‘Act on the promise to regularize the undocumented’

‘Act on the promise to regularize the undocumented’

Migrant Rights Network led delegations of migrants and workers groups to hold a demonstration rally in front of the Hamilton Convention Centre where the Liberal federal cabinet were holding their three-day winter retreat.
Screen grab from the Twitter account of Migrant Rights Network
(@MigrantRightsCA). Used with permission

Migrant advocates rally at Trudeau Cabinet retreat in Hamilton —

January 25, 2023

By Veronica Silva Cusi

The Philippine Reporter

TORONTO–Advocates fighting for migrant rights are calling on the Liberal government to hold true to their promise to regularize thousands of undocumented migrants.

On Day 1 of the three-day winter cabinet retreat in Hamilton, Ont., Migrant Rights Network led a delegation from Toronto to demonstrate in front of the retreat venue as the federal Cabinet is expected to decide on key priorities for the year.

The demonstration was a reminder from migrant groups stemming from Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December 2021. In it, Trudeau charged Fraser to deliver commitments to “build on existing pilot programs to further explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.”

More than a year later, migrant advocates are still waiting for concrete details on how the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is going to fulfill this mandate.

Migrante Canada and its chapters from coast to coast, who are members of the MRN network, are one in helping fight for regularization, as some Filipinos in Canada have become undocumented not by their own doing.

“The government promised a year ago to create a regularization program. But there’s been very little movement on that promise thus far. We hope that it would be inclusive without caps and open to all sectors. We’ll keep on pressuring the government for a fair and just regularization program because it is the right thing to do,” Clarizze Truscott, vice chair of Migrante Canada, told The Philippine Reporter.

It is a battle that strikes close to home for the Filipino international migrant group. Its own chair, Danilo de Leon, is fighting against his own deportation.

A delegation of migrant rights advocates left for Toronto, Ont. to join a demonstration rally in Hamilton, Ont. on January 23, 2023, the first day of a three-day winter cabinet retreat. Migrant advocates are calling on the Liberal cabinet to make good on their commitment to regularize thousands of undocumented migrants. Photo by Veronica Silva Cusi

The Cabinet retreat is significant, according to MRN, because if no decision on regularization is made at the retreat, more delays in crafting a program mean prolonged agony for the undocumented, which MRN estimates at 500,000.

“If all the Ministers at the meeting support regularization, then Cabinet can schedule a meeting soon after to create an uncapped program through which all undocumented people and their families can apply for permanent residence as early as February. If the Ministers aren’t in full support next week, then they will schedule more meetings for discussion. Delays mean exploitation, deportation and even death,” MRN said on its website.

Migrante Canada is calling for a stop to deportations and detentions of undocumented migrant workers while there is no action on the regularization program.

“If the government seriously wishes to address the labour shortage, they only have to look into the half a million [workers] that are already here waiting,” Truscott added. “They’re already living in our communities, paying taxes, and supporting the economy. Ang kulang lang is yung kanilang (what is lacking is) PR status.”

A statement by MRN quoted Marco Luciano, director, Migrante Alberta, based in Edmonton, as saying: “Piecemeal regularization is not the solution. We demand an inclusive regularization program without caps and for all sectors. We must end the inhumane deportation and detention of migrants.”

As for Trudeau’s sincerity in his mandate to Fraser, Truscott added: “We know regularization will happen if he wants it to. And we will be watching.”

Migrante Canada is urging migrant workers in Canada – with or without status – to get involved to fight for status.

“We urge migrant workers with or without status to come out and get involved, their lives and their future are at stake here. People can simply email migrantecanada@gmail.com or go to MRN website and sign the online petition for Status for All,” said Truscott.

MRN is urging fellow advocates to appeal to all Cabinet ministers.

In a separate statement (sent via email), Migrante Canada expressed relief that the Alberta government has joined other provinces in ending its agreement with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to detain migrants and refuges with pending cases.

“This cancellation of agreements with the CBSA is a key step to abolishing immigration detention altogether in Canada,” the statement read in part.