December 18, 2017
(OTTAWA) — A statement in recognition of International Migrants Day:
“Canada has a lengthy history of welcoming migrants from communities around the world, which has added enormous diversity to our society, and has brought invaluable cultural contributions to our multicultural landscape. Sadly, many migrants have been subjected to appalling conditions, notably those who worked on building national infrastructure projects like our railroads. On International Migrants Day, let us celebrate these migrants, while committing to upholding the human rights and wellbeing of migrants both in Canada and abroad,” said Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands).
Joe Foster, Human Rights Critic for the Green Party of Canada, said: “We continue to oppose the Temporary Foreign Workers Program in Canada, which exploits vulnerable migrant workers who are unable to access Employment Insurance and adequate protections. The patently unfair conditions these migrants are subjected to has been widely documented. Such a two-tiered and exploitative system is harmful to the Canadian labour market and to thousands of migrants’ lives.”