Canadian government continues to deny status for migrant farm workers
Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) is demanding answers from Canada’s immigration Minister Joe Volpe. Monday’s announcement by Mr. Volpe concerning changes to Canada’s Immigration system provides no assistance to the tens of thousands of migrant farm workers who are employed under the auspices of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.
Migrant Farm workers from the Caribbean, and Mexico provide the backbone to Canadas multi-billion dollar agricultural industry. These workers are employed for a period anywhere between eight weeks to eight months with no provisions in their contracts for permanent residency in Canada.
Migrant farm workers should have a right for permanent Status in Canada if they desire to live here says Nicole Wall, an organizer for Justicia for Migrant Workers. Their contributions to our society continue to go unrecognized. Its time that the Canadian government begin to address the concerns of migrant workers in Canada!
Justicia for Migrant Workers is Demanding that the following provisions be made available
Permanent residency status be provided for workers currently
employed under the auspices of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
Permanent residency status be provided retroactively for workers
previously employed under the auspices of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
Provisions for family reunification be included to allow families
of migrant farm workers to apply for residency status in Canada
That a program of regularization be initiated for all non status
peoples in Canada
The implementation of an appeals process to prevent unilateral
repatriation of migrant workers without representation
That the process of citizenship be expedited for migrant workers
who marry Canadian residents
The exclusion of migrant farm workers continues the historical legacy of racial exclusion that the Canadian state has initiated to prevent certain groups from permanently residing here. Where is the justice when you have workers who have worked in Canada for twenty five to thirty years with no social and/ or economic mobility rights says Evelyn Encalada Grez.
For More Information Please Contact justicia for migrant workers at info@justicia4migrantworkers.org or www.justicia4migrantworkers.org or Chris Ramsaroop at
chris.ramsaroop@utoronto.ca or 416-832-4932