MONTREAL - Jean-Pierre Biard, a Montrealer who now lives with his wife and two young daughters in Japan, has few kind words for Canada's evacuation efforts.
The Canadian government has organized no formal evacuation of the 11,000 Canadians thought to be in disaster-ravaged Japan.
But Biard expected at least a little help.
Biard arrived in the Deux-Montagnes suburb of Montreal with his family Thursday after a series of disasters rocked his adopted-home.
He says that efforts to reach the Canadian Embassy in Japan were fruitless.
"I called the emergency response number at the embassy without any response. My call was forwarded to a voice mail and it was full," he said.
He called Ottawa but was told to simply to follow instructions of the Japanese government.
Baird turned instead to help from other embassies.
"The French, American and Swiss embassies were really good at providing timely information," he said.
"We made our decisions based on their information."
The Canadian government recently chartered two buses to get Canadians out of disaster-ridden Sendei.
Biard meanwhile, urges Canadians to donate to the reconstruction effort.
"Giving is worth giving up coffee, or spending less on lunch. It makes a difference," he said.
