OTTAWA — One of the world's poorest countries is getting a break on its debt payments.

Canada has forgiven Haiti's $2.3-million debt.

It's part of the federal government's plan to relieve impoverished and heavily indebted countries of their debts to Canada.

Canada has now cancelled a total of $965 million worth of debt owed by poor countries -- including all debt owed by Latin American and Caribbean nations.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty made the announcement from Chile, where he is attending meetings of the Inter-American Development Bank governors and finance ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Flaherty says the debt relief will let Haiti spend its scarce resources on priorities instead of its liabilities.