On International Migrants’ Day, migrant justice collective Rama Okanagan responds to Kelowna’s designation as UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy: “Where is the honour in the rampant abuse of farmworkers’ human rights?” On October 31, 2025, Kelowna became the first city in Canada to be named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Creative City of Gastronomy. With this designation, […]
Last week, BC’s premier David Eby made public statements blaming migrants and the temporary foreign worker program for youth unemployment, and the increased demand for resources like emergency food and housing. RAMA Okanagan strongly condemns these statements and the continuous scapegoating of some of the community’s most vulnerable members. Migrants and temporary foreign workers are NOT responsible for creating these […]
Over the past several years, RAMA Okanagan has expanded our work to include support and advocacy for migrant workers of varying immigration status in industries beyond agriculture. As the communities we serve have expanded to include migrants with varying immigration status across different sectors, our work has also evolved to reflect the shared challenges they face. These include systemic barriers […]
RAMA Okanagan stands in solidarity with the Syilx Okanagan Nation Chiefs and condemns the actions of the group of UBC faculty members who are pursuing legal action in an attempt to stop the university from making land acknowledgements. RAMA Okanagan rejects the notion put forth by this small group of faculty that land acknowledgements can be characterized as political beliefs […]
Last week, UN special rapporteur Tomoya Obokata released a report condemning Canada’s temporary foreign worker program as “a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.” Obokata’s report raises concerns about the conditions many workers face, including exploitation and abuse by their employers. The report also points out that workers are reluctant to complain due to the risks of deportation and […]