Rights for Migrant Workers NOW!
Stand Up for Dignity Mobile Rally in Montreal
On Saturday, June 6, for the second time in
just over two weeks, activists in Montreal,
despite the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic,
rallied to the call of the organization Stand Up
for Dignity in support of rights for migrant
workers. In the space of just two weeks,
the number of people participating in this
mobile demonstration had tripled, with around
300 present in the parking lot beside Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau's Papineau riding
offices on Crémazie Boulevard East.
 They came with
Haitian flags and a Mexican flag, banners,
placards and posters, shouting over and over:
"Good Enough to Work -- Good Enough to Stay!";
"Quebec-Haiti: Solidarity!"; "Solidarity with
Refugee Claimants!"; "Permanent Residency for
All Essential Workers Now!"
They were joined by a number of political
personalities. Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP for
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, was present, as he
was at the first action. Boulerice had presented
a motion in the House of Commons on May 25
calling for status for hundreds of refugee
claimants deemed essential workers in
recognition of the contributions. That motion
was defeated by the Conservatives. Quebec
National Assembly Independent Member for
Marie-Victorin, Catherine Fournier, was also
present. On May 13 she had tabled a motion in
the Quebec National Assembly calling for the
recognition of hundreds of asylum seekers
working in Quebec's long-term residences and
seniors' homes and requesting that the Canadian
government quickly recognize their immigration
status. That motion was defeated by the ruling
coalition CAQ. Québec Solidaire Member of
the Quebec National Assembly for Laurier-Dorion,
Andrés Fontecilla was in attendance, as was
Parti Québécois (PQ) Interim Leader and Member
of the National Assembly for Matane-Matapédia,
Pascal Bérubé and PQ President Dieudonné Ella
Oyono. Members of the PMLQ and CPC(M-L) were
also present. Markedly absent were federal and
Quebec Liberal Party representatives of ridings
in which the Haitian community has a large
presence.
With flags flying, banners waving, posters,
placards and slogans in support of essential
workers without status, activists then took to
the street in a march, bicycle and motor convoy.
For over an hour they made their way through a
large residential neighbourhood, passing in
front of Jean-Talon Hospital, shouting slogans
and generally raising the roof to alert the
residents of the importance of the contribution
and sacrifice of our essential workers and for
the demand to grant them permanent residency
NOW! They were warmly greeted all along the
route with recurring thumbs up, applause, fists
raised and flags waved. It was truly a sight to
be seen!
 Once they had
made their way back to where they started, Dr.
Wilner Cayo, President of Stand Up for Dignity,
the organizer of the action, said: "We are
profoundly touched by this show of solidarity on
the part of Quebeckers." "No one should forget
the fight that many essential workers continue
to wage to save lives in our hospitals, our
seniors' residences, our CHSLDs [residential and
long-term care centres]," Dr. Cayo said. A
tribute was then paid to all those who had died
in the fight against the coronavirus.
In reference to the many essential workers also
waging a battle for permanent residency, he
said: "They're afraid of being deported once the
pandemic is over. They're in need of allies."
"Together," he said, "we can turn things in the
right direction." He pointed out that
"forty-eight hours after our first
demonstration, the culminating point of many
other efforts, [Quebec Premier] François Legault
felt obliged to initiate a major political
about-face. Let's not kid ourselves! The reality
hasn't changed. We're here to continue the
struggle." "It's because of you Quebeckers with
a heart, the community organizations and groups,
elected representatives and pressure groups,
protestors, the people who believe in human
dignity!"
Dr. Cayo explained that Legault's statement
about wanting to thank refugee claimants had
been met with a sigh of great relief by
exhausted asylum seekers working in CHSLDs, who
felt that their sacrifice was finally being
acknowledged by the government. "Then, when he
announced his plan to create 10,000 well-paying
orderly positions along with all the social
benefits, our people began to dream."
 "Then came Black
Tuesday [in reference to the announcement made
by Premier Legault on Tuesday, June 2 when he
stated that 'citizenship status is required to
register']. In one fell swoop," Dr. Cayo
commented, our people "have again become
undesirable!"
"When it was an issue of the CHSLDs, of
counting on work akin to modern slavery, these
people were needed. When it was about working
for starvation wages, [...] of risking one's
life and even dying at work, these [...] refugee
claimants were humanitarian workers. When the
working conditions in the CHSLDs were abhorrent,
they were good enough to work! Despite their
experience and expertise, once the conditions
become humane, they're no longer good enough to
deserve them.
"The response was unequivocal. [...] These
essential workers will not be participating in
the orderly training program.
"François Legault is sending a clear message!
If you are a racialized woman, particularly if
you have been rendered even more fragile as a
result of your precarious migratory status, even
if you have sacrificed yourself for Quebec, you
should not expect anything from Quebec!
"There's no humanity towards the most
disadvantaged, no recognition! Only petty
electioneering with no compassion, indifference
towards the cries and pain of essential workers.
"Premier Legault's callousness is not worthy of
Quebeckers' human values. Why keep these people
in such dismal working conditions?" Dr. Cayo
demanded to know. He then addressed himself to
the Premier: "Through a measure falling under
your own jurisdiction, you could have set aside
places for these people who are already in the
system and have been holding it up. It's a
matter of common sense!
 "They devotedly
took care of our seniors at the pandemic's peak
[...] at the risk of their lives! Don't leave
them now to fend for themselves and at the mercy
of predatory agencies that continue to pay them
half the wages others are earning!
"These people," Dr. Cayo continued, "are
already working, they're already committed.
[...] They're already taking care of us in our
grocery stores, slaughterhouses, meat-processing
plants, private seniors' residences, CHSLDs.
They're the orderlies, the clerks of all kinds,
the security guards and others identified by you
as essential workers.
"Your case-by-case policy [...] continues to be
a policy of exclusion! We're not interested!
We're requesting that the government consider
the contribution these essential workers have
made [and ...] that it make a humanitarian
gesture towards them in the form of an
exceptional measure under its own jurisdiction
by receiving them as immigrants, [...] by
according them [Quebec] selection certificates."
Then, addressing himself to Prime Minister
Trudeau, Cayo demanded that he turn his words
into deeds and grant "these people permanent
residency." "It's a matter of dignity," he
asserted.
  
Quebec Independent MNA Catherine Fournier noted
that "For days now we've been talking about
discrimination and it's part of the struggle we
are waging today, because one has to reflect on
the fact that when groups, minorities, are made
vulnerable as a result of being left in the
employ of often malevolent employment agencies,
this also contributes to systemic discrimination
within the society."
"We must absolutely continue to wage this
struggle, which has resulted in a change of tune
following the motion I tabled, through
extraordinary citizen mobilization," Fournier
said. "Now it's up to Quebec to assume its full
leadership. We're done with waiting on Canada
and its inhumane Refugee Board delays. Quebec
must assume its full leadership in immigration
and offer, once and for all, the status of
Quebec resident to all the guardian angels
presently working with the most vulnerable,"
Fournier concluded.
 
This article was published in
Number 40 - June 11, 2020
Article Link:
Rights for Migrant Workers : Stand Up for Dignity Mobile Rally in Montreal
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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