The march brought together unions, social movements, and students in a clear show of resistance against worsening working conditions and attacks on social rights. Participants raised strong demands for better wages, stronger protections, and the defense of public services.

In this mobilization, the presence of the Immigrant Workers Centre reaffirmed a key reality: migrant workers are not on the margins of this struggle but at its core. Migrant and precarious workers are often the first to face exploitation and instability, making unity across the working class essential.

This collective action sent a clear message
when workers unite, the streets become a force capable of shaping change.

The gathering drew inspiration from the legacy of Affaire de Haymarket, reminding everyone that workers’ rights were never given but won through struggle.

The chants were clear
No deportations
No exploitation
We are not disposable
Status for all

The Immigrant Workers Centre emphasized that this mobilization is part of a broader fight for dignity and justice against a system that exploits the most vulnerable . Worker unity remains our strongest weapon.

The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC) stands in solidarity with migrant and immigrant workers across Quebec who continue to face systemic exploitation, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. In warehouses, food processing plants, agriculture, care work, trucking, and other low-wage sectors, migrant workers are too often subjected to abusive practices: wage theft, excessive hours, intimidation, unsafe environments, and a lack of adequate protections against workplace injuries. Many endure these conditions in silence due to fear of reprisal, deportation, or loss of employment tied to precarious immigration status.

Health and Safety at the workplace

Workplace injuries remain a critical concern, particularly in high-risk sectors like warehousing and logistics, where speed, productivity quotas, and lack of training endanger workers’ health and safety. Injured workers frequently face barriers to accessing compensation, medical care, and legal recourse, further deepening their vulnerability. For many migrant workers, safe and healthy work conditions is only in theory as profits or employer convenience is put before the security and wellbeing of vulnerable workers.

Work with Dignity, protected and free of abuse

Recruiters and placement agencies play a significant and troubling role in this system. Many migrant workers arrive already burdened with debt due to illegal recruitment fees, false promises of employment conditions, and outright fraud. These practices can amount to labour trafficking, trapping workers in exploitative situations where their mobility and rights are severely restricted. The lack of oversight and accountability in recruitment systems enables this abuse to persist.

At the IWC, we believe that the conditions faced by migrant and immigrant workers are not isolated injustices, they are at the forefront of broader working-class struggles. Their experiences expose the structural inequalities embedded in our labour systems and demonstrate how far we must go to achieve dignity, safety, and fairness for all workers. When the most vulnerable are exploited, it weakens protections for the entire working class. An injury to one is an injury to all!

We stand united with the labour movement and working-class families across Quebec and Canada in confronting the ongoing capitalist crisis. This crisis is reflected in rising housing costs, job insecurity, and increasing energy prices that drive up the cost of basic necessities. It is resulting in fascist policies that strip our basic democratic rights as workers. Instead of ensuring decent wages, working people are subjected to à decrease of their real wages in relation to the rising costs of living. Rather than addressing these systemic issues, governments continue to scapegoat migrants and refugees, tightening borders and implementing policies that render migrant labour increasingly disposable and precarious.

Regularization and status for all migrants and refugees

The IWC firmly opposes the scapegoating of migrants. We reject immigration policies that criminalize, marginalize, and dehumanize those seeking safety and dignity. We will mobilize alongside our offices and community partners across Quebec to resist regressive and exclusionary policies targeting migrants and asylum seekers. We remain committed to fighting for justice against workplace abuses, exploitation, recruiter fraud, and labour trafficking.

We call for:

•       Full and permanent immigration status for all workers, ensuring access to rights and protections without fear.
•       Stronger enforcement of labour standards and health and safety regulations, particularly in sectors employing migrant workers.
•       The abolition of closed work permits that tie workers to a single employer.
•       Clear mechanisms for workers to fight back and make accountable abusive and fraudulent recruiters and placement agencies.
•       Accessible pathways for reporting abuse without risk of retaliation or deportation.
•       Universal access to healthcare, workers’ compensation, and legal protections regardless of immigration status.
•       Investment in social housing and social protections for all working-class communities.

A just society cannot be built on the exploitation of the most vulnerable. The Immigrant Workers Centre will continue to organize, advocate, and fight alongside migrant workers until dignity, safety, and justice are realities for all.

List of IWC May 1st actions:

•     Montreal – 5pm outside Parc metro station. Community rally and march.
•     Quebec – 4:30pm at ‘la Place de l’université du Québec (Boulevard Charest E, Québec, QC G1K 8M4) Community rally and march
•     Saguenay – Community meeting at UQAC in Chicoutimi, making signs, taking photos, and providing information about the CAQ’s cuts to the social safety net and Bill C-12.
•     Rivière-du-Loup – 11.00 a.m. in front of the Hôtel Universel (311 Hôtel-de-Ville Boulevard) – Community and union rally at the site of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Caucus meeting

In 2025, 257 workers were killed on the job in Quebec. In metropolitan Montreal alone, 43 workers died. These numbers were not read as statistics. They were heard as an accusation. Each number carries a life, a face, a family waiting for someone who never came home. And still, the same system that produced these losses continues as if nothing happened.

In front of the CNESST, this was not symbolic. It was charged with anger. Workers spoke about construction sites turned into daily danger zones. About speed ups. About pressure to produce at any cost. About oversight being reduced instead of strengthened. No one spoke the language of accidents. Everyone spoke the language of responsibility.

At the center of this anger is the government attack on full time health and safety representatives. These workers stand between life and death. Their presence on sites is not administrative. It is protection. Removing them means more risk, more injuries, more deaths.

What the government proposes is not reform. It is the reorganization of danger. It shifts responsibility onto workers themselves, in a system where many cannot refuse unsafe work, especially migrant workers tied to employers through closed permits and fear of deportation.

Here, the reality becomes clear. Migrant workers, who make up a large part of the workforce in dangerous sectors, are pushed to the front lines without protection. Their precarious status forces silence. It forces acceptance. In this context, death is not an accident. It is the outcome.

Workers’ Memorial Day is often presented as a day of mourning. But what happened in front of the CNESST was something else. It was a shift from mourning to confrontation. From remembering the dead to naming the causes.

The message from the street was simple. Those who build this society are not disposable. Their lives are not a cost of doing business.

The government must back off its attack on health and safety representatives. Their presence on every construction site is the minimum protection in a system that continues to fail workers.

This was not just a gathering. It was a reminder. Justice does not come from above. It is taken through struggle.

Until then, workers will keep speaking louder than silence.

As the federal Liberal convention takes place, we say clearly: you cannot claim to defend public healthcare while overseeing its erosion as part of Mark Carney’s “Elbow’s up” strategy which is about corporate greed and privatization at the expense of public services.

There is no lack of resources—only political choices. Billions are being poured into military spending, while billions are cut from public services. Under the banner of “fiscal responsibility,” jobs are eliminated, care is reduced, and privatization advances.

This crisis is built on exclusion and exploitation. Undocumented migrants are denied access to healthcare, forced to live, work, and get sick in the shadows. Refugees are facing cuts and restrictions to already limited care. This is not a gap in the system—it is a deliberate policy choice.

At the same time, migrants make up a large share of the underpaid, precarious frontline workforce in healthcare. They clean hospitals, care for patients, and sustain the system through crisis after crisis—while being denied the care they themselves need. This is the logic of austerity: exploit our labour, deny our lives.

From Alberta’s Bill 11 to backroom deals at industry events like Première ligne en santé, the direction is clear: shift public care into private profit.

These attacks are connected. Cuts to refugee healthcare, the exclusion of undocumented migrants, and anti-migrant laws like Bill C-12 are all part of the same project: divide, exclude, and privatize.

We refuse this future.

We fight for a healthcare system that is truly public, universal, and accessible to all—without exception, regardless of status, and without fear.

Because when they deny care to migrants, they are setting the stage to deny care to everyone.

By Gaurav Sharma

In a deeply emotional gathering at the Park Extension borough office, community members and organizations came together on Tuesday to mourn the tragic loss of Manjeet Singh, a man whose quiet struggle ended alone in the bitter cold of a Canadian winter.

Mr. Singh was found in a park this past January, having succumbed to extreme freezing temperatures. He died not just from the cold, but from circumstances that left him without shelter, support, or hope in his final moments.

Back in India, a family waits in grief, his wife, two young children, and elderly parents, all of whom depended on him. Like many who come to Canada seeking a better life, Mr. Singh carried the weight of responsibility across continents. But faced with joblessness and mounting hardship, he found himself unable to secure even the most basic necessity, a place to live.

Representatives from community organizations including CAPE, BIPE, and IWC stood before the crowd, sharing words filled with sorrow, frustration, and urgency. They spoke not only of Mr. Singh, but of many others who remain unseen, people fighting silent battles on the streets.

As candles flickered in the cold evening air, attendees stepped forward to donate what they could. The funds will be sent to support Mr. Singh’s grieving family in India, a small act of compassion in the face of an immense loss.

But for many present, the question lingered painfully, could this have been prevented?

At the Immigrant Workers Centre, we say clearly, this was not inevitable. Migrant workers are pushed into conditions of extreme precarity by design. Denied stable immigration status, excluded from social protections, and forced into low wage and insecure jobs, many are left one step away from homelessness. When winter comes, that precarity becomes deadly.

This is not neglect, it is systemic abandonment. Governments at all levels have created and maintained a system where migrant lives are treated as disposable labour, valuable only when profitable, and abandoned when no longer needed. The same policies that deny migrants access to housing, healthcare, and basic protections are the ones that made this death possible.

Manjeet Singh did not die because of the cold alone. He died because a system failed him at every level.

Manjeet Singh’s death is not just a tragedy, it is a wake up call. A reminder that behind every statistic is a human life, a family, and a story that deserved a different ending.

At a time when migrant workers, asylum seekers, and undocumented people already face growing precarity, Bill C-12 represents a major escalation. It opens the door to broader deportation powers, limits access to fair refugee hearings, and concentrates decision making in the hands of the federal government under vague notions of “public interest.” Advocates across the country have warned that these measures risk violating basic rights and undermining due process.

This town hall is a space to come together, get informed, and organize.

Participants will receive updates on the latest developments around Bill C-12, learn what these changes could mean on the ground, and discuss concrete strategies to resist and respond collectively. Whether you are directly impacted, organizing in your community, or standing in solidarity, your presence matters.

This is not just about one bill. It is about the broader system that treats migrant lives as disposable, ties status to employers, and uses immigration policy as a tool of control and exclusion. We know that rights are not given, they are won through collective struggle.

Event Details

Saturday, March 28
3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Brique par Brique
633 Beaumont Avenue

The event will take place primarily in English, with interpretation available in Punjabi, Hindi, Spanish, and French. Food will be provided.

Join us. Get informed. Get organized. Stand with migrant workers and communities fighting for dignity, status, and justice.

Notre manifestation du 21 mars

This mobilization took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a day rooted in the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in South Africa, when police killed 69 peaceful protesters opposing apartheid. This memory is not simply historical. It is a reminder that state violence against oppressed people is part of a system that continues to reproduce itself, from apartheid to today’s immigration regimes.

In Canada today, this system takes another form. Racial discrimination is not incidental but structural, embedded in immigration policies and the labor market. Migrant workers, especially those tied to closed work permits or precarious status, are pushed to the margins and exploited as disposable labor.

This is not a flaw in the system. This is the system.

Temporary migration programs, restrictions on open work permits, deportation policies, and barriers to regularization all function to produce a workforce stripped of rights and afraid to claim them. These policies are inseparable from racial discrimination. They are one of its clearest expressions.

As demonstrators made clear, eliminating racial discrimination cannot be achieved through statements or empty words. Governments cannot denounce racism while continuing to enforce policies that reproduce it.

Ending racism means dismantling these systems at their roots
It means open work permits
It means ending employer tied work permits
It means stopping deportations
It means full regularization for all migrants

The struggle against racism is inseparable from the struggle against exploitation. It is a fight for dignity, for the right to stay, and for the right to live and work without fear.

What we witnessed on March 21 was not just a demonstration. It was a moment of organization and unity. A clear message that migrant workers are not alone and that collective solidarity can confront a system built on exclusion and exploitation.

The struggle continues.

MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release

Migrants and Allies to Mobilize on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Communities Denounce Bill C-12 and Escalating Attacks on Migrants Across Québec and Canada

What: Demonstration

When: Saturday March 21st, 3pm

Where: Complexe Guy-Favreau, 200 René-Lévesque Ouest

Montreal, March 21 — The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC), alongside migrant-led organizations, unions, and community allies, will hold a demonstration on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to denounce escalating attacks on migrants and refugees and to demand justice, dignity, and full rights for all. The mobilization comes in response to growing scapegoating of migrants for crises in housing and public services, driven by austerity and government policies at both the provincial and federal levels. Participants will call for full regularization, an end to deportations, and the dismantling of policies that criminalize and exploit migrant communities.

At the federal level, the passage of Bill C-12 marks a major escalation in anti-migrant policy. Community organizations warn the legislation will restrict access to asylum and expand state powers in ways that will push more migrants into precarity and fear of detention and deportation. In response, a broad coalition — including the Immigrant Workers Centre, Solidarity Across Borders, Comité d’action Parc-Extension, Migrante Québec, Clinique Justice Migrante, and union allies such as the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain–CSN — is mobilizing to resist these measures. Organizers say the message is clear: migrants and their allies will continue to organize and fight back until justice, status, and dignity for all are achieved.

This recommendation did not come out of nowhere. Parliamentary debate revealed that the bill grants the government sweeping authority to cancel or suspend immigration applications and documents under the vague justification of the “public interest.” This undefined term could be used against refugees, migrant workers, students, and people with temporary status. Giving the executive branch this level of power without effective judicial oversight opens the door to arbitrary decisions that affect thousands of lives.

Rights advocates stressed that certain provisions create a two-tier asylum system and push people seeking protection into weaker processes without guaranteed oral hearings or adequate appeal safeguards. This is not administrative reform. It is a restructuring of the refugee system in ways that reduce protection and accelerate deportation.

Attempting to pass these powers under the language of “border management” or “efficiency” hides a more dangerous reality, the expansion of state power at the expense of the most vulnerable. When life-altering decisions about status, work, and residence are governed by vague language, the result is fear, instability, and deepened precarity.

The Senate committee recommendation is an important step, but it is not the end of the struggle. What is needed now is broad public pressure to defeat the provisions that threaten the rights of refugees and migrants and to ensure that any legislative reform respects justice, transparency, and the right to a fair and independent hearing.

Dignity is not a privilege granted by the state.
Justice is not an administrative option.
Refugee rights are not a clause to be erased in the name of the “public interest.”

Contrary to official rhetoric these mobilizations showed that people in Quebec are neither blind nor indifferent to the suffering of thousands of families who have invested their lives here. They have put down roots raised children worked paid taxes and contributed to the economy and social fabric. Yet the Minister of Immigration tells them plainly that there is no guarantee they can stay

We are facing an ideological and punitive policy that breaks a promise made to workers students and families. Respecting one’s word is the foundation of political legitimacy but the Quebec government chose to trample this principle by abolishing the QEP. This decision united not only those directly affected but also civil society chambers of commerce employers unions several mayors cities and many residents who spoke with one voice saying that abolishing the QEP is a bad and dangerous idea for everyone

This is not a technical adjustment or an administrative reform. It is a sudden change of the rules in the middle of the process. More than that this is not a game. We are talking about human destinies children and the future of entire families. That is why the demand is clear the immediate adoption of a protection clause for all those who built their lives on the promises of the state

Many of those affected are union members working in essential sectors from health care to industry and services. Targeting them is a direct attack on the working class and its solidarity. Our struggle will not stop. We will continue to expose and resist this decision in the streets in the media and everywhere necessary until it is withdrawn. Justice cannot be frozen. Dignity cannot be erased by decree

The assembly witnessed broad participation from migrant workers across various sectors—sectors that underpin the economy, yet whose workers are left in precarious situations and without genuine protection. This diversity reflected a single reality: the attack on migrants is not isolated but systematic, affecting all those working in temporary or precarious conditions.

Discussions focused on new laws and policies that exacerbate vulnerability and facilitate exploitation, such as tightening residency requirements, linking legal status to the employer, weakening complaint and protection mechanisms, and expanding impunity for employers. Participants emphasized that these policies do not target migrants alone but are also used as a tool to exert pressure on the entire working class and reduce working conditions for everyone.

The assembly discussed in depth ways to organize collectively to confront these challenges, both legally and in the workplace. Experiences were shared regarding the daily violations workers face, including wage theft, unpaid work hours, threats of dismissal or deportation, and the deliberate silencing of anyone who attempts to object or demand their rights. It was emphasized that fear and isolation are the primary weapons upon which these violations are built and at collective action is the only response capable of breaking this reality.

The assembly convened in several languages, a clear political move reflecting the center’s commitment to building a grassroots, membership-based organization capable of genuinely, not just symbolically, representing migrant workers. Those present expressed their commitment to moving forward in building a strong, deeply rooted organization that leads the struggle from the ground up and links legal defense, workplace organization, and political action in the streets.

The assembly concluded that the next stage requires a shift from reaction to organized action and from individual complaints to collective power. The current attack on migrants is an attack on the right to live and work in dignity, and the only effective response is a broad, collective organization capable of confronting and sustaining the struggle.

This gathering was not a mere passing discussion, but a practical step in building a collective force for migrant workers. What was achieved is the beginning of a long process of organization and mobilization, the chapters of which will continue in the next phase and in four languages, affirming that

Representing the Centre, Alonso Rivera Carcamo, Community Organizer in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, participated in this collective space of resistance and reflection facilitated by Pia Cerda, Project Officer for Latin America and Global Citizenship Education. Far from being a symbolic exchange, this activity created a space to confront the concrete realities faced daily by immigrant workers, realities shaped by precarity, isolation and systemic injustice.

Through the Comic Book Standing Up for a Just World, interactive exercises and direct discussions, participants shared lived experiences of exploitation, exclusion and silence, but also strategies of solidarity, resistance and collective action. The activity reaffirmed a shared conviction: a just society is not granted from above, it is built through struggle, organization and mutual support.

Structured as a roundtable, the activity encouraged horizontal dialogue and collective empowerment. Participants read the comic together, each voice taking space in turn, followed by role playing exercises rooted in real situations. These scenarios focused on how to break isolation, intervene concretely, offer support and take action when confronted with abuse. They reflected situations involving coworkers, friends, acquaintances and people often left outside institutional protection.

The discussions directly addressed the many forms of abuse experienced by immigrant workers, including exploitation, threats, retaliation and fear linked to immigration status. Crucial questions emerged and were confronted collectively. What concrete resources are available. How can workers be supported without putting them at further risk. What are the impacts on permanent residence applications. How can the CTI IWC be reached and mobilized. What happens when employers retaliate. And how does inaction allow situations to worsen over time.

Thanks to the active and committed participation of those present, the discussion deepened around key issues such as integration under unequal conditions, barriers to communication, forced adaptation, cultural power dynamics, hostile work environments and even the growing impact of climate related realities on precarious workers.

This activity reaffirmed a fundamental truth. Defending immigrant workers’ rights is inseparable from defending the rights of the entire working class. Silence benefits exploitation. Solidarity builds power.

The Immigrant Workers Centre extends its strong thanks to Pia Cerda and the CSI SLSJ for creating this space of political education and collective action, and for inviting the Centre to take part in a struggle that continues well beyond a single event.

This mobilization is necessary in response to the silence and inaction of the minister responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action.

Approximately 250 comrades joined the protest to loudly condemn the murders of Renée Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, two lives stolen by federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks. These state-sanctioned killings have ignited waves of resistance nationwide, sparking movements demanding accountability, abolition of ICE, and justice for oppressed communities.

After marching and chanting in front of the consulate, the crowd moved into Dorchester Square Park, where grassroots voices and representatives from Montreal’s social justice organizations took the stage. They ripped into the complicity of private security firms like GardaWorld, criticized federal subsidies that prop up ICE operations, and exposed the violent militarization of borders and communities. Speakers made it clear that Canada’s own policies — including the repressive Bill C-12 attacking refugee and migrant rights — are part of the same regime of exclusion, deportation, and state violence. They warned of an approaching surge in deportations and called for cross-border solidarity and collective struggle against systems that profit from the dispossession and death of migrants.

The workers who are victims of the private recruitment and placement agency IRIS cannot have their story reduced to the name of one agency. They remain trapped in long and complex legal processes before the CNESST to recover more than one hundred thousand dollars in unpaid wages and illegal recruitment fees imposed by the agency and its owner. Years pass while workers live in constant instability without income and without protection.

The abuses suffered by the workers were not only financial. What was revealed goes beyond wage theft and exposes a systematic pattern of control and abuse. Total administrative control over their lives. Sending workers to unauthorized workplaces. Withholding documents. Deliberate misinformation about their legal status. Faulty immigration advice. Illegal fees. Practices that clearly fall within the characteristics of labour trafficking. The consequences were immediate and severe. Extreme financial precarity. Legal insecurity. And in some cases the complete loss of immigration status.

These facts raise a political question that cannot be ignored. How was a private agency allowed to hold such power over workers lives without effective oversight from the federal and provincial governments. How was this agency authorized to recruit temporary foreign workers without ensuring compliance with legally established working conditions. And how were workers left alone to face the consequences while the same system continues to operate without accountability.

Although the federal government introduced open work permits for workers in vulnerable situations more than a year ago this mechanism has proven ineffective. Procedures are slow. Files are prolonged. Permits expire before providing real protection. Today many of these permits have expired leaving workers once again in an unstable legal situation. As a result they were forced to submit applications for temporary resident permits simply to remain in the country and continue their cases in order to recover their wages.

The workers are demanding that the state fully assume its responsibility. It was the state that granted IRIS legal authority. It was the state that allowed workers to be bound by closed work permits giving employers and intermediaries near absolute power. Today these workers demand that their temporary resident permit applications be processed quickly and fairly so they can remain in Canada and continue their legal struggle without fear of deportation.

The demands are clear and leave no room for evasion. Effective and strict regulation of private labour market intermediaries. Real protection against abusive practices. The abolition of closed work permits that make exploitation structural rather than exceptional. And a comprehensive program to regularize the status of non status migrants who lose their legal status as a result of these abuses.

As one worker said during the press conference using a fictitious name out of fear of reprisals. We are victimized twice. Once by the IRIS agency and once by an immigration system that keeps us in permanent precarity. Another worker added that immigration authorities refuse to acknowledge that what they are experiencing is not an isolated incident but the natural outcome of a dysfunctional system.

What was revealed at this press conference is not a passing scandal but a mirror of an entire system. A system that builds the economy on the backs of workers without security and then punishes them when they demand their rights. The Immigrant Workers Centre affirms that this struggle will not stop. Because justice is not achieved through silence. And dignity cannot remain conditional on fear.

Participants emphasized that Bill 21 is not merely a theoretical debate about secularism but a policy with real consequences for people working in essential sectors such as education health care and public services.

Several speakers highlighted that the law forces some women to choose between their jobs and their personal beliefs a choice they described as unfair and discriminatory. For them the issue is not about symbols but about the basic right to work with dignity and without exclusion.

Protesters also stressed that opposing Bill 21 does not mean rejecting secularism itself but rather questioning an implementation that produces unequal outcomes in employment and civic participation. They called on the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with affected communities and to listen to their lived experiences.

From the perspective of the Immigrant Workers Centre this demonstration reflects a deep and ongoing concern within the community. It serves as a reminder that public policies must be assessed based on their real impact on human rights equality and access to work.

At the Immigrant Workers Centre, we do not publish the full report here. Its technical language hides a simple truth. The government has decided to manage human beings as disposable labour. We therefore turn this analysis into a political outcry.

Six flashpoints and what must be done now.

1. Destruction of permanent residence pathways.
   The plan blocks transitions and traps people in temporary status. We must reopen all fast tracks to permanent residence for everyone who lives and works in Quebec.

2. Arbitrary caps on migration.
   For the first time, hard limits are imposed on admissions. We must reject this scarcity logic and defend migration as a human right.

3. Precarity through temporary labour programs.
   Tying workers to one employer enables abuse and deportation threats. We need open work permits and status independent of employers.

4. Language used as a political weapon.
   French is invoked to exclude instead of investing in education. We must defend the right to live and work with dignity, not build linguistic borders.

5. Assault on family reunification.
   Families are kept apart by design. Reunification must be guaranteed from day one.

6. Dividing the working class.
   Multiple legal categories fracture solidarity. We must build unity across status, language, and origin.

Read the full study by CILA here.
https://cila.co/immigration-in-quebec-at-a-crossroads-a-critical-analysis-of-the-2026-quebec-immigration-plan/

Ottawa has announced its intention to reduce temporary resident volumes to less than five percent of the population by 2027. Behind this neutral language lie brutal cuts. Student visas have been slashed by more than half. In 2026 only 155000 study permits will be issued compared to a planned 437000 in 2025. Temporary worker admissions are also collapsing. The government will accept 230000 this year which is more than 135000 fewer than last year. Refugee admissions are being trimmed as well with only 56200 refugees and protected persons expected this year.

These numbers are not just statistics. They represent people who came here with hope who paid thousands in fees who worked in warehouses farms care homes and kitchens and who were promised that effort would open doors. As immigration advocate Jain explains many students came in good faith worked after graduation and are now being told to leave. The ethical response would have been to transition them to permanent status not discard them when the labour is extracted.

Bill C12 hardens this betrayal into law. It bars people from filing a refugee claim if they have been in Canada for more than a year. It gives the federal government sweeping power to stop accepting new immigration applications and even cancel existing ones in the name of the so called public interest. This is not about fixing inefficiencies. It is about building a system where migrant lives can be erased by administrative order.

The government argues that this bill is needed to protect the asylum system. Experts disagree. Anna Triandafyllidou the Canada Excellence Research Chair in migration and integration states clearly that Canada already has a strong asylum system that considers how long people have been in the country and under what status. The measures in Bill C12 are not necessary. They are ideological.

This bill replaces elements of the earlier Bill C2 which faced strong opposition from the NDP and migrant rights organizations across the country. That opposition was not abstract. It came from workers who know what it means to live with closed work permits employer tied visas and constant fear of deportation. It came from refugees who survived war only to face new walls at the border of paperwork and deadlines.

For migrant workers the consequences are severe. Fewer admissions mean employers will continue to hold power over a shrinking pool of desperate workers. With no credible pathway to permanent status and with the threat of application cancellation hanging over their heads workers will be less likely to speak up about abuse theft of wages or unsafe conditions. Precarity is not an accident of this system. It is the product.

For refugees the one year filing bar is devastating. Many people arrive traumatized isolated or misinformed. They spend months trying to survive finding shelter learning the language or escaping exploitation. Under Bill C12 that time becomes a weapon against them. Miss the deadline and your right to seek protection vanishes.

The Migrant Workers Centre rejects the logic of Bill C12. Canada does not face a migration crisis. It faces a crisis of political courage. Our economy depends on migrant labour yet our laws are designed to keep migrants temporary disposable and silent.

Real reform would start by recognizing migrant workers and students as future members of our communities. It would expand permanent residence not restrict it. It would protect the right to claim asylum not erase it. And it would end employer tied permits that turn exploitation into a business model.

Bill C12 is not about public interest. It is about protecting a system that profits from insecurity. Migrant workers refugees and international students deserve better than a revolving door of broken promises.

More specifically, Article 28 proposes granting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) the power to collect personal information from other federal and provincial institutions. People with precarious or lost immigration status are already reluctant to claim their rights because they fear negative consequences for their immigration process. The adoption of Bill C-12 will trap them in silence, exposing them to all forms of violence.

Article 72 of the bill grants the government excessive power by allowing it to refuse, suspend, or cancel applications for temporary or permanent immigration documents, as well as to cancel these documents or modify the conditions attached to them. This measure will heighten the uncertainty of the immigration process and destabilize the status already obtained.

Furthermore, Article 73 adds new grounds for the inadmissibility of asylum claims. One year after their first arrival in Canada, migrant people will no longer be allowed to file a claim. The one-year period begins at their first arrival in their lifetime, even if they are entering Canada for a second or third time. People who enter Canada through the Canada–United States border at a location other than an authorized port of entry will also be excluded from the asylum process, and the “after 14 days” exception will no longer apply. Although conditions in their country of origin can change at any moment, and although the United States can no longer be considered a safe and secure country, Canada will be prepared to abandon its international obligation to protect people in danger.

In the name of national security and the public interest, Canada is prepared to put countless migrant lives at risk.

The workshop was organized by the Centre for Migrant Justice, in collaboration with Bric O Brac in Parc Extension and the Immigrant Workers Centre. More than twenty five residents from the neighbourhood took part.

Participants received detailed information on the requirements for submitting a humanitarian application, the meaning of a pre removal risk assessment, how to become eligible, and what constitutes a refugee case. The session also addressed the potential impact of Bill C twelve on these legal pathways.

The workshop further outlined the strict limits and deadlines for filing appeals with the Refugee Appeal Division, the Federal Court, and through the pre removal risk assessment process, highlighting the importance of timely legal action.

The session was led by lawyer Gwendolyn Muir from the Centre for Migrant Justice, with interpretation support provided in Hindi and Punjabi to ensure broader community participation.

]]> 10256 iwc_cti@yahoo.com (IWC-CTI) https://iwc-cti.ca/new-study-exposes-the-hidden-reality-faced-by-women-without-status/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:23:02 +0000 https://iwc-cti.ca/?p=10243 The Immigrant Workers Centre has released a new study by its Women’s Committee that sheds light on the harsh and often abusive conditions experienced by women without legal status in Québec. The research, based on seventy five participants with three excluded for methodological reasons, documents widespread physical and psychological violence as well as serious threats to health and basic rights.

Lack of legal status emerges as a central factor shaping the vulnerability of these women. Most have lived without status for more than a year, and some for more than ten years. They work mainly in domestic and agricultural sectors, averaging thirty hours per week with a weekly income of about three hundred nineteen dollars.

Stress levels are extremely high. Seventy nine percent of participants reported stress levels above eight out of ten due to their precarious immigration situation. Only one quarter rely on a single employer, forcing most women to constantly search for work, placing seventy five percent under constant strain.

Financial abuse is widespread. Seventy five percent report not always receiving minimum wage, and nearly sixty percent say they have experienced wage theft. Twelve percent state they never receive their full pay, adding pressure to women who often support family members abroad.

Workplace mistreatment is pervasive. Sixty six percent feel monitored by employers or recruiters. Fifty six percent report being yelled at. Forty two percent have experienced sexual harassment, and twenty five percent say they have been touched inappropriately. One participant speaking under a pseudonym described the profound sense of fear and powerlessness that comes with being mistreated while having no legal protection.

The health impacts are also alarming. Many women received no safety training and lacked basic protective equipment. Forty two percent suffered a workplace injury, and forty nine percent developed a work related illness. Only a small minority accessed needed medical care. Sixty six percent reported stress levels above eight due to their inability to access health services.

Women without status cannot access clinics or hospitals, even for pregnancy care or preventive screenings such as Pap tests or mammograms. At the press conference unveiling the report, Women’s Committee spokespeople emphasized the urgent need to ensure full and unrestricted access to healthcare for all women without status.

This study exposes a hidden reality and calls for immediate action to protect undocumented women from exploitation and violence and to guarantee meaningful access to essential services and pathways to regularization.

Major labour federations and community organizations marched in rejection of the Legault government’s right wing assault on public services, collective rights, and social protections, from the collapse of the health system to the shortage of teachers to the decline of social services, all the way to laws that weaken workers’ ability to organize and defend themselves.

Migrant workers were at the front lines of the march, as they are the most exposed to employer pressure, restrictive laws, closed work permits, and increasingly narrow pathways to residency. They form an essential part of the labour force, yet they pay the highest price whenever the state abandons its responsibilities toward workers.

Protesters also denounced Bill fourteen, which comes into force today and grants the Labour Minister the power to impose minimum service levels during strikes, undermining collective action at a time when workers need more strength and support, not more restrictions.

What happened today is not just a large march, but a turning point in Quebec’s social struggle. The massive crowds revealed a widening divide between the public and the Legault government, reinforcing a broad understanding that defending migrant rights and defending workers’ rights is one united fight, and that any attack on one sector of the working class will be met with collective resistance.

While consumers are encouraged to spend freely Amazon continues to generate massive profits. Jeff Bezos alone is expected to earn nearly 191 million dollars in a single day. At the same time thousands of former Amazon workers are still struggling without adequate compensation and without meaningful government support.

Amazon transferred its operations to subcontractors such as Intelcom and Maersk where working conditions are often even worse. Despite legal obligations the Québec government allowed Amazon to leave without setting up a real reemployment committee to support laid off workers.

The Immigrant Workers Centre and the CSN say this Black Friday is a reminder that solidarity must be with workers not billionaires. They are calling on the public to continue the boycott and to stand with workers who are still fighting in the courts for justice and dignity.
Read more and watch the video.

At first Andy believed he had joined a modern company that respected the people who worked there. But the truth revealed itself with time. At Amazon the word efficiency means something completely different. As Black Friday approaches this word becomes harsher. The number of workers on the floor is reduced while tasks multiply. Pressure increases. Bodies suffer. Injuries become common. Yet the company does everything it can to stop injured workers from receiving compensation.

The atmosphere during this time feels like an unspoken emergency. Workers must move at extreme speed. They are expected to reach unrealistic numbers. Any slowdown is treated as a mistake. Many collapse from exhaustion. Breaks become shorter. Shifts get longer. People go home unable to lift their arms because of the intense effort.

Andy s testimony matches what thousands of workers across Quebec face every Black Friday. It is a model built on constant acceleration and the idea that the human body is a resource that can be pushed to the limit. When workers at the DXT4 center in Laval began organizing this truth became even more visible. Amazon rejects any attempt at collective organization because it knows it would limit its ability to push workers toward total exhaustion.

The sudden closure of Amazon operations in Quebec at the start of 2025 was the logical result of this model. Instead of addressing questions about working conditions during peak seasons like Black Friday or acknowledging injuries and psychological strain the company abandoned four thousand five hundred workers to avoid the possibility of unionization.

Andy s story becomes a warning to everyone. Behind every Black Friday discount there is an exhausted back. Behind every one day delivery there is a worker paying the price with their health. His message is simple. The future of work in Quebec depends on rejecting this system that breaks workers year after year.

The settlement agreement reached by the parties of the class action has been approved by the Superior Court of Quebec on September 19th, 2025. Since the notices have been sent out, you may now claim your compensation by filing the form found on the claims administrator’s, Proactio, website: [https://proactio.ca/en/class-action/immigrant-workers/]

The Immigrant Workers Centre organized the rally as part of the Month of Action for Regularization and Migrant Justice. Many workers from factories farms kitchens and delivery jobs stood side by side. They came to tell their own stories and to challenge the fear that political leaders try to spread.

Speakers described how the Quebec government claims that migration is a crisis while suspending the PEQ program and threatening to deny asylum seekers access to social assistance. At the same time the government asks Ottawa to increase the number of temporary migrant workers. People in the crowd repeated this contradiction in their chants and signs.

The rally also focused on Bill C twelve which was previously called C two. The bill threatens the right to asylum and complicates refugee procedures. It gives the federal government broad powers to suspend or cancel immigration applications documents and programs including those related to permanent residence. Speakers said that the bill would push migrants further into fear and force them to live in the shadows under constant threat of deportation.

More than three hundred civil society organizations across Canada have rejected the bill. They say it represents a dangerous retreat from human rights and encourages anti immigrant messages for political gain.

As the rally ended people remained in the square refusing to leave silently. The message was clear. We continue the fight to defeat Bill C twelve and to defend the right of every person to live with dignity.

From the outset, migrant workers, women leaders, community organizers, and workplace committees spent long hours examining how the global economic crisis continues to shape migration patterns, and how recent anti-migrant policies in Canada deepen precarity and inequality. Participants drew direct links between national legislation and the everyday struggles in their regions—among them the expansion of temporary labour programs, the erosion of basic protections, and the growing criminalization of undocumented people.

The assembly opened with a political session titled Neoliberalism, Migration, and Bill C-2. Community Organizer, Mostafa Henaway, presented how Bill C-2 threatens to harden borders, expand surveillance, and further restrict pathways to permanent residence. Workers shared first-hand experiences of exploitation tied to closed work permits, subcontracting, and the increasing influence of temp agencies.

Committees from warehouse workers, recruitment and placement agencies, the Women’s Committee, and organizing teams in Québec City, Gatineau, Rimouski and Chicoutimi exchanged campaign updates, creating a space where regional strategies converged and where participants highlighted victories, challenges, and lessons learned.

At noon, participants joined the Month of Action mobilization outside 7075 rue Saint-Hubert. The rally called for regularization, permanent status, and an end to the scapegoating of migrants. The afternoon was dedicated to developing collective strategies for the coming years. Breakout groups met to identify priorities for 2025 and 2026 and to draft regional plans aimed at strengthening organizing and expanding worker leadership. Each group delivered report-backs that will inform a province-wide action plan.

The day ended with an evening celebration of music, food, and solidarity. Participants honoured twenty-five years of struggle led by migrant and immigrant workers and reaffirmed their commitment to growing this movement in every region of Québec.

A Government Above Its Own Laws

Instead of respecting its commitments, the government placed itself above the law by introducing Bill 101. This bill imposes a discriminatory “under-prevention” regime in key sectors such as health care and education. Both are sectors with a majority of women workers, where the employer-state sends a clear message: the lives and health of teachers, nurses, caregivers, and staff count less than others. As if caring, teaching, and educating were not “real” work!

Refusing Injustice

Together, we rejected this contempt. In the streets today, unions, community groups, and popular organizations — alongside the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) and allied organizations — spoke with one voice: we demand universal prevention mechanisms, without discrimination. All workers in all sectors have the right to protection, dignity, and a job that does not sacrifice their health.

Rights Under Threat

Bill 101 doesn’t just discriminate against health and education workers. It also introduces a biased negotiation process for settling disputes of injured workers, to the detriment of their rights. Concretely, this means more obstacles, more delays, and more suffering for those already harmed by their jobs.

A Long-Term Struggle

Today’s mobilization is part of a longer fight, one that began more than four years ago when this toxic reform was imposed. We fight for laws that truly prevent workplace accidents and diseases, and that fully compensate victims for all their losses and suffering.

With the scheduled review of the “modernization” in October 2026 approaching, the workers’ and people’s movements are sending a strong message: we will remain united and solidary. We will not accept that our lives be sacrificed on the altar of austerity and profit.

Our Voice Is Clear

We shouted loud and clear: NO to Bill 101!
Yes to prevention. Yes to full compensation. Yes to the dignity of all workers in all sectors.

Because our health is not negotiable. Because we have the right to work without losing our lives to it. Because, together, we are stronger than their unjust laws.

Yesterday, the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) took part in this gathering, which brought together unions, community groups, and social justice activists under one common message: it is time to draw the line. A line against systemic exploitation of workers, a line against cuts to public services, and a line against injustices that particularly impact migrant workers and Indigenous communities.

Throughout the event, speeches and chants highlighted the urgency of building a world based on climate justice, economic equality, dignity for migrants, and peace. The banners raised and the voices in the crowd reflected a collective determination: to refuse corporate greed and defend a common future built on solidarity.

The IWC-CTI stood alongside its allies to remind everyone that the struggle of migrant workers is not isolated but forms an integral part of the broader fight for social justice in Quebec and beyond.

We remain convinced that this world is ours to build – for justice, for peace, for the planet.

Join Our Campaigns

The IWC-CTI calls on everyone to support the ongoing struggles:

• Reject Bill C-2, which further criminalizes migrants and restricts their rights.

• Support the campaigns of Amazon and Dollarama workers, who are organizing against mass layoffs, low wages, and unsafe conditions.

• Build lasting solidarity to defend climate, economic, and social justice.

Together, we are stronger. Join us now.

A Canada of Exclusion or a Canada of Dignity?

Bill C-2 is not a technical reform. It is a direct attack on the values we claim to uphold—fairness, equality, privacy, and respect for human dignity. It hands more unchecked power to the state, undermines due process, and reinforces a vision of Canada where immigrants, refugees, and marginalized communities are treated as disposable.

The gathering on Bélanger Street made it clear: we refuse to let this vision become our future. From human rights defenders to refugee advocates, from feminist groups to LGBTQIA+ organizations, from labour militants to health professionals, the message was unanimous: our rights are not negotiable.

Unity in Struggle

The event brought together a powerful coalition, including TCRI, Médecins du Monde Canada, Fédération des femmes du Québec, Amnistie internationale Canada francophone, Ligue des droits et libertés, the Canadian Council for Refugees, The Refugee Centre, Action Réfugiés Montréal, AGIR, Centre communautaire LGBTQ de Montréal, The Observatory for Migrant Justice, and the Immigrant Workers Centre.

Each organization reminded us that Bill C-2 is not just about immigration paperwork. It is about the future of Canada and Quebec—whether we move towards repression and exclusion or towards justice and solidarity.

Building a Wall of Resistance

Participants exchanged information and tools to mobilize in their workplaces, communities, and neighborhoods. We reminded each other that our struggles are interconnected: workers’ rights are immigrant rights, gender justice is migrant justice, and defending privacy is defending freedom.

The choice is ours. Will we allow governments to divide us, scapegoat us, and strip away our rights? Or will we build a society where every person—regardless of origin, status, gender, or orientation—has a real chance to live with dignity?

On September 5th, the answer rang clear in Montreal:
We choose solidarity. We choose resistance. We choose a Canada where human dignity is non-negotiable.

The fight against Bill C-2 has only just begun. The Immigrant Workers Centre calls on all workers, migrants, and allies to join the mobilizations in the weeks ahead. Together, we can defeat this attack and build the just society we deserve.

In recent days, the leader of the Quebec Party made deeply troubling remarks linking immigration to crime—a familiar but dangerous strategy in the playbook of right-wing politics. This tactic is not new. It seeks to construct the image of the immigrant as a threat, laying the groundwork for their exclusion and criminalization. Yet the data speaks clearly: immigrants do not commit more crimes than native-born citizens. In fact, multiple studies show that crime often decreases in neighborhoods where immigrants settle. Still, facts are of little use when the goal is not truth but fear.

These kinds of statements serve a precise political function—to normalize the criminalization of migration. When fear takes over, even the most blatant rights violations—like detaining migrants without charges simply for their status—begin to appear reasonable. Calling this out is urgent, especially as the far right gains strength across the Western world. Because what we’re witnessing is not just an isolated campaign—it is part of a broader effort to create an internal enemy, a strategy that ultimately prepares the ground for stripping away rights not just from migrants, but from anyone who becomes “too much” for the dominant order.

Immigration, today, has become a political football—kicked around by politicians looking for easy wins while real people bear the cost. This month, a group of 23 Quebec business owners launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government, claiming they are on the brink of bankruptcy if Ottawa proceeds with its plan to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers allowed into Canada. This case exposes the brutal clash between cheap political rhetoric and lived economic reality.

But behind the headlines lies a deeper, quieter tragedy—one of shattered dreams, broken families, and promises betrayed.

Immigration has become the go-to scapegoat for politicians in trouble. Switch on the news or open a newspaper, and you’ll see leaders competing to appear the harshest on immigrants. It’s a race to the bottom in which the loudest and cruelest voices get the spotlight. This isn’t policy—it’s performance art. It’s about creating spectacle, no matter the cost to human dignity.

For immigrants like us, watching this unfold is both infuriating and heartbreaking. We’ve become convenient targets, blamed for every social failure, every shortage, every crisis—while our contributions are erased or ignored. There is bitter irony in a country built by immigrants treating immigration not as a strength, but as a threat.

When COVID-19 hit, the federal government expanded the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to address labour shortages. But by August 2024, faced with political pressure over housing and job concerns, Ottawa reversed course and abruptly restricted the program. These changes included a halt to processing LMIAs for low-wage positions in cities with unemployment above 6%, and cutting the maximum work term from two years to just one.

These are not just bureaucratic decisions—they are seismic disruptions in the lives of real people. People who borrowed $16,000 or $20,000—often everything they had—to get to Canada. Many come from African or Latin American countries, selling homes or taking on massive debts for a shot at a better life. Within months of arriving, some find themselves laid off, broke, and alone in a country that promised opportunity but delivered rejection.

Marriages crack under the weight of financial ruin. Some become homeless, unable to pay rent or buy a ticket home. Others are trapped in limbo—too poor to stay, too poor to leave. What is the moral cost of a system that invites people in, only to abandon them?

These workers are not statistics. They are human beings. They are people who placed faith in Canada’s word—faith that was rewarded with silence, confusion, and betrayal.

The lawsuit launched by Quebec employers is not about greed; it is about survival. These businesses produce steel, winter clothing, and aircraft parts. They hired and trained foreign workers in good faith, based on official policy. Now, that policy has been reversed overnight, leaving both employers and employees in crisis.

At the same time, the current immigration framework fails to protect the very people it claims to help. Closed work permits leave foreign workers vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. A system that binds workers to a single employer is not a system built on dignity or rights—it is a system of control.

Canada should never have slammed the door on these workers. It should have introduced stronger oversight, clearer standards, and better protections—not punishment. Sensible regulation, not panic-driven restriction, could have addressed concerns without sacrificing the most vulnerable.

Real reform begins by shifting the lens. It’s time to stop seeing migrants as problems and start seeing them as people. That means holding employers accountable for wages and conditions. It means offering open work permits so workers can escape abusive jobs. It means giving consistent, honest information about immigration policy instead of lurching from one extreme to another.

Most of all, it means treating those who risk everything to come here with dignity, not suspicion.

Immigration is not a tap you turn on and off based on headlines. These are human lives. They come with hopes, skills, families, and love for this country. When we treat immigration as a threat rather than a partnership, we don’t just fail newcomers—we fail ourselves.

The lawsuit in Quebec is a symptom of a much deeper problem: a political class more concerned with winning arguments than making plans. While they posture and point fingers, real people suffer.

Canada has always been strongest when it welcomed the stranger, when it understood that immigration is not a burden—it’s a blessing. We built this country together: newcomers, settlers, Indigenous communities. And we can rebuild it again—on fairness, justice, and shared hope.

But we must choose. Do we want a country ruled by fear and division, or one rooted in dignity and courage?

Those who sacrifice everything to come here deserve more than broken promises and political scapegoating. They deserve the Canada they believed in. And that’s a fight worth having—for them and for all of us.

We raised our voices in strong opposition to the fascist and authoritarian immigration Bill C-2. If enacted, this bill will further criminalize migrants and refugees rather than addressing the real issues: abuse, exploitation, and the trafficking of workers.

Groups of workers—ranging from South Asian asylum seekers to victims of labour trafficking at the hands of a Montreal-based recruitment agency—gathered to share their stories and denounce the growing vulnerability and scapegoating of migrants and refugees in Canada.

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) also released a statement on this occasion, which you can read here: IMA Canada July 30 statement EN

PRESS RELEASE

Montreal, Quebec – The Amazon Workers Committee at the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) stands in unequivocal solidarity with Chris Smalls, labour organizer and co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), who was violently attacked and arbitrarily detained by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on July 26, 2025, while aboard the Handala, the Freedom Flotilla ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The Handala, sailing in international waters, was hijacked nearly 40 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. It carried essential life-saving supplies, including baby formula and medical aid, and 21 peaceful civilians. The ship was illegally seized and towed to Isdud (occupied name: Ashdod). All passengers were arrested.

Among them, Chris Smalls — a tireless Black labour leader and champion for workers’ rights — was subjected to brutal physical and racial violence by at least seven uniformed Israeli officers. According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Smalls was choked, kicked, and left with visible injuries on his neck and back. When his lawyer finally gained access to him, he remained surrounded by six Israeli officials, continuing the atmosphere of intimidation.

This was not only a racist attack but a direct assault on a global symbol of worker resistance. For years, Smalls has represented the hope of thousands of workers across North America. His leadership in the historic unionization of Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island has inspired organizing efforts globally — including here in Quebec.

We are outraged by the silence of Canadian and international labour institutions, who have failed to respond to this blatant repression of a fellow worker and comrade. It is unconscionable that the governments of the United States and Canada continue to provide political and legal cover to the Israeli regime as it violates international law and human rights with impunity — including the targeting of our own leaders.

In one of his final public statements before being detained, Smalls urged “anyone with a heart” to remember that “resistance is our only weapon against evil.” We echo these words with deep conviction.

We invite everyone to listen to Chris Smalls’ powerful message to the world, recorded aboard the Handala before his arrest: Watch the video here

The Amazon Workers Committee at IWC-CTI calls on:

• Canadian and Quebec labour unions to publicly denounce the assault and detention of Chris Smalls;

• The Canadian government to demand Smalls’ immediate release and condemn Israel’s unlawful attack in international waters;

• All workers’ organizations to rally in solidarity with Chris Smalls, the Handala passengers, and the Palestinian people.

We will not be silent. We will resist. And we will fight until justice and freedom are won for all workers — from Montreal to Gaza.

In solidarity,
Amazon Workers Committee
Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI)
www.iwc-cti.ca

The following report summarizes the coverage published on July 24–25 by CityNews Montreal and CBC Montreal.

1. CityNews Montreal – Video Report

Title: Montreal newcomers showcase India’s anti-colonial history through play
Date: July 24, 2025
Link: Watch Video

CityNews featured a video segment spotlighting the cast and creators of the play during rehearsals at a community space in Parc-Extension. The piece centers the voices of Punjabi newcomer artists such as Supanpreet Kaur, who stresses the urgency of telling these stories. The visual coverage captures moments from the play, costumes, and the vibrant energy of community-led production. The report connects the historical narrative of anti-colonial fighter Udham Singh to the lives of migrant artists navigating a new cultural landscape in Quebec.

2. CityNews Montreal – Written Article

Title: Newcomers in Montreal showcase India’s anti-colonial history through Punjabi theatre
Date: July 24, 2025
Author: Tehosterihens Deer
Link: Read Article

This detailed article documents the story behind the play and the intentions of its creators. Directors Nitu Sharma and Gaurav Sharma explain that Ram Mohammad Singh Azad tells the story of Udham Singh, a revolutionary who survived the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and later assassinated British official Michael O’Dwyer in London as an act of resistance.

The article highlights how the play serves as a platform for cultural expression, community healing, and historical education. Amy Darwish of C.A.P.E. draws connections between the anti-colonial movements of the past and today’s migrant struggles, especially those facing precarious status, housing exclusion, and labor exploitation.

Key quotes:

• “It’s not just about history—it’s also about now.”

• “Migrant workers, refugees, and asylum seekers have been the most affected by the housing crisis. Their struggles are connected to the same global systems of exploitation this play speaks against

• 3. CBC News – Feature Article

Title: Punjabi-language theatre group offers newcomers confidence, connection and community
Date: July 25, 2025
Link: Read Article

CBC’s article expands on the social and psychological impact of the play on its participants. The report emphasizes that many of the actors are newcomers who have faced marginalization, isolation, and structural challenges upon arriving in Quebec.

By performing in their mother tongue and recounting stories from their ancestral past, participants are reclaiming pride in their identity while building collective strength. The play is not only a cultural production but also a form of resistance and affirmation.

Director Gaurav Sharma is quoted saying:

“Theatre becomes a way of surviving. It becomes a way of speaking out, of telling our truths.”

The article also spotlights the educational aspect of the performance, with community members and younger audiences learning about the legacy of the Ghadar Party and India’s radical diaspora movements.

After sixteen years of dedicated service and a week of reflection away from work, I feel compelled to break my silence about the Migrant Workers Center—a place that has shaped not only my understanding of justice but also my commitment to defending those who have no voice.

As a blind person, my perception of this center has been formed not by what I see, but by what I hear, feel, and experience every day: the trembling voices of those seeking help, the sighs of relief when we find a solution, and the tangible energy of hope that fills our offices. This unique perspective has allowed me to perceive the profound essence of our mission in a way that may be different from my colleagues.

A Legacy of Learning

When I first joined the center, I was struck by the caliber of people who had laid its foundation twenty-five years earlier. The original officials who established this institution were distinguished academics—university professors and scholars who became our mentors in the truest sense. Though their time with us was brief, they left an indelible mark on our approach to this work over these two and a half decades of existence. From them, we learned something that cannot be taught in any classroom: how to love the act of defending the oppressed.

These founding figures understood that true education extends far beyond academic credentials. While our current team consists entirely of highly educated individuals, our real education came from watching these pioneers demonstrate what it means to stand with those who have nowhere else to turn.

The People We Serve

Day after day, our doors open to individuals carrying stories of struggle, exploitation, and hope. Migrant workers arrive seeking guidance through complex legal systems they don’t understand, in languages they’re still learning to navigate. They come bearing documents they cannot read, facing situations they cannot comprehend, yet carrying within them an unwavering determination to build better lives.

These are not statistics or case files—they are human beings whose dignity has been compromised, whose rights have been overlooked, and whose voices have been silenced by systems too complex and intimidating to navigate alone. They are construction workers cheated of wages, domestic workers facing abuse, skilled laborers trapped in exploitative contracts, and families separated by bureaucratic maze.

The Challenges of Our Work

Our work is not always easy. We constantly navigate through bureaucratic systems that we often perceive as being against humanity. These complex and impersonal structures seem designed to discourage rather than help, to exclude rather than include. Sometimes, we must use this same bureaucracy—those endless forms, those labyrinthine procedures, those arbitrary deadlines—to serve those who are victims of it.

It’s a painful paradox: we must master the tools of oppression to liberate the oppressed. We must speak the language of bureaucracy to translate humanity into terms it can understand. This reality weighs on us because we know that each form represents one more barrier between a human being and their dignity.

But despite these frustrations, despite the obstacles that seem to multiply, we never extend our hands toward defeat. We firmly believe that we are strong—strong in our conviction, strong in our unity, strong in our determination to never abandon those who count on us. This strength doesn’t come from arrogance, but from deep knowledge that our cause is just.

Our Approach: Intelligence Over Credentials

While we don’t have lawyers on staff, we have something equally valuable: intelligent, dedicated workers who have transformed themselves into advocates through experience, study, and an unwavering commitment to justice. We have become experts not through law school, but through the school of human suffering and the determination to end it.

Our team researches regulations, studies legal precedents, and masters the intricacies of immigration law, labor rights, and social services. We decode bureaucratic language, untangle procedural requirements, and translate complex legal concepts into understandable guidance. We may not have law degrees, but we have something perhaps more important: we care deeply about outcomes, not billable hours.

The Principle of Free Service

From our very first day of operation, we established a fundamental principle that guides everything we do: we never charge for our services. Not a single dollar changes hands when someone seeks our help. This isn’t just a policy—it’s a statement of values.

We recognized early on that the people who need our help most are often those who can afford it least. Migrant workers, by definition, are people who have left everything behind in search of opportunity. They arrive with determination and work ethic, but rarely with substantial financial resources. To charge them for help would be to perpetuate the very system of exploitation we’re fighting against.

This commitment to free service shapes every aspect of our work. It ensures that our advice remains untainted by financial considerations. It guarantees that we can focus entirely on what’s best for each individual rather than what’s most profitable for us. It creates trust in communities where trust has been repeatedly violated.

 The Sacred Nature of Confidentiality

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of our work is the absolute confidentiality we maintain. Our commitment to privacy goes beyond professional discretion—it extends to protecting our clients even from each other within our own organization. Sometimes, workers in our center don’t share details about their cases with colleagues, not out of secrecy or mistrust, but out of profound respect for the privacy of those who have entrusted us with their stories.

This level of confidentiality is born from understanding. We know that many of the people who come to us live in constant fear—fear of deportation, fear of retaliation from employers, fear of being reported to authorities. They’ve often experienced betrayal and exploitation before reaching our door. When they finally gather the courage to seek help, we honor that trust by ensuring their information remains absolutely secure.

This approach means that sometimes even we, as colleagues, must work in isolation from each other. A worker handling a case involving workplace harassment might not discuss details with a colleague working on immigration issues, even if both cases might benefit from collaboration. This isn’t inefficiency—it’s respect for human dignity.

Twenty-Five Years of Evolution, Sixteen Years of Personal Experience

Over the twenty-five years of the center’s existence, including the sixteen years I’ve had the privilege of experiencing personally, I’ve seen this institution evolve from a small group of idealistic individuals into a sophisticated operation capable of handling complex cases and creating real change in people’s lives. We’ve developed systems, built networks, and refined our approaches, but we’ve never lost sight of our core mission: to serve those who have nowhere else to turn.

Our growth would not have been possible without the invaluable contribution of students and volunteers who have chosen to join our mission. These dedicated individuals bring fresh perspectives, boundless energy, and a genuine desire to make a difference. Students from various universities have found their way to our center, offering their time, skills, and passion for justice. They help with research, translation, administrative tasks, and direct client support. Their academic knowledge combined with their compassion creates a powerful force for change.

Our volunteers, coming from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, have enriched our work in countless ways. Some are retired professionals who bring decades of experience, others are community members who understand firsthand the challenges faced by migrant workers, and many are simply individuals with generous hearts who believe in our cause. Thanks to them, we have been able to expand our services, reach more people, and strengthen our impact in the community.

These students and volunteers don’t just help us grow—they help us stay connected to the broader community and remind us that the fight for justice is shared by many. Their presence brings hope and demonstrates that there are people who care deeply about the welfare of others, regardless of their background or status.

I’ve heard workers transform—their voices shifting from trembling fear to assured confidence as they become advocates for their own rights. I’ve felt the palpable emotion of families reuniting after months of separation. I’ve witnessed employers forced to pay wages they thought they could steal with impunity. I’ve perceived justice delivered not through grand courtroom victories, but through persistent, careful work that restores dignity one person at a time.

The Weight of Silence

For sixteen years, I kept quiet about this work. Partly, this silence was professional—protecting the confidentiality that makes our work possible. Partly, it was personal—the belief that the work itself mattered more than recognition for doing it.

But I’ve come to understand that silence, while sometimes necessary, can also be a form of injustice. When we don’t speak about the struggles we witness, we allow the broader community to remain ignorant of the exploitation happening in their midst. When we don’t share the stories of resilience and courage we see daily, we deprive others of inspiration and understanding.

This article represents my decision to break that silence—not to violate confidentialities, but to illuminate the reality of migrant workers’ experiences and the importance of the work being done on their behalf.

The Continuing Mission

Today, our center continues to operate on the same principles that guided our founders. We remain committed to free service, absolute confidentiality, and the belief that every person deserves dignity and fair treatment regardless of their immigration status, their level of education, or their economic circumstances.

The work is far from finished. New policies create new challenges for migrant workers. Economic pressures lead to new forms of exploitation. Language barriers continue to prevent people from accessing services they desperately need. But our commitment remains unchanged: to stand with those who stand alone, to speak for those who have no voice, and to defend those who cannot defend themselves.

A Call to Understanding

As I write this after my week of reflection, I’m reminded of why this work matters so profoundly. In a world that often treats migrant workers as disposable labor rather than human beings, our center represents something different—a place where dignity is restored, where justice is possible, and where hope can flourish.

The migrant workers who walk through our doors carry within them the same dreams that have always driven human migration: the hope for better opportunities, safer communities, and brighter futures for their families. They ask for nothing more than the chance to work honestly and be treated fairly. That such a simple request requires an entire support system speaks to the challenges they face, but also to the importance of the work we do.

After sixteen years of service and a lifetime of learning, I know that this work will continue long after my own involvement ends. The principles we’ve established, the relationships we’ve built, and the trust we’ve earned in the community will outlast any individual worker. That may be the greatest testament to the vision of those university professors who started this journey—they built something that transcends any single person and serves a cause greater than ourselves.

The Migrant Workers Center stands as proof that education, dedication, and compassion can create real change in the world. It demonstrates that you don’t need credentials to serve justice—you need commitment. It shows that the most powerful force for social change often operates quietly, without fanfare, one person at a time.

This is our story. This is our mission. And after sixteen years of silence, it felt like time to share it.

Introduced in June?2025 and misleadingly titled the “Strong Borders Act,” Bill?C?2 includes provisions that could:

• Set a one?year deadline to claim refugee protection. Applications made more than 12 months after arrival would be permanently barred from review by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)?

• Remove exceptions allowing people crossing irregularly from the U.S. to have claims heard—tightening Canada’s already restrictive land-border approach?.

• Grant ministers broad discretionary powers to cancel valid immigration documents (e.g. PR, work permits, student permits) in the nebulous name of “public interest,” with minimal due process or individual safeguards.

Amnesty International warns these changes could effectively “criminalize, stigmatize and punish people seeking safety,” and erode Canada’s international human rights commitments?.

Safe Third Country Agreement: A Deterrent to Asylum

The Canada–U.S. STCA, in effect since December?2004, requires refugee claimants to apply in the first safe country they enter. A 2023 expansion further closed escape routes—such as walking across irregular points like Roxham Road—outlawing claims made within 14 days.

These measures have driven many into hidden journeys, increasing dangers and leaving them without access to fair, transparent processes?. Amnesty International calls for Canada to withdraw from the STCA entirely and restore trustee asylum pathways?

Immigration Detention: A Systemic Problem

Canada detains thousands of immigration detainees annually—some for months or even years. These individuals, not accused of crimes, are often held in provincial jails under maximum-security conditions, frequently subjected to handcuffs, shackling, solitary confinement and racial disparities?.People with mental health conditions, disabilities, or from racialized communities, particularly Black immigrants, face even harsher conditions and prolonged detention? Amnesty and Human Rights Watch are urging governments nationwide to end contracts that place immigration detainees in provincial jails and to end indefinite detention?.

Amnesty’s Urgent-Action Demands

Amnesty International Canada is calling for:

1. Withdrawal of Bill C?2 — To prevent dismantling of the right to seek asylum, end exclusionary deadlines, and stop politicized immigration cancellations?.

2. Rescission of the STCA — To restore safe and legal asylum pathways and eliminate forced refoulement to U.S. authorities?.

3. Reform of immigration detention — Stop using jails for administrative detention, end indefinite confinement, and ensure oversight and humane conditions?.

4. Amnesty is mobilizing its Urgent Action Network and urging Canadians to contact the Minister of Immigration and local MPs. These actions include petitions, letters, and social media outreach calling for the reversal of harmful policies and the restoration of fairness to Canada’s asylum system?

Why This Matters

These accelerated changes threaten Canada’s reputation as a global leader in refugee protection. By imposing arbitrary bars, surrendering due-process rights, and reinforcing system-wide detention, we risk abandoning principles enshrined in the Canadian Charter and international law.

Amnesty’s messaging is clear: urgent action is essential. Without intervention, Canada may revive policies reminiscent of darker eras—where borders, not justice or compassion, dictated who could stay or be expelled.

 How You Can Take Action

• Send a message to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (e.g. Lena Diab), urging withdrawal of Bill?C?2 and rescinding of the STCA.

• Call or email your MP to demand reforms to detention policies and improved due process for asylum seekers.

• Join Amnesty’s Urgent Action Network to receive alerts and directly support campaigns defending the rights of newcomers.

Together, we can ensure Canada remains a sanctuary—not just in name, but in practice.

On Amazon Prime Day, the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC–CTI) held a press conference together with former Amazon workers, the Amazon Workers Union of Laval–CSN, and the Mouvement Action-Chômage de Montréal (MAC). In front of the offices of the Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity in Montreal, they delivered a clear message:

• Real support for transitioning to new employment

• Strict enforcement of the law on collective dismissals

• Establishment of a reclassification committee

• Payment of legally required severance compensation

Amazon can afford to pay. We will not be walked over.

The coverage collectively underlined the human cost of record profits: precarious employment, sudden mass layoffs, and workers left without meaningful recourse. The reports amplified the frustration over government inaction and Amazon’s practices and situated the demonstration within a broader struggle for migrant and precarious workers’ rights. The message is clear: economic growth must not come at the expense of workers’ dignity and security.

A Settlement Agreement has been reached in the class action filed by the Immigrant Workers Centre (“CTTI”) against Newrest Holding S.A. et al. This Settlement will be presented to the Court on August 26, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in room 17.09 of the Montreal Courthouse. Please read this notice to members carefully to understand your rights. You can also obtain more information here: https://proactio.ca/en/collective-action/immigrant-workers/.

Key Changes

• Temporary suspension of PRTQ and PEQ–Diploma: From October 31, 2024, until June 30, 2025, Quebec has paused invitations under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ, soon to be PSTQ) and direct admissions under the PEQ–Diploma stream.

• Higher French requirements: Applicants under the PEQ–Diploma must now have completed at least 75% of their studies in French and prove written proficiency at level B2.

• Country cap: To diversify its pool, Quebec has introduced a limit so that no single country can account for more than 25% of accepted candidates in each selection round.

• Suspension of low-wage EIMT in Montreal: As of September 3, 2024, the province suspended the Labour Market Impact Assessment (EIMT) process for low-wage positions in the Montreal area to ease pressure on local employment.

• Impact on MIGRANT WORKERS AND STUDENTS

These measures are expected to reduce the number of new economic immigrants, affecting thousands of international students and temporary workers seeking permanent residency. The focus on French-language skills and regional diversity may particularly impact students at English-language institutions and workers from countries that previously dominated acceptance numbers.

While Quebec says these changes aim to better align immigration with the province’s economic and linguistic priorities, they also raise concerns about delays in family reunification and the long-term integration of migrant workers who contribute to Quebec’s economy.

At the Immigrant Workers Centre, we will continue to monitor these changes and support workers and students navigating this evolving immigration landscape.

Experience a powerful theatrical journey into the heart of anti-colonial resistance in British-ruled India.
“Ram Mohammad Singh Azad: The Spirit of Freedom” tells the story of Udham Singh (1899–1940), the fearless revolutionary who survived the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where British troops killed over 1500 peaceful protesters. Twenty-one years later, Singh took justice into his own hands by assassinating Michael O’Dwyer, the colonial official responsible.

On trial, Udham Singh defiantly declared his name as “Ram Mohammad Singh Azad,” symbolizing unity among India’s major religions and his unwavering dream of liberation.

Written by the late Sardar Charan Singh Sindhra, this historical drama combines gripping storytelling with vibrant Bhangra and folk music, bringing to life Singh’s journey from Punjab to revolutionary circles in London.

Genre: Historical revolutionary drama with musical interludes

Duration: 75 minutes Subtitles available in French and English
Performed by: Local artists and community members passionate about justice and freedom

Discover the courage, sacrifice, and vision of a man who lived—and died—for his people’s freedom.

While the government waves its diversity flag abroad, it continues to build a fortress at home. This year, the new government of Prime Minister Mark Carney—a former banker now managing the country like a hedge fund—has intensified the assault on migrants and refugees. With the Strong Borders Act, his administration has cemented Canada’s slide into a brutal, carceral model of immigration control.

Let’s be clear: This is not about “restoring order” or “fixing the system.” This is class war, waged on poor and racialized migrants for the benefit of capital and white supremacy.

What’s Really Behind These Attacks

The Carney government has followed the far-right playbook with chilling precision: manufacture panic about “too many asylum seekers,” blame refugees for economic instability, then propose authoritarian measures. The result?

• Asylum seekers who’ve lived and worked in Canada for over a year are now denied the right to a hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board.
• They are funneled into a pre-removal risk assessment process, with lower approval rates and little transparency.
• Refugee admissions have been slashed by over 30%, even as global displacement hits record levels.
• Family reunification is in crisis, with wait times of up to three years and massive backlogs—especially in Quebec.
• Meanwhile, deportations are ramping up and immigration detention continues, including for children and survivors of trauma.

This is not administrative mismanagement. It is neoliberal border violence—a conscious strategy to criminalize migration, divide the working class, and sustain a disposable labour force without rights or permanence.

Refugees Are Not a Burden—Capitalism Is

The Carney government would have you believe that refugees are responsible for the housing crisis, overwhelmed hospitals, or strained public budgets.

But we know the truth: it is decades of austerity, speculation, and elite governance that have hollowed out our social systems—not the people fleeing bombs, floods, and foreign-backed dictatorships.

Canada welcomes the mining corporations, the arms dealers, and the imperial projects that cause displacement—but not the people displaced. It welcomes precarious workers, but not their families. It welcomes profits, not people.

Our Response: Organize, Resist, Abolish Borders

At the Immigrant Workers Centre, we do not plead for inclusion into a broken system. We demand its transformation. We support working-class migrants and refugees who are:

• Fighting deportations through direct action and solidarity networks;
• Organizing against wage theft and employer abuse;
• Demanding Status for All, regardless of origin or income;
• Calling for the abolition of CBSA and the end of immigration detention.

We build power from below, rooted in internationalist, anti-capitalist, and abolitionist principles.

On This Day: From Commemoration to Confrontation

So today, we do not simply remember—we rise.

We call on all workers—citizen and non-status, union and unorganized—to reject the scapegoating of refugees. We urge all community organizations, faith groups, and youth movements to link arms and fight back.

World Refugee Day must not become a corporate PR exercise or a charity event. It must become a day of mass resistance—against borders, against imperialism, against capitalism itself.

Status for All. End Deportations. Shut Down CBSA. Abolish Borders. Dismantle Fortress Canada.

“This is class warfare. Bill 89 isn’t reform — it’s repression,” said Mustafa Hanawi, community organizer with the IWC. “Immigrant and precarious workers are being pushed further into silence, exploitation, and fear.”

By restricting the right to strike, the government seeks to discipline the labor force and crush decades of gains won through struggle — including fair wages, safe working conditions, public services, and basic dignity. The legislation violates constitutional rights, defies international labor standards, and opens the door to unchecked employer abuse.

A Government for the Bosses

Let’s be clear: this bill wasn’t written for the people — it was written for the corporations. Premier Legault and Labour Minister Jean Boulet have declared which side they are on, and it’s not the side of working people. Their goal is to strip us of the only power we have: our power to withhold our labor, to organize, to strike.

The Time for Negotiation Is Over

This betrayal didn’t happen in a vacuum. Workers across Quebec have sounded the alarm since 2024. They demanded consultation, respect, and justice. The government answered with contempt. Now, the mask is off.

The IWC stands with all workers — unionized and non-unionized, documented and undocumented, migrant and local — in rejecting this law of repression. We call on communities to mobilize, resist, and refuse to comply.

“We don’t beg for rights — we take them,” said Hanawi. “And no legislation can stop the power of an organized working class.”

The protesters gathered early this morning at the entrances of the EY Centre in Ottawa, confronting delegates from Canadian and Israeli arms companies and military officials. Their message: end the arms trade that enables mass atrocities.

Among the demonstrators were members of the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI), the International Migrants Alliance – Canada Chapter (IMA Canada), the Palestinian Youth Movement, and other grassroots and anti-war organizations. Together, they called attention to the global links between militarism, displacement, and systemic oppression. “We see the same weapons used to destroy homes in Gaza used to intimidate Indigenous and migrant communities here in Canada,” said a speaker from IMA Canada.

Over the past 18 months, Israel has launched a sustained campaign of air, sea, and ground attacks on Gaza, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to protest organizers. Human rights groups and international legal experts have accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Demonstrators argue that Canada’s military and diplomatic support amounts to complicity in these crimes.

“This is not business as usual. You cannot sell weapons while people are being slaughtered,” said one protester through a megaphone.

Security has locked down parts of the venue. No injuries have been reported, but several arrests have been made.

To be a woman, a migrant, racialized… and without status.
What does it mean to live through this triple marginalization in a city like Montreal? For hundreds of thousands of women in this country, it means living with the constant fear of arrest. It means working without protection, without rights, without a safety net. It means being excluded from healthcare, education, and decent housing. It means being rendered invisible by a society that benefits from their labour while denying them even the most basic human recognition.

In the face of this structural violence, women are organizing.

For over eight years, the Women’s Committee of the IWC has been breaking the silence. Composed of migrant women with or without status, the committee fights for full regularization and recognition of their dignity. Their struggle is built on resistance, solidarity, mutual care, and collective empowerment.

The workshop held during the FSMI was a moment of powerful sharing and learning. Women shared stories of resistance, survival strategies, and grassroots knowledge. For these women, community organizing is not optional — it is vital. It is a space of reclaiming identity, resisting erasure, and building collective strength.

It is estimated that nearly 500,000 people live without status in Canada — and a large proportion of them are women. They are our neighbors, our co-workers, our comrades. They deserve not only to exist in the eyes of the law but to live in freedom, safety, and dignity.

The IWC, alongside CDHAL, continues to carry this fight forward.
We demand full and immediate regularization for all undocumented people.
We demand an end to the exploitation of migrant labour through colonial and capitalist state policies.
We demand status for all — now.

To learn more about the workshop:

]]> 9782 iwc_cti@yahoo.com (IWC-CTI) https://iwc-cti.ca/chicoutimi-hosts-awareness-evening-on-migrant-labour-issues/ Mon, 26 May 2025 17:04:20 +0000 https://iwc-cti.ca/?p=9798 Chicoutimi, May 28, 2025 — This Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the Marguerite-Tellier Hall at the Chicoutimi Library will host an evening of information and reflection on the realities faced by migrant workers in Canada. Organized in collaboration between Amnesty International Canada Francophone and the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTTI) of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, the event aims to shed light on systemic injustices experienced by thousands of migrant workers.

On the program:

• Introduction to the local CTTI chapter, a growing organization in the region advocating for the rights of immigrant workers.

• Presentation of Amnesty International’s investigative report on migrant labour in Canada, which reveals alarming cases of abuse, precarity, and systemic inequality.

• A testimony from a migrant worker, offering a powerful personal account of navigating a system that often renders them invisible.

• An open discussion with the public, providing a space to ask questions, reflect, and build solidarity.

Organizers invite everyone to join, whether to learn, listen, share, or simply engage with this vital issue. The event is free and open to all.

? More info: Facebook Event

Professor Shragge brought to our center not only his academic credentials from Concord University but also a heart deeply committed to social justice and human dignity. For 25 years, he volunteered his time, expertise, and resources to ensure that migrant workers—both men and women—had a place where they could find support, guidance, and hope.

A Leader Who Led by Example

What set Eric Shragge apart was his unique ability to combine scholarly wisdom with genuine human warmth. He approached every discussion, every challenge, and every interaction with the professionalism of an experienced academic and the caring nature of an older brother. His colleagues and the workers we serve came to rely not just on his expertise but also on his consistent kindness and understanding.

Throughout his tenure, Professor Shragge never hesitated to invest his own resources into the center’s mission. His personal financial contributions, made quietly and without fanfare, exemplified his deep commitment to our cause. These donations weren’t just monetary—they represented his belief that supporting migrant workers was not merely a job, but a calling.

A Quarter-Century of Impact

Twenty-five years of volunteer service speaks to a character that values service above self. During this time, Professor Shargge witnessed the changing landscape of migration, adapted to new challenges, and consistently advocated for those who often have no voice in society. His leadership helped countless individuals navigate complex systems, find employment, access services, and maintain their dignity in difficult circumstances.

The respect he earned from colleagues, community members, and the migrant workers themselves was not given lightly—it was earned through consistent actions, fair treatment, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.

A Well-Deserved Transition

As Professor Eric Shragge prepares for retirement, we recognize that this transition comes at the right time. After decades of placing others’ needs before his own, he can focus on his personal life now, spending precious time with his children and grandchildren. This new chapter represents not an ending, but a different kind of beginning—one where the man who has given so much to others can now receive the gift of time with his family.

Our Gratitude

Words cannot fully capture our appreciation for everything Eric Shragge has provided to our center and the community we serve. His legacy lives on in the policies he helped shape, the lives he touched, and the culture of compassion he fostered within our organization.

We thank him not just for his professional contributions, but for showing us what it means to lead with both competence and heart. His example will continue to guide our work long after his departure.

As we bid farewell to an exceptional leader, we do so with immense gratitude and with wishes for a retirement filled with the same joy and fulfillment he brought to so many others. Professor Eric Shragge has gained his rest, and we are honored to have worked alongside such a remarkable individual.

Thank you, Eric, for everything. Your legacy of service, kindness, and dedication will continue to inspire us as we carry forward the mission we shared for so many years.

Despite remarkable advances in assistive technology—from sophisticated screen readers to AI-powered navigation apps—blind individuals continue to face profound employment barriers that technology alone cannot resolve.

The Job Search Challenge

Employment begins with inaccessible online job portals featuring image-based CAPTCHA systems and poorly coded websites that screen readers cannot interpret. Video interviews present additional challenges when employers expect eye contact and visual cues, while many companies fail to provide alternative formats for assessment tests.

Workplace Integration Obstacles

Upon employment, blind workers encounter daily barriers. Office layouts change without notification, visual presentations remain unconverted to accessible formats, and colleagues unconsciously create communication barriers by speaking in visual terms. Social exclusion compounds these challenges—coworkers avoid collaborative assignments, and networking opportunities diminish.

The invisibility extends to professional discussions. In one workplace training on labor law, comprehensive employment topics were covered—contracts, rights, and safety regulations—yet disability rights were completely omitted. When the blind employee present pointed out this oversight, colleagues responded with surprise: “Oh yes, we should add a section about disabled workers.” This institutional blindness to disability issues, even with disabled employees participating, demonstrates society’s normalized exclusion of disabled perspectives.

The Education-Employment Paradox

These barriers contribute to unemployment rates among blind individuals reaching 70% in some regions. This becomes more troubling considering that blind adults often achieve higher education levels than sighted peers, with many holding advanced degrees and specialized certifications. Highly qualified blind professionals—lawyers with degrees, software engineers with certifications—face repeated rejection despite their credentials.

Employer Misconceptions

Employers frequently overestimate accommodation costs while underestimating capabilities. Fears about workplace safety, insurance liability, and productivity persist despite evidence showing blind employees often demonstrate higher loyalty and attention to detail.

The Path Forward

While assistive technology has advanced dramatically, it creates new dependencies as software updates break accessibility features overnight. The path forward requires more than technological solutions—it demands fundamental shifts in employer attitudes, comprehensive accessibility training, and recognition that blindness represents difference, not deficiency. Until society addresses these structural barriers, technological advances remain insufficient bridges to meaningful employment equality.

The class action represents approximately 400 workers who were allegedly victims of this “illicit” employment system. The IWC emphasizes that these practices not only violated workers’ fundamental rights, but also highlighted flaws in Canada’s immigration system, including the use of closed work permits that tie workers to a single employer.

In response to the accusations, Newrest stated that it takes these allegations “very seriously” and announced the opening of an internal investigation. The company affirms that it respects Canadian laws and regularly audits its subcontractors to ensure their compliance.

This case highlights the vulnerabilities of migrant workers in Canada and raises questions about the responsibility of companies and authorities to protect their rights.

Read more: 
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/es/noticia/2163151/trabajadores-migrantes-denuncian-que-no-recibieron-pagos-de-agencia-sancionada

Watch the video:
https://next.frame.io/share/ec3fe010-f0b0-4a3e-9f01-9cb89bfe9fd4/view/5c8cf9e8-23cd-4c71-aece-1e20a943f321

The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) marched in strong numbers, joined by key allies including PINAY Quebec, the Amazon Workers’ Committee, the South Asian Committee, the Comité d’action de Parc-Extension (CAPE), the International Migrant Alliance (Eastern Canada Chapter), the IWC Women’s Committee, and the Migrant Clinic of Doctors of the World Canada.

Together, they issued a clear set of demands:
Justice. Decent work. Permanent immigration status for all. An end to the closed work permit system.

In the face of growing inequality and political indifference, this May Day was not just a celebration — it was a statement of collective strength, international solidarity, and an unwavering commitment to dismantling the structures that oppress workers everywhere.

Labor Day comes this year amid harsh economic realities facing workers across various sectors. Despite the importance of celebrating this occasion that symbolizes workers’ struggles throughout history, current living conditions cast a shadow over the joy of this day.

Workers today face numerous challenges, particularly the continuous rise in prices of essential goods, which reduces the purchasing power of wages that are no longer sufficient to provide for basic family needs. The suffering intensifies with rising housing rental costs, which in many cases consume more than half of a worker’s monthly income.

Despite increased working hours and obligations, many workers find themselves unable to provide a decent life for their families, which increases feelings of frustration and anxiety. Under these circumstances, demands for improved wages, suitable working environments, and social guarantees become more urgent than ever before.

Labor Day is not merely an occasion for celebration, but an opportunity to reconsider workers’ conditions and demand their rights, seeking genuine reforms that ensure them a decent life commensurate with their efforts and contributions to building and developing society.

A stark example of these challenges can be seen in the recent case of 4,500 workers laid off by Amazon who have yet to receive their due compensation. These workers, many of whom had dedicated years of service to the company, now face financial uncertainty while waiting for payments that were promised but not delivered. This situation highlights the vulnerability of workers even in large corporations and the urgent need for stronger labor protections and enforcement mechanisms to ensure workers’ rights are respected during corporate restructuring.

The current political landscape offers little reassurance for workers and families struggling with these economic pressures. In Canada, the ongoing election campaign has so far failed to adequately address the core issues affecting working families. Despite rhetoric about economic growth, candidates have presented few concrete policies that would meaningfully improve wage stagnation, housing affordability, or job security. Many working Canadians feel that regardless of the election outcome, their daily financial struggles will remain unaddressed as corporate interests continue to take precedence over labor rights and family welfare. This disconnect between political promises and the economic realities faced by ordinary citizens further compounds the challenges of the working class

Sessions focused on critical issues such as safe return-to-work policies, the rise in workplace injury litigation, and the neglect of protections for women in female-dominated environments. The Immigrant Workers’ Center also highlighted the struggles of non-unionized workers lacking collective bargaining safeguards.

The defining moment was the protest outside the National Assembly against Bill 89, which curtails the right to strike. Despite expert warnings about its threat to social stability, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government pushed forward, backed by employers, while unions demanded its withdrawal.

The summit closed with a joint declaration: “No Safety Without Justice.”  The labor movement will not retreat in defending the rights of those who build Quebec with their hands. This summit was not just a discussion—it was a step toward broader collective action.

– Voix de solidarité pour les victimes d’une agence de recrutement et de placement IRIS Inc. –

When: Thursday, April 24th, 1:00 to 4:30 pm

Where: Saint Paul University (Amphitheatre), online participation possible

Program

· Immigration policy : recent changes and electoral issues (Cheolki Yoon, Saint Paul University)

· Roundtable 1: international students (university student associations in the Ottawa-Gatineau region)

· “Canada has destroyed me”: presentation of the Amnesty International investigation report on the exploitation of migrant workers in Canada (Marisa Berry Méndez, Amnesty International Canada francophone)

· Table ronde 2: migrant workers (Canadian Labour Congress, Migrant Rights Network & Migrante Canada-Migrante Ottawa)

Language: French & English with interpretation

Event open to the general public Registration: https://forms.gle/LcqWatjiajoj7CrCA

Organized by Saint Paul University Student Association, School of Social Communication of Saint Paul University, Amnesty International Canada francophone and Immigrant Workers Centre.

Details:

• Registration Required (Link: https://bit.ly/WorkPermitWorkshop)
• Exclusively for Migrant Workers
• Virtual Participation (Link sent upon registration)

Important Note:
This is a public education workshop and does not replace legal advice. Attendees with complex cases are encouraged to consult a lawyer or local legal aid services.

The IWC emphasizes equitable access to immigration information, empowering workers to navigate systemic challenges. Spaces are limited—register today to secure your spot.

About the Organizer:
The Immigrant Workers Centre is a Montreal-based nonprofit advocating for migrant workers’ rights through education, support, and collective action.

Contact:
info@iwc-cti.ca | www.iwc-cti.ca

Why It Matters:
With frequent changes to Canada’s immigration policies, migrant workers often face barriers in understanding their options. Workshops like this provide critical knowledge to avoid exploitation and procedural missteps.

Québec Solidaire MNA Andrés Fontecilla, who condemned the lack of protections, said on his Facebook page, “I was present yesterday at the rally organized by the IWC-CTI of Montreal’s Amazon workers committee in Parc-Extension. First of all, I was there to highlight the courage, strength, and determination of this mobilization for workers’ rights!

Henaway highlighted the cruel irony of Amazon’s practices: “While Jeff Bezos makes a warehouse worker’s annual salary in 11 seconds, his company withholds termination paperwork to deny unemployment benefits. This is wage theft disguised as bureaucracy.”

Fontecilla added that “Amazon is one of the richest companies on the planet. His CEO earns in seconds what his warehouse workers earn in a year.
Despite this obscene wealth, Amazon refuses to respect the most basic rights of its employees. His business model does not support the simple principle of the right to unionize. So Amazon chooses bullying, repression, and then mass firing to silence those who dare to stand up. And unfortunately, in Quebec, there is no framework for mass layoffs. Big companies can do whatever they want, no matter what.
Do you think it stops there? Of course not. I’ve learned that the company has not provided all the termination documents yet. This has consequences, for example, for ex-employees who cannot claim unemployment insurance! Amazon is washing their hands; this is unacceptable, and we will not stand idle!
Here in Quebec, women and workers have been fighting for generations to build a society where rights are respected, people are treated with dignity, and businesses—no matter how big—are held accountable. We cannot allow a multinational to dictate its own rules and trample on these hard-earned rights.”

The controversial legislation has drawn sharp criticism from labor groups, who argue that it undermines the fundamental right to strike for workers across Quebec. Demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition, calling the bill an unacceptable restriction on workers’ ability to defend their rights.

Representatives from the CTI-IWC and allied organizations emphasized that Bill 89 weakens labor protections and shifts power further in favor of employers. “This bill is an attack on the hard-won rights of workers,” said a spokesperson from the CRQCA-FTQ. “We will not stand by while the government erodes our ability to fight for fair treatment.”

The mobilization reflects growing resistance to the proposed law, with unions and advocacy groups warning of broader protests if the bill advances. As debates over Bill 89 continue, Quebec’s labor movement is sending a clear message: any attempt to suppress the right to strike will be met with fierce opposition.

Waving flags and holding placards with messages like “Boycott Amazon” and “Stand with Workers,” the protesters marched through the streets, their voices rising above the winter chill. The demonstration was a direct response to Amazon’s announcement in January that it would close its Quebec warehouses, laying off nearly 2,000 permanent workers and over 4,500 workers when subcontractors are included.

A Blow to Workers’ Rights
At the heart of the protest was the closure of Amazon’s unionized warehouse in Laval, Quebec. Workers at this facility, represented by the CSN, had been fighting for better wages, improved working conditions, and a collective agreement. Their efforts were on the verge of a historic victory when Amazon decided to shut down the facility entirely, effectively crushing their unionization efforts.

Felix, a representative of the laid-off workers from the Laval warehouse, addressed the crowd with a fiery call to action. “We will not lay down and stop fighting,” he declared. “We must have a strong reaction as a society, as a labour movement, as a working class. Amazon cannot be allowed to get away with this.”

Felix’s words resonated with the crowd, many of whom had personally experienced the harsh working conditions at Amazon warehouses. “They treat us like machines, not human beings,” said one former worker. “We deserve dignity and respect, not layoffs and broken promises.”

A Call for Accountability
CSN President Caroline Senneville spoke to reporters in front of Mont-Royal subway station, urging all levels of government to take a stand against Amazon. “I think our government should show the way and do business with businesses that do respect our laws here in Quebec, especially our labour laws,” she said.

Senneville also announced that the CSN will be taking legal action against Amazon in the coming weeks. “This is not just about layoffs—it’s about corporate greed and the erosion of workers’ rights,” she said. “We will fight this in the courts, in the streets, and in the hearts and minds of the public.”

A Growing Movement
The protest in Montréal is part of a growing global movement against Amazon’s exploitative practices. In recent years, the company has faced accusations of poor working conditions, excessive surveillance, and retaliation against union organizers in the United States, Europe, and beyond. The closure of the Laval warehouse has reignited calls for stronger labor laws in Canada and greater accountability for multinational corporations.

“This is a systemic issue,” said Senneville. “Amazon’s actions are a symptom of a broken system that prioritizes profits over people. We need stronger protections for workers, stricter regulations on corporations, and a fundamental shift in how we think about work and wealth.”

Solidarity in Action
As the protesters marched through the snow-blanketed streets, their chants of “Solidarity forever!” echoed through the city. The demonstration was a powerful reminder that the fight for workers’ rights is far from over. For many in attendance, the protest was not just about Amazon but about challenging a system that allows corporations to exploit workers with impunity.

“This is just the beginning,” said Felix. “We won’t stop until every worker is treated with dignity and respect. The fight for justice doesn’t end here—it starts here.”

The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) stands in solidarity with the workers affected by Amazon’s layoffs and with all workers fighting for their rights. We call on our community to join us in demanding justice for workers and holding corporations like Amazon accountable.

This creative and militant action was organized to highlight the fact that, despite fine words and election pledges, thousands of migrant workers continue to live in uncertainty and precariousness, without access to basic rights. Valentine’s Day cards, often associated with love and compassion, were used here to denounce a lack of love for migrant communities and demand concrete action.

DEMANDS OF THE WORKERS AMAZON

We are calling on all citizens to contact their political representatives at all levels (provincial and federal deputies, mayors, ministers of Labor and Industry). Demand that they take a stand and act to stop Amazon getting away with it without consequences.

Unionization Efforts at DXT4 Warehouse

This decision comes on the heels of significant labor developments at Amazon’s DXT4 warehouse in Laval, Quebec. In May 2024, workers at this facility made history by becoming the first group of Amazon employees in Canada to unionize, affiliating with the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN). This marked a pivotal moment in labor relations within the company.

 Anti-Union Motives

The CSN has condemned Amazon’s closure of its Quebec facilities, interpreting it as a direct attack on unionized workers. The union asserts that this move is a retaliatory measure against the successful unionization and ongoing negotiations for a first collective agreement at the DXT4 warehouse. They argue that the closure contravenes the Quebec Labour Code and have vowed to challenge the decision legally (Reuters).

Broader Implications for all Workers

The ramifications of Amazon’s decision extend beyond the immediate job losses. Many of the affected employees are immigrants, international students, and families who now face unemployment amid a challenging economic climate. This development raises concerns about the company’s commitment to its workforce and the potential chilling effect on labor organizing efforts within Amazon and the broader industry.

Corporate Strategies and Labor Relations

Amazon’s announcement coincides with broader corporate strategies that have been perceived as hostile to labor organizing. Notably, recent reports have highlighted efforts by major corporations, including Amazon, to influence labor policies and weaken the power of unions. These actions are viewed by some as part of a coordinated effort to undermine worker rights and collective bargaining

Call to Action

In light of these developments, labor advocates emphasize the importance of supporting the affected Amazon workers in Quebec and reinforcing solidarity across the labor movement. They argue that standing with these workers is crucial in the broader fight against corporate practices that undermine worker rights and weaken collective bargaining. The IWC stands with Amazon workers and the Amazon workers union of Laval-CSN, which has clearly been punished for standing up for the basic rights of Amazon workers. Workers and allies will mobilize and organize for real compensation, severance, and support for all Amazon workers and that companies can no longer act with impunity above the law.

Key Changes for International Students’ Families
Only spouses of students in specific programs will qualify for OWPs, including:

• Master’s programs lasting 16+ months
• Doctoral programs
• Select professional programs (e.g., Medicine, Law, Engineering)

Previously, spouses of students in various programs, including shorter master’s degrees, were eligible.

New Rules for Temporary Foreign Workers’ Families
OWPs will now apply only to spouses of workers in specific occupations under the TEER classification, such as management, healthcare, and engineering. Workers must also have at least 16 months remaining on their permits. Dependent children will no longer qualify for OWPs.

Criticism and Concerns

Critics argue that these measures may not effectively address underlying issues such as worker rights and access to permanent residency pathways. Advocacy groups have called for more comprehensive solutions to support migrants, emphasizing the need for policies that ensure fair treatment and integration into Canadian society. Concerns have also been raised about the potential impact on Canada’s international reputation as a welcoming destination for students and skilled workers.

On December 18, as part of the national day of action “A Day Without Migrants: Nothing Moves Without Us”, we got together with our allies to send letters to the ministers of Quebec and Canada denouncing the latest immigration policies.

In 2024, many government announcements focused almost exclusively on reducing the number of migrants and immigrants, without providing any protection measures for those already on the territory. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people are experiencing immediate changes, without support, and feel abandoned.

Just four years ago, the same people were praised for working in “essential” sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The governments of Canada and Quebec called on migrant workers, because the survival of our society and economy rested (and still rests) in their hands.

Today, migrant workers continue to work in these essential sectors. However, their working conditions are increasingly hard and still poorly paid. Instead of granting migrants the same rights at work and in everyday life, our governments change their rhetoric overnight. Since 2023, migrants have been singled out, accused of being the main cause of unemployment and the housing crisis. This is a racist lie meant to blame migrants for greedy businesses and complicit governments.

With the implementation of restrictive measures in the fall of 2024, migrant workers are finding it harder to renew their work permits or obtain new ones. For example, by limiting the validity of permits to a single year (as is the case with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for low-wage positions) it is almost impossible to obtain a new permit with a new employer, as the process usually takes more than six months. Recently-arrived international students will find it very hard to obtain work permits after graduating. Asylum seekers are automatically stripped of their work or study permits once a removal order is made enforceable. For all these people, access to permanent residency is even more restricted. Moreover, the Liberal government’s promise of a broad and inclusive regularization program has been broken. Governments are locking migrants into greater precariousness, and trampling on the life projects and future dreams of hundreds of thousands of people.

“We are abused and exploited by our employers because of the c

losed permit: reduced working hours without notice, wages not respected, threats of dismissal if we don’t obey the many new tasks added to the work contract. Not to mention the many frustrations and discriminations! The latest immigration changes add to all these abuses. We can’t take it anymore!”

– Angélique, temporary worker from the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

Refuse to remain silent in the face of these injustices! Demand a halt to the latest immigration policies for people already on the territory; the implementation of a complete and inclusive regularization program; the immediate suspension of deportations and detentions; the abolition of closed work permits; access to permanent residency for all workers; and real support for francization.

18 Déc-CTTI-Communiqué de presse-1

Origins of the TAWA Women’s Committee

In 2014, the Temporary Agency Workers Association (TAWA) established the Leadership Development for Women Factory Agency Workers which, as the name suggests, aimed to promote the participation of women within the association. At that time, roughly 80% of TAWA’s members were men. This leadership development program enabled us to better identify and address the specific problems confronting women working for placement agencies.

We began by organizing workshops about Quebec’s employment standards and health and safety in the workplace. We watched documentaries and held discussions about the struggles of other women living and working in similar conditions. Participants developed a better understanding of their own conditions through a process of self-reflection about their experiences in the workplace and the impact of work on their everyday lives, their families, and their physical and mental health. We also held art and theatre-based workshops to develop the women’s ability to confront their supervisors in order to directly address workplace abuses. 

Through this effort we trained a group of women who were more aware of their rights in the workplace and reinforced their ability to ensure that those rights are respected. This also allowed them to develop their own leadership skills and their capacity to support other vulnerable women with whom they worked.

Today, several of these women are still active members of TAWA and many new members have joined the association.

Formation of the Committee and the “We have value, we have rights, and together we fight for our cause” Campaign

With the arrival of new women in the association we have identified many new problems confronting them. Many of our members are survivors of violence in the workplace, which often takes the form of psychological and sexual harassment. Many of these women have found it near impossible to assert their rights and have been refused protection against these abuses for numerous reasons, such as the precarity of their immigration status, difficulty convincing the authorities that they have been the victims of violence and abuse due to a lack of concrete evidence, and administrative barriers preventing them from holding their employers accountable through the CNESST. Consequently, many women who have experienced violence in the workplace suffer from severe depression and other long-term mental health impacts because they do not have access to justice or the proper support. Some have even contemplated suicide.

Given these circumstances, the group decided to form the Women’s Committee within TAWA in 2018. The committee launched the “We have value, we have rights, and together we fight for our cause” campaign the following year.

The TAWA Women’s Committee believes that it is necessary to put a definitive end to violence against women in the workplace and demand that women with precarious immigration status be protected. Despite the fact that the issue of violence against women is the subject of much public discussion and there may appear to be many resources and organizations dedicated to addressing the issue, the protection of immigrant women, particularly those with precarious status, is rarely considered. Violence against women who work without status or with precarious immigration status is rarely rendered visible and has never been adequately addressed by the government. Concrete measures to deal with this issue have not been put in place.

We demand that the Commission des normes de l’équité et de la santé et sécurité du travail (CNESST) address complaints about psychological and sexual harassment in the workplace without any consideration of workers’ the immigration status.

We demand that the City of Montreal implement a meaningful sanctuary city policy and that the city administration ensures that the City of Montreal Police Service no longer cooperates with the Canadian Border Services Agency. We also demand that the city creates a municipal ID card that can serve as proof of identity for people without status.

We demand that Quebec’s provincial government provide RAMQ access to all residents of Quebec, regardless of their immigration status. We also demand that the Certificats de sélections du Québec be issued to all people who apply for it in order to expand access to permanent residency in the province.

We demand that the federal government provide access to emergency benefits introduced in response to the COVID-19 crisis to all residents of Canada regardless of their immigration status. We also demand that the federal government ensures the regularisation of all people without status.

Resources

Campaign Poster: English Spanish

Campaign Postcards: English 1 French 1 French 2

Eres una mujer trabajadora agrícola?

Tus derechos en Québec

In response to recent immigration policy shifts in Quebec, the Immigrant Workers Center (IWC-CTI) has intensified its advocacy efforts, highlighting the challenges faced by migrant workers and temporary residents.

Policy Changes and Community Response

On November 3, 2024, the Quebec government announced a moratorium on two permanent immigration programs: the Regular Skilled Worker Program and the Graduate Stream of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This suspension, effective until June 30, 2025, aims to control the rising number of permanent immigrants, which was projected to reach nearly 70,000 in 2025. The government cited concerns over the province’s capacity to accommodate this influx.

In response, the IWC-CTI organized a rally on December 18, 2024, coinciding with International Migrants Day. The event, themed “A Day without Migrants,” sought to underscore the indispensable contributions of migrant workers to Quebec’s economy and society. Participants called for equitable treatment, permanent residency status, and an end to policies they perceive as discriminatory.

Advocacy and Public Discourse

Laura Doyle, a Montreal-based activist, emphasized the essential roles migrant workers play, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. She criticized the shifting public narrative that now portrays immigrants as scapegoats for societal issues, suggesting that such rhetoric is politically motivated.

Similarly, Claire Launay, an advocate for immigrant rights, noted a troubling trend of blaming immigrants for challenges in housing, healthcare, and education. She expressed concern that this scapegoating could become a central theme in upcoming federal election campaigns.

Media Coverage and Public Awareness

The IWC-CTI’s initiatives have garnered significant media attention, amplifying their message across various platforms. Outlets such as Noovo Info reported on the December 18 rally, highlighting participants’ concerns about being used as scapegoats in political discourse.

CityNews Montreal provided coverage of the rally, featuring interviews with migrant workers and advocates who detailed their demands for permanent residency and better working conditions.

The IWC-CTI continues to play a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and recognition of immigrant workers in Quebec. As policy debates intensify, the center’s efforts aim to ensure that the voices of migrant workers are heard and that their contributions are acknowledged in the broader societal context.

Read more:

https://www.choq.ca/balados/apatrides-anonymes/emission-du-12-decembre-2024. 

https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article628640.html

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/immigrants-are-the-scapegoat-advocates-for-undocumented-migrants-temporary-residents-hold-montreal-protest-1.7151041

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/immigrants-take-to-the-streets-to-protest-against-the-freezing-of-immigration-programmes-1.7129348 

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2024/12/18/montreal-migrant-workers-rally-permanent-residency-status/amp/?consent=true

https://pivot.quebec/2024/12/18/journee-sans-migrant%C2%B7es-rien-ne-bouge-sans-nous/

https://www.noovo.info/nouvelle/les-immigres-sont-des-boucs-emissaires-manifestation-en-soutien-aux-migrants-au-quebec.html

https://www.lesoleil.com/actualites/politique/2024/12/18/immigration-les-gouvernements-ne-respectent-pas-leur-part-du-contrat-MFWEZIG4ABC5JCPO5QT4RVM2HM/

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2127880/rassemblement-travailleurs-migrants-immigration-temporaires

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/info-reveil/segments/rattrapage/1944694/comment-bien-accueillir-migrants-a-rimouski

 https://ici.radio-canada.ca/info/videos/1-10251978/se-loger-coute-toujours-plus-cher-dans-region
https://www.tvaplus.ca/lcn/le-tva-nouvelles-est-du-quebec/saison-1/le-tva-nouvelles-18h-de-l-est-du-quebec-du-18-decembre-2024-611725917

As postal workers moved inside to discuss the government’s announcement, the Immigrant Workers Centre stood outside, holding signs and encouraging support from the community. Drivers passing by added to the energy, honking their horns in support of the strikers.

The strike, which began on November 15, involves over 55,000 workers and has brought mail services across the country to a near standstill. Labour experts say public support is crucial as negotiations continue during this critical holiday season.

Community actions like these underscore the importance of collective action in addressing worker grievances and ensuring equitable resolutions.

This date coincides with International Migrants Day, a day proclaimed by the United Nations to celebrate the contributions of migrants worldwide. Organizers are calling on migrant workers, their allies, and all citizens to participate by stopping work, boycotting services, and taking part in peaceful demonstrations throughout the city.

“Migrants contribute daily to Montreal’s economy and social fabric, but they are too often invisible or marginalized,” a spokesperson for the Assembly said. The December 18 event seeks to raise public awareness about the systemic challenges faced by these communities, including workplace exploitation and cuts to immigration programs.

The day will feature a series of gatherings, speeches, and initiatives to advocate for immigration policy reform and greater recognition of foreign workers’ rights.

What is IMA?

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) is the first-ever global alliance of, for and led by grassroots migrants, refugees and displaced peoples. IMA was established in June 2008 by 108 organizations from 25 countries.

Currently, IMA has more than 158 member organizations from more than 30 countries worldwide. Its membership is divided into two – regular members, for grassroots, migrant-led, membership-based organizations; and associate members, for organizations and institutions that support the causes of migrants.

The leadership of IMA is defined by a Global Assembly conducted every three year that draws the General Program of Action (GPOA) and elects the International Coordinating Body (ICB) to implement it. The ICB is composed mainly of 15 migrant leaders from across the globe and 2 representatives from the associate members.

As an anti-imperialist alliance, IMA aims to strengthen and put forward the voice of the grassroots migrants, refugees and displaced people on issues affecting them and their families. IMA lays down its analysis from the grassroots migrants’ point of view and challenges the current system and its mechanisms.

Download the report from here in French only: CTTI Rapport Annuel 2023-2024

The night was a full house with over 200 in audience for the premiere was followed by a lively exchange with film co-director Steven Maing and members of the Montreal Amazon Workers Committee and also the executive from Montreal Amazon Workers Union-Laval-CSN. The night’s discussion discussed the organizing strategies, the problems of health and safety, and how Amazon represents the future of both work for all of us but also the possibilities to organize these workers. This is a film that needs to be watched by all Amazon workers and those who believe in workers ability to overcome the challenges and organize for a better future

During the discussion, we addressed several key issues, including the current situation in Parc Extension, the state of employment and immigration in Canada, and the challenges faced by the Asian community in the region. These issues were particularly important for me, as I have seen firsthand the struggles faced by immigrant workers.

As part of my contribution, I performed a song

of victory and hope, dedicated to all workers across Canada. Through this song, I aimed to inspire optimism and highlight the importance of fulfilling basic needs like food, education, and employment opportunities. It was both a personal expression and a tribute to the hardworking individuals who drive Canada’s growth and prosperity.

I hope my participation helped shed light on the challenges faced by immigrant workers and the ongoing need for greater support and inclusivity. I look forward to continuing the conversation on immigration and the future of workers in Canada.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Come and organize with the women’s committee of the CTTI immigrant workers’ center. You are not alone; we can help you.

Reports from CityNews, Le Devoir, and CTV News emphasize the voices of community leaders and activists, including calls for a general strike to demand protections and rights for immigrants. These actions aim to counter policies that risk creating deeper vulnerabilities for those contributing to Canada’s economy and communities.

Read more:

• montreal.citynews.ca – Reduced immigration targets spark concerns
• ledevoir.com – Community center calls for general strike
• montreal.ctvnews.ca – Reduced immigration targets create precarity

1. Compensation Below the Minimum Wage: Many victims are receiving compensation that does not follow the indexing of the minimum wage, leading to a significant loss of income.
2. Impoverishment in Retirement: All victims of work-related injuries suffer financial hardship in retirement because the CNESST does not contribute to the Quebec Pension Plan (RRQ) during the period of compensation.

The letter urged Minister Boulet to take action to correct these injustices. Due to the lack of a satisfactory response, a campaign outlining these demands has been launched. You can view the dedicated page for this campaign here: https://uttam.quebec/appauvrissement/index.php

The effects of freezing or reducing temporary permits, when they remain “closed”.

If we fail to abolish closed permits, i.e. those attached to a single employer – a situation denounced by the UN rapporteur as opening the door to contemporary forms of slavery (report of July 22, 2024) – all the measures taken this autumn to manage the increase in the number of temporary workers create a situation even more conducive to abuse of all kinds towards these people.

Firstly, they will swell the ranks of the undocumented. In addition to showing that it is the immigration system that is responsible for the loss of migratory status, they illustrate a contempt for these people reduced to disposable commodities, and all the more so since the regularization program that is taking shape is in fact reduced to a pittance.

These measures exacerbate the precariousness of people entering through the TFWP for low-wage jobs. Indeed, by losing their status due to the inability to renew the closed permit (through the six-month freeze in Montreal decided by Quebec or, on the federal side, by stopping admission to certain metropolitan areas and reducing the quota of temporary permits within an establishment), these people who are already present on the territory are not supposed to stay in Canada; yet many of them have been living here for several years, often with their families.

Another type of measure, the reduction in the duration of the closed permit, from 2 years to 1 year, jeopardizes the possibility of obtaining a new permit in time. Secondly, for those few who had the opportunity to apply for permanent residency, the hope of succeeding is dashed by the complexity of the process, which often takes more than a year.

Migrants and immigrants, scapegoats for rising unemployment rates.

These measures are a hypocritical political choice, because they are not designed to discourage employers who make endless use of temporary workers, then throw them out when they no longer need them.

On the contrary, they heavily penalize workers with closed permits, regardless of the program through which they entered (other components of the TFWP or international mobility programs), and even beyond. Indeed, other migrants with a temporary open permit by definition lose the possibility of extending their stay by accepting, as we regularly see, a closed permit.

Once again, while they are the first victims, migrants find themselves singled out, this time as “job thieves” after “housing thieves” and “daycare thieves”, to hide the incoherence and discriminatory negligence of policies. They serve as easy scapegoats, deprived of a collective voice.

In-depth reform of an immigration system that fuels precariousness and vulnerability

Because this immigration system is at the root of systemic discrimination, because there is still no regularization program worthy of the name, and because migrants are losing their status because of this multi-speed system, the signatory groups are calling for in-depth reform to base the immigration process on respect for rights, and on prioritizing access to permanent residency. In the immediate term, they call for :

*. Abolish the closed work permit, a real means of protecting migrants and getting them out of cheap labor;

*. Suspend the application of measures taken for workers already present on the territory, and allow them immediate access to permanent residency;

*. Facilitate access to permanent residency, particularly for those already in Canada;

*. Implement a truly inclusive regularization program for people without migratory status.

Citations

They want to close the doors to foreigners, to migrants, when they know they need this workforce to move the country forward. It’s just not fair. It’s true that Quebecers are angry at national employers or companies that hire foreigners, but what’s happening is that many young people or local people aren’t qualified to do this work because they demand much more than we do, so we have to make do with what employers give us…. – Josefa, migrant worker.

The Quebec government urgently needs to open the doors to permanent immigration for temporary foreign workers on the territory. When labor needs are permanent, we must allow workers who so desire to make their lives here, as permanent residents and ultimately as citizens, so that they can fully exercise their rights and contribute to the vitality of our regions. Dominic Lemieux, directeur québécois du Syndicat des Métallos

 So many restrictive measures have been taken, and so many political messages have been projected for over a year against migrants and immigrants, to discourage their presence in Quebec. For us, it’s indisputable: the government is moving in the opposite direction to that of an inclusive society, and encouraging a step backwards towards the recognition and exercise of their human rights.– Alexandre Petitclerc, président of the Ligue des droits et libertés.

Signed by

1. Accueil et Intégration BSL (AIBSL)
2. Action Chômage Kamouraska (ACK)
3. Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS)
4. Association générale étudiante du Cégep de Rimouski (AGECR)
5. Association pour les Droits des Travailleur·ses de Maison et de Ferme (DTMF-RHFW)
6. Au bas de l’échelle (ABE)
7. Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD)
8. Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
9. Centre de Lecture, d’Écriture et de Formations Mitis-Neigette (CLEF Mitis-Neigette)
10. Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants (CTTI)
11. Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
12. Centre femmes de la Mitis
13. Clinique pour la Justice Migrante (CJM)
14. Collectif pour un Québec sans pauvreté
15. Comité d’action de Parc-Extension (CAPE)
16. Comité logement Bas-Saint-Laurent (CLBSL)
17. Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
18. Conseil central du Bas-Saint-Laurent (CCBSL-CSN)
19. Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN (CCMM-CSN)
20. Conseil centre Québec-Chaudière-Appalaches-CSN (CCQCA-CSN)
21. Conseil régional FTQ Bas-Saint-Laurent-Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (CRBSGI)
22. Conseil régional FTQ Montréal métropolitain (CRFTQMM)
23. Conseil régional FTQ Québec et Chaudière-Appalaches (CRFTQQCA)
24. Corporation de développement communautaire des grandes marées (CDCGM)
25. Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ)
26. Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ)
27. Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ)
28. Fondation Béati
29. Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
30. Groupe interuniversitaire et interdisciplinaire de recherche sur l’emploi, la pauvreté et la protection sociale (GIREPS)
31. Illusion Emploi de l’Estrie
32. International Migrants Alliance Canada (IMA Canada)
33. Le Collectif Bienvenue/Welcome Collective
34. Le Débrouille
35. Le Québec c’est nous aussi (LQCNA)
36. Ligue des droits et libertés
37. L’Observatoire pour la justice migrante (OPLJM)
38. Médecins du Monde Canada
39. Migrante Québec
40. Mission communautaire de Montréal (MCM)-Solutions Justes
41. Mouvement Action-Chômage de Montréal (MAC de Montréal)
42. Mouvement autonome et solidarité des sans-emploi (MASSE)
43. PINAY (organisations des femmes philippines du Québec)
44. Regroupement d’éducation populaire en action communautaire des régions de Québec et de Chaudière-Appalaches (REPAC 03-12)
45. Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ)
46. Regroupement des groupes de femmes de la Capitale-Nationale (RGFCN)
47. Réseau d’aide aux travailleuses et travailleurs migrants agricoles du Québec (RATTMAQ)
48. Service d’accueil des nouveaux arrivants de La Matanie (SANAM)
49. Solidarité populaire Estrie (SPE)
50. Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (SCFP)
51. Syndicat des Métallos
52. Table de concertation des groupes de femmes Bas-Saint-Laurent (TCGFBSL)
53. Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI)
54. Table des groupes de femmes de Montréal (TGFM)

For any questions: 

Cheolki Yoon (CTTI): medias@iwc-cti.ca

Viviana Medina, a community organizer at the Immigrant Workers Centre (CTI-IWC), is deeply concerned about the plight of temporary workers, particularly those who lose their status due to workplace violence. She argues that the current system is too inflexible for these vulnerable individuals. Medina advocates for a legislative overhaul that would allow foreign workers to retain their status despite abuse, while ensuring more humane and protective labor rights.

Read more here (in french)

Lead plaintiff Byron Acevedo Tobar, in a powerful testimony, revealed years of abuse while working for three different employers. His story highlights the deep-rooted exploitation in sectors such as agriculture and care, where closed work permits silence workers and trap them in toxic environments under the constant threat of deportation. Despite the government’s attempts to limit the scope of the case, this action aims to extend its impact to all foreign workers affected since 1982.

This case goes straight to the heart of Canada’s immigration laws, and its outcome could finally bring justice to those trapped in what critics call a “modern form of slavery”.

In an interview with CBC and Reuters, Marc Miller announced some distressing news in the middle of summer, when it’s hard to mobilize large numbers to protest: the Liberal government is backing down in the face of rising anti-immigrant rhetoric, and is expected to examine a minimal regularization program, which will only concern workers in the health and construction sectors.

We’ll have to wait for Marc Miller’s proposal to the Council of Ministers to find out how these sectors of activity are defined, and whether, for example, care work in private homes is included – which is the case when you work for the parapublic Health and Social Services sector and visit people’s homes. We’ll also see how eligible workers are limited; for example, will it be necessary to bring proof issued by an employer? Or will self-certification suffice?

Much remains unknown. It would still be a good idea for these workers to have access to permanent residency – it’s true that labor shortages in these sectors are here to stay, and that this is one of the main reasons for launching a regularization program, instead of taking the path of respecting the fundamental rights of people living in Canada, as this country has a duty to do under international laws and conventions.

In an open letter addressed to Justin Trudeau and his Immigration Minister Marc Miller, and published in Le Devoir and the seven regional dailies of the Coop de l’info on May 8, 2024, the Quebec Campaign for the Regularization of Non-Status Migrants recalled that the objective of a regularization program “cannot be reduced to filling short-term labor shortages. It is about putting an immediate end to the conditions of misery, harassment and overexploitation in which many undocumented migrants find themselves. The program must ensure a decent life for these hundreds of thousands of people who are integrated into society and who aspire to contribute fully to it as citizens free to exercise their rights.”

And at the press conference held on May 25, 2024, a few days before that disastrous Council of Federal Ministers meeting that saw some of them reject a comprehensive and inclusive regularization program, Imene, from CTTI’s Women’s Committee, stressed: “Not regularizing these people who have lost their status most often because of flaws in immigration policies, or sorting out among them those who will be regularized, will only drive them deeper into fear and abuse. We cannot tolerate this.

Even if we cannot simply refuse the limited program that is likely to be proposed, it is clear that our mobilization will continue, with all the many allies that this campaign for the rights of migrants and immigrants continues to attract a large number of people. This is all the more necessary given the rise of racism and xenophobia, and the scapegoating of asylum seekers and temporary workers for the crisis in access to social and affordable housing, and quality public services. Barely two years after the end of the pandemic, migrant and immigrant workers are being singled out, when far from being the cause of any crisis, they are among the main victims, and are as “essential” as ever to keep these services and many sectors of activity running. We’re right to be angry!

We’ll be back on September 14 for the weekend of mobilization organized by FRAPRU to denounce the confusion between the housing crisis and immigration. Throughout the autumn, we’ll be conducting a wide-ranging awareness and mobilization campaign to broaden the draft regularization program due to be announced, and to combat racism and xenophobia in all their forms. And above all, to make it clear that the rights of migrants and immigrants are non-negotiable in a society of social justice!

Stay tuned for further initiatives to be announced.

The employees of the Laval warehouse voted in favor of unionization in May 2024, making them the first group of Amazon employees in Canada to officially unionize under the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN). This victory is the result of months of mobilization and intensive discussions on working conditions, wages, and benefits. The negotiation process for the collective agreement is expected to address crucial issues such as workplace safety, recognition of years of service, and improvement of working conditions.

This advancement could inspire other Amazon employees in Canada and elsewhere to consider unionization to improve their working conditions and gain formal representation.

Read more here