Dear Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister
We are writing as members of Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (RAMA Okanagan), a collective supporting migrant farmworkers in the Okanagan Valley. We are part of a national coalition of organizations who support and advocate for Temporary Foreign Workers.
We understand that you are visiting the Okanagan and meeting with people in the agricultural sector. It is critical that migrant farm workers’ perspectives are included in any discussions about agriculture in Canada.
Thousands of people come to the Okanagan each year to work in the fruit and wine industry, providing the majority of labour in harvesting and processing the fruit and wine that we all enjoy.
Farm workers endure poor living and working conditions, struggle to access services, and face precarity and hardships due to their temporary status. These workers are essential to agriculture, and make important contributions to our communities.
Each year, we hear from farm workers about the many issues and challenges they confront while working and living in Canada. These issues need to be at the forefront of discussions about the agricultural sector in the Okanagan, and across Canada. RAMA Okanagan members urge you to listen to the voices of farm workers.
A few changes that could be implemented which would help to ameliorate some of the issues include:
- A national standard for farm worker housing that is founded on the needs of farm workers.
- Support for workers applying for an Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Persons.
- Open work permits to enable workers job mobility like other Canadian workers.
- Permanent status upon arrival for all migrant workers in Canada.
These issues impact everyone in the Okanagan, and require immediate attention.
Sincerely,
RAMA Okanagan