New Filipino-Canadian Civic Action Network to Launch in Toronto

New Filipino-Canadian Civic Action Network to Launch in Toronto

October 8, 2024 

TORONTO – The Filipino-Canadian Civic Action Network (FCCAN), a new community initiative, announced that it will formally launch as an organization in North York on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at the Kababayan Multicultural Centre, Bathurst & Finch Hub. The new grassroots FCCAN initiative is supported by a group of Filipino-Canadian civic organizers to increase political and public policy engagement from the underrepresented community. 

The group highlights the need for a new social movement to build civic engagement, in an otherwise disengaged community that has grown to be one of the largest diaspora groups in Canada. At the time of the 2021 Census, nearly one million people living in Canada reported being of Philippine ethnic origins. Despite the size of the community, Filipinos are poorly represented in civic institutions such as political offices, governments, and other leadership positions. 

To FCCAN’s members, this is a major public policy problem as Filipino-Canadians do not have adequate representation when it comes to major political and economic decisions that strongly impact the community. 

For instance, changes in immigration rules that affect their working status in Canada have major impacts on the nearly $3 billion USD in remittances that is sent from Canada to the Philippines by Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs). While immigration rule changes may reflect the interests of industry stakeholders, over one-third (34.7%) of Canadians reporting Filipino roots living in Canada in 2021 arrived within the previous decade. Their working status and livelihoods, in critical sectors such as healthcare and long-term care, would be strongly affected by immigration policy changes without a voice at the table consulting on the impact to the Canadian economy. 

Due to a lack of data on the community, though a vibrant academic research community studies education, labour and immigration issues from Filipino-Canadian perspectives has developed in recent years, the FCCAN launch will highlight its goals to put this research and policy into action, and advocate for community issues through education and organizing.

The new initiative is the culmination of recent political engagements among progressive Filipino-Canadians from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Areas, whose paths crossed numerous times in recent years through political activism and organizing. “There’s a new generation of Filipinx community members, who have grown up in Canada’s political system but don’t see themselves reflected in its institutions, who understand the need for civic engagement so that the community is not left behind,” said Clement Nocos, member of the FCCAN Stewardship Group. 

“Education and community outreach around the importance of civic engagement is critical in order to build on and secure the future successes of Filipino-Canadians running for office at all levels of government,” said Veronica Javier, Chair of the FCCAN Stewardship Group. 

FCCAN is a collaborative partner with the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR), a Toronto-based charity that addresses racism through civic engagement. 

For media inquiries, contact info@filcancivicaction.ca. 

PRESS RELEASE