Organizers from No One is Illegal, Justicia for Migrant Workers, and Migrante Ontario organized a community meeting at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at U of T on Saturday, in an attempt to coordinate a response to a series of U.S.-style raids on southern Ontario workplaces and detentions of migrant workers since April.
On April 2, the Canadian Border Service Agency and South Simcoe Police raided Cericola Farms in Bradford, where poultry farm workers were taken to the Heritage Detention Centre in Toronto. About 100 workers were reportedly held in cramped quarters while an immigration official rushed through their rights in English.
According to South Simcoe Police, the raids were carried out on suspicion of Immigration Act violations, abuse of workers without status and human trafficking.
Justicia, who provides legal assistance and support for migrant workers, along with the other groups, was able to assist some of the detained workers following the raids. They claimed the workers were told to sign forms surrendering their rights to counsel. According to Justicia, these alleged forms were not in accordance with the Immigration Act and were “illegally concocted.” Two weeks later, about 40 migrant workers were deported.
On May 27, Immigration Enforcement raided the Lakeside Greenhouse in Leamington.
Flor, who has been employed as a cleaner in the greenhouse for two years, said that nine of her coworkers are currently behind bars.
She said that for the most part a migrant worker would clean greenhouses and washrooms, tend to agricultural tasks, and harvest crops—“the most simple jobs most of us would like not to do.”
“All we want is to be able to work, so that we can survive in our own countries.”
Presently, the detained Leamington workers, all of whom are Mexican citizens, are being held in Windsor County Jail. According to Justicia, some of the arrested have filed refugee claims and fear for their lives back home. One of the detainees is pregnant.
The meeting heard a second testimonial from Panya, who came to Canada from Thailand to make more money for her family back home.
Expecting a friendly workplace environment, Panya’s hopes were thwarted when she found her employer too controlling. When he stopped paying her regularly she quit, soon finding work elsewhere.
The move landed her in trouble with immigration authorities, as it violated the terms of her work permit. After spending three weeks in jail, the threat of deportation looming, Panya sought the help of a union worker who helped her get a lawyer and translator. She’s since won an open work permit.
“Non-permanent—that is, with status that doesn’t allow them to become citizens—and non-status immigrant workers are crucial to the Canadian economy,” said assistant professor of Canadian studies Todd Gordon.
“They’re a cheap and vulnerable source of labour that can be highly exploited by employers, therefore boosting the latter’s profitability. If all non-status or temporary migrant workers were removed from the country, whole industries would shut down, such as [agriculture,] childcare, janitorial services, and construction, among others,said Gordon.
“What this tells us […] is that the raids aren’t likely designed to remove all non-status workers, but to reinforce their vulnerability—don’t organize, don’t vocalize your complaints, stay quiet [and] under the radar, and work hard.”
