As Canadians try to escape Haiti, some feel their own government left them behind

When the helicopter finally left the ground from a grass field in Haiti, David Rocheleau says he finally felt a sense of relief.

After making it out of the embattled island nation plagued by anarchy and gang violence, the Quebec resident told CBC News it took a «convoy-like» row of armoured vehicles to get him to the helicopter headed to the Dominican Republic — all trailing behind a motorcycle that drove ahead to check for gangs in the area.

But Rocheleau said Canadian authorities had nothing to do with his rescue on Wednesday. Instead, he said, the business he worked with paid tens of thousands of dollars for the private rescue company, International SOS, to get him out.

He filmed his rescue and gave CBC News exclusive access to the footage.

«Someone in the Canadian Embassy who has all this information could have done this… that's what pisses me off,» Rocheleau said. «If someone had their head together and took the initiative, they could have easily done it.»

Roughly 3,000 Canadians are registered in Haiti, according to Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The government agency said Friday it responded to 245 inquiries since violence erupted earlier this month among rival gangs, closing the international airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and leaving foreigners stranded amid increasing kidnappings, robberies and violent crime.

GAC said some of the requests it received had to do with general travel information and the security situation in Haiti, while others concerned ways to evacuate.

But Tanya English said when her Canadian relative trapped in Haiti attempted to reach out for help, GAC was no help.

CBC News is not identifying English's relative in Haiti in order to protect their safety, but it has been in direct contact with