Demands
for a Comprehensive Regularization Program for
Migrant
Workers and Refugees Montreal March Reveals the Depths of Canada's Human Rights Violations - Diane Johnston - 
As part of
the fourth Pan-Canadian Day for Status for All, Solidarity Across
Borders organized a rally outside the Montreal offices of Quebec
Premier François Legault on McGill College Avenue on Sunday,
September 20. Approximately 200 people showed up for the event, amongst
them many youth, refused refugee claimants and undocumented workers.
The action began with an organizer noting that migrant workers
and their allies refuse to be divided and that Solidarity Across
Borders will continue to be there for those fighting for justice for
all. He referred to a recent La
Presse article which revealed that during the pandemic, many
undocumented workers have been hired by temp agencies and paid, under
the table, to work in many of Quebec's public residential and long-term
care homes (CHSLDs). "No one is going to get me to believe that the
government is unaware that people are being treated today like slaves,
not only in CHSLDs but across Canada. This is unacceptable and
Canadians agree that these workers do not deserve to be treated this
way." He pointed out that many states "refuse to recognize immigrant
rights." Noting that many people "flee their country in fear of their
lives or because they want a better life," he added, "Canada has the
resources to receive them all." In his view, another very serious issue
is that "our governments are not there for us. They're there for the
multinationals."  Viviana Medina
from the Immigrant Workers Centre then informed participants that
Lourdes, an undocumented worker who had lived in Montreal for 11 years,
had died a few days earlier in her home country, Mexico. During her
time in Montreal, Lourdes had been paid $5 to $10 per hour, often
working 13 to 16 hours per day. She suffered two work accidents and
three surgeries while in Canada but was not entitled to compensation or
health care. She was forced to return to Mexico as a result of debts
and health-related problems. A moment of silence was observed in memory
of Lourdes and of all migrant workers who have lost their lives.
Participants
were also informed that although all deportations had been halted
because of COVID-19, except for those with a criminal record, one
rejected refugee claimant who does not have a criminal record, Mamadou
Konate, has been informed of his impending deportation. Originally from
Ivory Coast, he has been held since September 16 at the Laval
Immigration Detention Centre, after voluntarily presenting himself to
Immigration Canada in the presence of his lawyer. He wanted the
government to suspend his pending deportation on humanitarian grounds
-- a request that was previously denied. One of
Mamadou's friends said at the rally: "We're now being told that
deportations have recommenced, but Mamadou has not yet been given a
date." He informed participants an action was planned September 23 in
front of the federal government offices in Montreal at Complexe
Guy-Favreau.  Mostafa Henaway
from the Immigrant Workers Centre then took the mic. Referring to the La
Presse article, he stated that "it was revealed that an
overwhelming majority of those hired as cleaners in CHSLDs were clearly
undocumented workers with precarious status. The Legault government's
response was shock, one of 'How could this be possible?'" He decried
government hypocrisy as Quebec's health care system and economy are
being kept going by those without permanent status, those who are
undocumented or refused refugee claimants." "Most of the cleaners were
hired through a sub-contractor," he informed. "At one end there's GDI
[GDI Integrated Facility Services] and those with permanent status will
get a job directly through this multinational corporation, with
benefits, a living wage, regular hours, will be called 'guardian
angels,' 'heroes.' If undocumented, working the same job through a
sub-contractor, who then hires a temp agency -- and because everyone
has to make a cut -- these workers will receive $10 to $11 [an hour],
under minimum wage and face the constant fear not just of being
deported, but for their actual lives during the pandemic."
Mostafa
called out the government on its so-called willingness to address the
situation. "Its regularization program was just a slap in the face to
these cleaners, as they weren't going to be included, they won't be
given equal rights and treatment. And for everyone else without status,
it's an even greater slap in the face and is an example of the level of
racism in the society where, in fact, there are two worlds -- not like
how Legault says between [what took place in] old age homes and the
rest of society, but -- between those without status and those with.
Those without can keep on growing and delivering our food, caring for
our elders, doing all the work and not only not be paid, but face
deportation. Or others who become so sickened by the process, by
stress, anxiety, by the way that [the situation] breaks you down, not
just emotionally but physically, year after year. To not even be
treated humanely, as if you don't exist. The only recognition is from
what we do and from right here," he noted. "The
fact that people have to die, have to go on hunger strikes, have to
even be here is an insult, to demand nothing more, but nothing less,
than anyone else," he concluded. Another speaker
pointed to the actions of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who "took a
knee a couple of months ago in a photo op, to then stand up and detain
and deport people, come up with a regularization program that's nothing
more than window-dressing, that fails to take into consideration the
hundreds and thousands of people that live in this country. They are
our families, our friends, neighbours, co-workers, people who take care
of our loved ones... We must continue to fight for justice, dignity,
the right to humanity, status for all. No One Is Illegal! Justice for
Migrants! Status for All!"  Mohamed Barry,
co-founder of the Guinean Committee for Status and a member of
Solidarity Across Borders, then addressed the crowd. "There are many
Guineans here in Canada, particularly in Montreal," he said. "These
people have integrated here, they work well, there's no language
barrier. Some of them are studying ... Unfortunately, despite all their
efforts and all they've done to integrate, hundreds of them are facing
deportation. After the pandemic, many will be deported."
Describing
Guinea as a country run by criminals, Mohamed went on to explain that
the present government is responsible for the killing of 45 people,
"people in their teens and in their 20s. Women were rounded up, older
people were beaten, houses were demolished." He then informed that in
2015, Canada entered into an agreement with Guinea. "The agreement
begins with the statement that both countries must respect human
rights. The rights of Canadians are respected in Guinea, as all
Canadian expatriates [...] are very well paid and often housed by the
Guinean government. On the other hand here in Canada, Guineans are
imprisoned, rejected, work in plants and warehouses [...] in violation
of the agreement." "Canada's interest in Guinea is
over its resources," he emphasized, noting that SNC-Lavalin, Rio Tinto
and various other mining companies have been operating in the country
for over 20 years and exploiting it. "Guinea," he said, "is the world's
second largest exporter of bauxite." Mohamed
remarked that Quebeckers have proven themselves to be very hospitable
towards himself and his compatriots, noting that many Quebeckers come
out for demonstrations and press conferences. On the other hand, he
continued, "even though governments claim that they are not intolerant
and that refugees have a place here, that's not the reality." He said
that during the pandemic, Guineans, amongst others, "were imprisoned"
and added that even though the Public Health Authority has recommended
social distancing measures, "many times at the Laval Detention Centre
this is not respected. They're placed in vans without windows, to be
transported. They're unloaded with their hands and feet in chains, to
humiliate them. This, despite the fact that Canada is a signatory to a
number of international human rights conventions. Unfortunately, Canada
does not respect human rights, particularly with regard to refugee
claimants, as they are criminalized. It refuses to take into
consideration our five, 10 or 15 years here of integration and
considerable efforts and gives us two weeks before we are deported by
the Canada Border Services Agency, irrespective of the humanitarian
grounds we may have. We are all essential, we all need to be able to
live in dignity and without fear, to live like everyone else."
Participants then marched to the federal government offices at
Complexe Guy-Favreau. En route, Clément Sageste of Quebec Is
Us Too (Le Québec c'est nous aussi) opined: "The government
must respect the dignity of human beings, whether they are students,
workers, refugees, the undocumented. The answer is that everyone in
Quebec and Canada deserves a status. The question should not even have
to be posed." At Complexe Guy-Favreau, Frantz
André of the Action Committee on Non-Status Persons (CAPSS)
recounted how the U.S., France and Canada have been waging war on his
country of origin, Haiti. "We have come here to get what is ours by
right," he asserted, pointing out that many of the so-called rich
countries make life untenable for migrants in their home countries,
forcing them to flee.
This article was published in
Volume 50 Number 36 - September 26, 2020
Article Link:
Demands
for a Comprehensive Regularization Program for : Montreal March Reveals the Depths of Canada's Human Rights Violations - Diane Johnston
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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