Stop attacking ‘foreign workers’

Stop attacking ‘foreign workers’

J4MW demands an end to escapegoating of migrant workers

Stop Attacking ‘Foreign Workers’: Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) demands an end to scapegoating of migrant workers Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) a migrant workers advocacy organization is calling on the Progressive Conservatives to end their scapegoating of migrant workers. Recent allegations of special treatment and affirmative action programs for ‘foreign workers’ masks the reality faced by the tens of thousands of migrant workers employed in Ontario. While the debate has focused on a Liberal Party electoral policy that will provide a $10,000 dollar job training tax credit for businesses that will hire new immigrants, J4MW believes the ramifications of the current debate will have far reaching consequences.

Migrant workers have been calling on both levels of government to end the exploitation that are imbedded under Canada’s temporary foreign workers schemes.
Up to this point, neither level of government has enacted meaningful protections to ensure the rights of temporary foreign workers. J4MW asks residents of Ontario does the following features of foreign workers programs look like special treatment to you?

• being tied to one employer

• denied any form of social and labour mobility

• two tiered access to healthcare

• paying thousands of dollars to work at minimum wage jobs

• no protection under landlord tenant act

• repeated employment standards and health and safety violations

• no access to entitlements such as welfare or employment insurance

• no status in Canada

• unilateral deportations and repatriations

• workers compensation laws that discriminate against migrant workers

Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) strongly opposes the demonizing of migrant workers. Under this period of economic insecurity, J4MW urges residents of Ontario to stand firm against these attacks. The labeling of one program as special treatment for ‘foreign workers’ symbolizes political rhetoric that is being used to polarize the electorate and further justifying exclusions to the growing numbers of immigrants and migrants in Ontario. Considering migrant ‘foreign’ workers are denied access to almost every basic service that permanent residents are accorded the question remains when will politicians take the bold and necessary steps to protect the rights of migrants instead of vilifying them?

For more information please contact Chris Ramsaroop, 647 834 4932 ramsaroopchris@gmail.com; j4mw.on@gmail.com, http://www.justicia4migrantworkers.org

(PRESS RELEASE)