Cross Canada Day of Action

Demand for Status for All Without Delay Rings Out Loud and Clear

Car caravan visits Montreal-area ministers' offices, October 16, 2022.

On October 16, 32 actions took place at the constituency offices of federal Liberal cabinet ministers across Canada on a matter of great urgency -- the demand that the estimated 1.7 million temporary workers, migrant workers, refugees, international student migrants and undocumented persons be granted permanent status as a matter of right.

The actions were organized by the Migrant Rights Network to bring pressure to bear on cabinet ministers because since Prime Minister Trudeau announced 10 months ago that the Liberals will bring in a regularization program, little by way of concrete action has been taken.

At the pickets, refugees, migrant workers, those without status and international students spoke out about their conditions of life. They shared their stories of being isolated, being denied basic social supports such as health care, and of being exploited and abused at work. They spoke of the daily insecurity and fear they and their families face.

They also expressed their resolve to continue organizing and fighting till everyone has permanent status and there is an end to their exploitation and abuse. It was noted that close to 500 civil society organizations in Canada and hundreds of thousands of Canadians have signed petitions and taken action in support of those without status. The participants collectively called on the Trudeau government to make good on their promises to regularize their status thus enabling everyone to have a secure and dignified life.