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Canada-Wide Campaign Demands Status for All! Migrant Rights Network Launches CampaignOn Sunday, June 14, Migrant Rights Network hosted a historic Canada-wide digital rally to launch a campaign to have the government of Canada regularize the status and recognize rights for all migrant workers. It is a call to put an end to a Canadian state sponsored system of human trafficking which targets migrant workers, undocumented workers and refugees.
The June 14 digital rally began with an acknowledgment by migrant workers that the land they have come to for work is stolen land, where Indigenous sovereignty is not recognized by the same authorities who deny migrant workers' rights; where Indigenous women go missing or are murdered as a matter of course; where Indigenous people are incarcerated and murdered by police. The host also noted that in response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying Canada must do better, migrant workers say to Trudeau: "Do it today, and take action to ensure full status for all." Racial injustice and migrant rights, she said, are an issue for the entire Canadian working class and people. She stressed that recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be complete without full immigration status for all, so migrant children can get an education and medical treatment, so migrant worker families can be reunited and the systemic discrimination in wages and living conditions of these most vulnerable working people is ended. Every worker without status should be regularized, she said, and called on anyone who is not a member of a migrant rights organization to join, to become a member and part of this struggle. Below is a brief summary of the interventions made by those who spoke out for their rights on June 14. Caregivers Action Centre, Toronto
Jamaican Farmworker in Niagara, OntarioClaude said he is one of 60,000 migrant farmworkers across the country, based in the Niagara wine and fruit growing area of southern Ontario. "I have to be separated from my family to provide food for yours. We do the most dangerous and dirty jobs. Our health and safety are at risk. There have been two deaths of agricultural workers due to COVID-19. We come to Canada for a better life, not to die. No more deaths! Canada says it is a family oriented country. We need to be united with our families. We want to bring ours back together. We want full status." Niagara Greenhouse WorkerBlanca works in a greenhouse in the Niagara region. She has been working in Canada for 18 years. "My husband died in 1990," she said, "due to these conditions. The Canadian government should give permanent resident status to us migrant workers in recognition of the important work we do, in memory of my husband and others (Blanca then read the names of migrant farmworkers who have died in Canada). We want permanent status now!" Migrant Workers from MexicoLaura said she moved to Canada with her husband and baby daughter five years ago. "We were scammed by people who took our money and did nothing to help settle us. At that time I was pregnant with my second baby. We did not even have shelter. A local migrant support group helped us. Our second child is Canadian born but is denied everything because of our lack of status. My husband is a cleaner and construction worker. We are active in community groups and contribute to Canadian society in many ways. Our work is dignified. It is essential to the Canadian economy. Permanent status for all migrant workers, farm workers, care givers, is a completely just demand. We strongly believe we have the right to all basic necessities: shelter, education for our children, and decent treatment at work -- the same as everyone else. Status for all!" Migrante AlbertaEvalyn Royo from Migrante Alberta said she came to Canada under a temporary workers program. "We were invited here to work in jobs that are dangerous -- hard work and poor pay. For any number of reasons, many have had to make the decision to stay and continue to live and work here undocumented. Many migrants, and especially the undocumented, have no supports. It was so before COVID-19, but it is now glaring. In Alberta many migrant workers employed in meat packing, for example, have to choose to go to work and risk infection or be forced to return home. We work like any other worker. These are permanent jobs, not temporary jobs. Why do we not have the right to permanent status? Support the call of our organization. Support status for all!" Haitian Undocumented Worker in MontrealMamadou is an undocumented Haitian worker living in Montreal. "I am tired of living in fear of being stopped for an ID check on the metro, in fear of becoming sick, in fear of losing my apartment. That's why I'm speaking up today on my own behalf and on behalf of others like me, to tell Trudeau that we are tired of hiding and living in shadows and seeing families divided because of lack of status. We have no health care. Injustices are forced upon people without status. COVID-19 didn't make us essential. We were essential before COVID-19 and are essential now. That's why we are demanding status for all!" South Asian Refugee in Mississauga, OntarioMika is a South Asian refugee living in Mississauga. She said she applied for status but has no idea what her status is. She has been abused; by her husband, by immigration lawyers, by immigration itself, by police. "But I cannot even complain," she said, "because I don't have status. If I have status I can fight for my rights. I am not alone. We need to be heard. We need your help to fight for our rights." Migrant International StudentRahil spoke about the situation many migrant and international students are facing. "International students," she said, "work in many essential services, in third world conditions, with very low wages. We are mistreated because of our temporary status. Often we can't find jobs, pay our rent, pay our bills. But we are connecting with other student organizations around Canada to demand full status for all. We will continue building collective power with migrants and others to fight for basic rights." Migrante Canada Member in TorontoMarisol said she came to Canada in 2012. "Today I have to live in the shadows, breaking my back, enduring abuse and exploitation in my work place. We are not machines. We are human beings with needs and rights. That is why we migrant workers, care workers, refugees, undocumented workers want status for all. Canada must acknowledge our rights. It is high time to organize ourselves, unite and fight. Let our voice be heard across Canada. Let us stand together, strong and invincible. We are the backbone across this country. We want our rights and we want them now!" Workers' Forum calls on our readers to
take up this important struggle. To read the
text of the statement "Full Immigration Status
for All" click
here. Add your name to the
telephone campaign to tell your local MPs and
the Prime Minister to provide Status for All by
visiting the Migrant Rights Network website.
This article was published in Article Link:   Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca |
More than 700
people were logged onto the English language
forum Sunday afternoon. The event was held in
Spanish later the same day. Many more watched
the broadcast on social media platforms and at
least 40 rights organizations endorsed it. This
digital rally brought into sharp focus the fight
that is being waged by the most vulnerable
sections of the Canadian working class, standing
up to affirm their rights as working people and
human beings. This is a struggle and cause of
the entire Canadian working class and people.
Winnie said that
she, like many others, came to Canada to take
care of Canadian families, children, the sick,
'you.' "We are care workers. We live with your
family, prepare your children for their future.
We work many hours yet are the lowest paid and
sometimes not even paid for many extra hours
worked." She has been separated from her family
for six years. "We're forced to stay in our
employer's home, even when we are not working.
We will be fired if we leave. We are like
slaves. When I lost my job I had no money, no
place to live. My employer treated me very badly
and many care workers experience the same thing.
But I was strong and stood up for my rights and
got help from migrant workers support
organizations. We demand status now. We want
status without preconditions of language,
education and so forth. We are women of colour.
We are essential workers. We are in mourning.
Two migrant workers died in recent weeks. We did
not come to Canada to die. We came to work and
support our families. We will not work and live
in fear any more. We are not asking for special
treatment. Today we demand status for everyone.
We demand our rights. Join us!"