The Current Canadian efforts to help the crisis in Cuba
Mar 27, 2026
Eddie Garcia, a Cuban tour guide sharing first-hand accounts of shortages and blackouts. Julia Poggle, a CBC documentary reporter covering Canada’s aid efforts. They describe life under rolling blackouts, the logistics of sending medical and food shipments, cancelled flights that disrupted relief, and the long history of Canadian ties and grassroots aid efforts in Cuba.
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Daily Life Grounded By Blackouts And Fuel Shortages
- Eddie Garcia describes daily life collapsing in Cuba with 16-hour blackouts, empty stores, and scarce fuel that prevents doctors from working.
- He recounts queuing for hours at gas stations only to have power cut before getting fuel and families cooking with rare, expensive charcoal.
Grassroots Aid Pivoted When Flights Stopped
- Jennifer Raymer founded Together for Cuba and packs 50-pound medical duffel bags she sends with tourists to Cuba.
- She shifted to buying and distributing food locally after Canadian flights stopped, delivering to over 300 homes in days.
Canada's Longstanding Independent Relationship With Cuba
- Canada maintained diplomatic and trade ties with Cuba after 1959 while the U.S. imposed an embargo, creating long-term trust and channels of support.
- That relationship included educational aid, agricultural exchanges, and tourism that became a vital income source for Cubans.