for the civil defence operation in the city.
Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, his wife Lady Satyanand and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, church and faith representatives, MPs and members of the Diplomatic Corps were at a vigil on the steps of Parliament.
In churches around the country mourners signed condolence books and lit candles in remembrance of those that lost their lives.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee told TVNZ the moment was a chance for everyone to reflect on the disaster.
“It’s a mark of respect. It gives us a bit of time to think, particularly, about the many people who are injured and will carry the scars of this event with them for the rest of their lives, the many people who have helped repair them, of course, the dead, and their families who are suffering so much at the moment.”
The Government yesterday unveiled a $120 million emergency rescue package that will see workers in firms that cannot operate because of the quake paid $500 gross per week. For part-time workers, the payment is $300 a week.
Workers who lose their jobs because of the quake will get $400 a week till the scheme expires in six weeks.
Key said the Government was working on a longer-term package, and he urged people to get back to work if it was safe to do so.
“This is a broken city, but one that we need to repair, We need people to be able to go back to work. This is something like five to eight times more significant to the New Zealand economy in a financial impact than arguably Hurricane Katrina.”
Key also confirmed an inquiry will be held into the collapse of buildings that had been signed off as safe after the September 4 earthquake “to provide answers to people about why so many people lost their lives.”
Police said 155 people were confirmed dead in the earthquake, but warned the toll was expected to rise further. Around 50 more people are still reported missing, and there is now considered no hope of anyone else being pulled alive from the Canterbury TV and Pyne Gould buildings and the Cathedral, were scores were trapped in the twisted steel and falling rubble.
Today’s two minutes’ silence comes as Christchurch slowly shows some signs of returning to normality following the earthquake, which is expected to see at least 500 inner city buildings condemned.
Streets are dotted with trucks, repair crews, excavators and equipment and most roads are open, although traffic is slow as motorists negotiate cracks and unexpected mounds.
The first movie theatre reopened yesterday. People can be seen jogging, playing golf and cycling. Firewood is being delivered, stock are on the way to the freezing works and container ships are unloading at Lyttelton.
Factory car parks are full as workers get back to work. About 70 babies (about the usual total) have been born since last Tuesday.
All over Christchurch, a wheelbarrow army has been clearing properties and footpaths of the 180,000 tonnes of silt delivered by the force of liquefaction. The debris is six times that forced to the surface by the September 4 quake.
But authorities were today bracing themselves for potentially dangerous conditions, with strong northwesterlies expected to send the dried silt into the air in dust clouds.
The danger of aftershocks and further carnage from the quake is also never far away, with 77 homes in the suburbs of Redcliff and Cashmere evacuated overnight amid concerns about cracks in the cliffs.
New Zealand-based relief funds stood at nearly $14 million last night, including $6.6m raised by the Red Cross and $2.4 by the Salvation Army.
Together with big corporate donations, the non-Government relief effort stands at more than $14 million.
STATE OF EMERGENCY EXTENDED
The National State of Emergency put in place following last Tuesday’s devastating earthquake has been extended.
It comes as Finance Minister Bill English refuses to rule out cuts to Working for Families payments or interest free student loans as the Government looks for ways to pay for the reconstruction of Christchurch.
Mr English said he was not ruling anything in or out, though he said in terms of income support the Government would continue to “protect the vulnerable” – a likely signal that any cuts to Working for Families would only be made at the top end of income earners.
Meanwhile Civil Defence Minister John Carter said the National State of Emergency was likely to remain for several more weeks.
“This declaration ensures coordination and cooperation between central and local resources, and international assistance. Due to the scale of this disaster, the civil defence response is beyond the resources of the local authority.”
Legislation requires the state of emergency to be renewed every seven days.
Carter said the significant damage and continued aftershocks were behind the extension. It means Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton retains the authority to direct and coordinate resources.
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