Awakenings: Tejada victory; organizing in Barrie

Awakenings: Tejada victory; organizing in Barrie

After months of uncertainty, Juana Tejada’s plight has met with a victorious conclusion. She has finally got a green light from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to proceed processing her permanent residency application. Victory is sweet for Juana, after all.

Truly, I admire Juana for confronting the issue with courage, persistency and determination. It was a tough ordeal particularly given her medical conditions. But she showed us her spirit to fight in times of difficulty. She showed Canada, if not the world, that one should willingly pursue for whatever rights that due her [or him]. Indeed, if one knows her or his rights, she or he should fight for them.

“Juana’s victory is also a victory for all Filipino migrants,” Migrante-Ontario declared in a statement. I agree. It was a victory for all nameless people who helped in the campaign. It was a victory for those organizations that came together on the basis of shared vision in partaking with Juana’s fight for justice. It was indeed a victory for the Filipino community in general.

That brings me to think that unity on the basis of one goal is what makes diversified people and groups moved in unison. And, that brings me to the story of caregivers organizing themselves.

A group of caregivers in Barrie, Ontario, has organized themselves to form Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie [PMB]. They have realized that forming a group makes them unified and strong. To date, the group has sixteen or so members. Filipino Migrant Workers’ Movement [FMWM] has been helping the group in their initial organizational process.

On June 22, PMB formed its Preparatory Committee [PrepCom] to push for organizing, arousing and mobilizing fellow caregivers and other migrant workers in Barrie. Again, FMWM was instrumental in this formation.

However, in this early stage, PMB is experiencing some challenges. A member [which I will not mention the name] of a traditional Filipino organization made an unsolicited comment against PMB members. Or against caregivers in general.

This individual [a she] was apparently outraged upon knowing that PMB is initiating a fund raising effort [thru solicitation] to help a fellow caregiver who met an accident last June and now recuperating at rehabilitation facility in Toronto.

She confronted two PMB members. These two members are also PrepCom officers. According to PrepCom Chair, this individual told them that PMB cannot make such fundraising activity. She also told them that PMB members cannot organize themselves as a group because they are only caregivers – no PR status yet.

What? In other words, this individual was saying that caregivers have no right to freedoms of peaceful assembly and association. If she was implying that, she was absolutely wrong. In fact, what she did was against the law. What she did was a form of discrimination on the basis of status.

Of course, caregivers can organize themselves as group whenever then want. The right to freedoms of peaceful assembly and association is internationally accepted principle. In fact, these fundamental freedoms are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If this individual doesn’t know about it, it’s time for her to learn these important tenets, and practice them in daily life.

What makes this apparent “harassment” more unbearable is the fact that it came from a fellow Filipino. And I don’t understand her rationale: why PMB members cannot ask friends to donate some amounts for their sick and needy friend. Whatever her reasons, I beg to disagree.

Self-interest seemed to be the motive behind the attack, according to the PrepCom Chair. This individual seems like to recruit PMB members to join her organization. Interestingly, this individual is allegedly connected to a work agency that facilitates employment of caregivers in the area?

As a result of the attack, some PMB members have become somewhat hesitant – fearing that their membership to PMB is a violation of immigration rules. FMWM assured them that it is not. To repeat, caregivers have the right to organize themselves as a group – whenever they want. It is a presumption here that organizing is always within the boundary of law.

The hesitancy of some members is understandable. If you hear an individual – supposedly older than you and a permanent resident – telling you that caregivers cannot organize themselves because they are only caregivers and on a temporary status, you will be taken aback. But if you know that what she or he is saying is untrue, then there’s another reason for caregivers to come together to form their respective groups.

There’s strength in organizing, there’s power in coming together. There’s something noble in gathering collectively, there’s unity in diversity. If some issues arise, confront them with courage, persistency and determination – just like what Juana did. [Comments are welcome at usapingmigrante@gmail.com]