Thousands of migrants and their supporters held demonstrations in Canadian cities on Sunday to call on Ottawa to extend permanent status to undocumented people.
There were also calls to quickly implement an inclusive regularization program for undocumented migrants, a long-standing demand that advocates say looks closer than ever to becoming a reality based on the latest moves by the federal liberal government.
Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said the time is right for Ottawa to heed his group’s calls for more access to basic rights for undocumented people in Canada.
“We have a historic opportunity right now to right a wrong that’s been going on for many, many years,” he said by phone before heading to a planned afternoon rally in Toronto.
“We want to make sure that parliament is not delayed in any way.”
Ottawa launched a regularization program during the COVID-19 pandemic for asylum seekers working in the health sector. Since then, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed interest in expanding the initiative.
A December 2021 mandate letter called on Trudeau’s immigration and citizenship minister to “build on existing pilot programs to further explore ways to regularize the status of undocumented workers who contribute to Canadian communities.”
Speakers address the crowd at the Status for All rally in Toronto. (Patrick Swadden/CBC)
Hussan said the program should include all undocumented people and argued it should be a focus for the government as parliament prepares to return next week.
“Prime Minister Trudeau has already indicated that he wants to do the right thing. The question now is, just, will everyone be included,” Hussan said.
“We believe that equality is equality, any exclusion is discrimination, which is why each and every migrant or refugee worker, student and undocumented worker should be included.”
A spokeswoman for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser said work was underway to deliver on the commitment to regularize the status of undocumented workers as the ministry engages with experts and stakeholders.
Aidan Strickland said future policy decisions will be based on lessons learned from recent programs like the one for asylum seekers working in health care during the pandemic.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, IRCC will continue to explore new avenues to help more foreign nationals already living in Canada make it their permanent home,” Strickland said in an email.
“While we cannot speculate on future policy decisions, this is an opportunity to look at best practices and lessons learned from our past experiences to ensure the most inclusive and effective public policy.”
Hussan said he expects thousands of people in total to attend the planned demonstrations and marches in 13 cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, Fredericton and St. John’s, NL.
Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, says the group wants the federal government to implement a regularization program for the 500,000 undocumented people in Canada and guarantee permanent resident status for the 1.2 millions of migrants with temporary status. (Krystalle Ramlakhan/CBC)
Heavy rain did not deter hundreds of people from gathering in a Toronto park with umbrellas and signs calling on the government to expand “status for all,” a mantra repeated in chants and speeches throughout the ‘afternoon event.
Labor groups and trade unions also attended with banners.
Several migrants, including farm and health workers, shared their stories before the group left to demonstrate outside the constituency office of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
“We don’t feel sorry for you,” says the migrant
Nineteen-year-old Merari Borgez, who moved to Toronto from Mexico City as a child, told the crowd how her family struggled to access health care and education and was unable to travel and saying goodbye to family members because of their lack of status. in canada
“Living without status is dehumanizing,” she said, calling on politicians to work quickly to extend status to families like hers. “We don’t want pity. We want action.”
Similar national days of protest have been held over the issue of migrant status, but Hussan said Sunday’s events were expected to be bigger as momentum for the cause has grown in recent years. .
That’s due in part to a growing number of undocumented people organizing for more rights, he said, as well as a renewed focus on the inequities they faced in essential jobs during the pandemic.
He said calls for status and regularization would give undocumented workers in Canada the right to advocate for better working, studying and living conditions, as well as access to universal health care.
The measures will also give people more job mobility and improve working conditions, he said.
Caroline Michael, an undocumented health worker in Toronto, also joined the calls for permanent status.
At Sunday’s event, she shared the challenges she has faced as a refugee seeking to remain in Canada. After multiple requests for status were denied, Michael said regularization is his last option.
He said he has been asked to pay for health services and that his situation has deeply affected his mental health, but that he cannot take time off from the hospital where he works because of his condition.
“This is like being in prison. You are being held captive,” he said. She called on parliament to extend permanent status to all migrants, including herself and others who have been working on the front lines during COVID-19.
“Why do we have to treat each other this way,” he told the crowd. “All human beings deserve to be treated fairly. We have the right to live happily in Canada.”