Charest meets with Haitian PM

Quebec Premier Jean Charest met with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive in Montreal on Friday.

Bellerive is in Montreal for a conference on the reconstruction of the earthquake-stricken country.

"It was an occasion to get an update on what is happening in Haiti and on the needs of the Haitian people and Haitian government," Charest told reporters.

No other details were provided about the meeting, which lasted 90 minutes.

The two day Rebuilding Haiti Horizon 2030 conference was organized by members of Montreals Haitian community, the largest in Canada.

The conference is aimed at gathering together the expertise of the Haitian diaspora to propose ideas that will be submitted to the Haitian government and international aid organizations working on the ground.

Among the issues discussed by participants on Friday was how to create an education system that can act as an agent of change in Haiti.

A final report will be submitted in June.

Montreal mayor to visit Haiti

Also on Friday, Montreals Mayor Grald Tremblay announced he has accepted an invitation from Gov. Gen. Michalle Jean to accompany her on a mission to Haiti next week.

Tremblay said he will observe reconstruction work underway.

"The experience and expertise of cities and their employees are a great wealth and we will play an essential role in the reconstruction of Haiti," Tremblay said in a statement.

"In the coming months I will meet many other mayors and will tell them about all the work there is to do in Haiti," he said.