Join the movement to end abuses against migrants. Join the rally September 17
Migrants and their allies are mobilizing once again on September 17. The message we will deliver to the Canadian government is loud and clear – Regularize Everyone: It’s time.
Join the Migrant Rights Network on September 17 for a massive cross-country day of action for Status for All. KAIROS Canada and hundreds of other civil society organizations have endorsed this rally.
The federal government has signaled that it will regularize people who are undocumented, but these vulnerable people have been waiting for months for this to happen to do so. Even documented workers are vulnerable to workplace abuse when they are not permanent residents.
Migrants cannot keep waiting. The time for change is now.
The timing is important. September 17 is the day before Parliament resumes from summer recess. The Migrant Rights Network calls on the Prime Minister’s Office and the Honourable Marc Miller, the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada – to schedule a cabinet meeting in the fall to review a proposal on regularization. Specifically, the Migrant Rights Network and endorsing organizations, such as KAIROS, call on cabinet to work with migrant-led groups to regularize (give permanent resident status) to all undocumented people without exclusions or delays, and ensure permanent resident status for all 1.7 million migrants (more than the population of Manitoba).
Rallies are planned for cities across Canada. The Fredericton and Ottawa rallies will be held on September 16. The one in St. John’s takes place on September 25.
The Migrant Rights Network urges groups and organizations across the country to coordinate actions.
KAIROS Canada will attend the rally in Toronto. We will gather outside on the west side of the St. Paul’s Bloor Street church, 227 Bloor St East – from 1:30 to 1:50 p.m. and then march together to Yonge and Bloor for the 2 p.m. start.
KAIROS has called for permanent residency for migrant workers for more than 20 years. We have urged Canadian governments to end the human rights abuses that have resulted from indentured labour, which is a fixture of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers Program. Many workers become undocumented simply because they escape abusive working conditions or fall between bureaucratic cracks. The only humane solution is to provide status for all workers who are essential members of Canada’s economy and society. After decades of abuse, let’s end this abusive and racist system once and for all. #StatusForAll! Now!
If you represent a KAIROS local group or another organization, you are encouraged to endorse this day of action and offer support. Learn more! Visit: Regularize Everyone: It’s time. If you plan to organize an event or attend, please let us know! We will share your engagement on social media. Write to Cheryl McNamara at cmcnamara [at] kairoscanada [dot] org.
