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Mock Petition Letter (written by Heather Orrange-J4MW)

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Download J4MW mock petition letter in MS Word

This is intended to be a guide-please edit accordingly

Dear Honourable ….

I am writing to you in order to voice my concern for the thousands of Mexican and Caribbean migrant workers contracted under the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP). The majority of these workers return to Canada year after year through this programme, and while the success of the Canadian Agricultural Industry is highly dependent on their labour, the conditions under which they are employed are appalling and must be remedied immediately.

Although the SAWP contract stipulates that workers from Mexico and the Caribbean are to be treated equally to Canadians working in the same industry, nothing could be further from the truth. As has been widely documented by academics and interests groups, SAWP workers receive less pay than Canadians whom labour beside them in the fields of Southern Ontario, and they do not receive holiday or overtime pay. Workers must be paid an adequate wage which is comparable to their Canadian counterparts, and an independent monitoring system must be implemented in order to ensure that migrant workers are not further marginalized as a second class work force.

Additionally, SAWP workers are unable to access their right to Employment Insurance (EI). In 2001, it was estimated that migrant farm workers contribute over 11 million dollars to the EI fund yet their claims to collect returns from this programme are denied. In light of this discrepancy, the federal government must create a regime whereby migrant farm workers can claim the EI they are entitled.

EI is not the only benefit migrant workers are denied as Employment Agreements are also silent on Health and Safety protections. Workers are not provided with consistent safety training or protective gear, and many suffer the painful consequences of improper re-entry times after pesticides have been used. Furthermore, SAWP workers are entitled to adequate housing conditions provided by their employer. However, there is little effort if any put towards ensuring these workers live in safe and sufficient accommodations. As a consequence, workers are faced with unacceptable, overcrowded, and unsafe housing arrangements. Migrant agricultural workers must be included in effective Health and Safety Legislation and must be provided with housing that is adequate according to Canadian standards.

Furthermore, migrant agricultural workers are also excluded from the Labour Relations Act and are therefore denied the right to join or form a union. The absence of proper representation and repeal processes render these workers an extremely vulnerable workforce subject to poor treatment and intimidation by their employers. Several workers have documented cases where their coworkers have faced reprisals for demanding better working and living conditions. Reprisals often take the form of premature repatriation where workers are sent home at their own expense. An appeal process must be implemented to guarantee that migrant agricultural workers have the right to a fair and impartial process where they are able to express their side of the story.

It is clear that since the inception of this programme, migrant agricultural workers have been seen only as a suitable labour force who are returned to their country of origin after the completion of their contract. Many workers wish to have the opportunity to apply for Canadian Citizenship but are denied this right. The Canadian government must listen to the needs of these workers and implement a process whereby they can apply for Status in Canada.

In summary, I am demanding that the Canadian government take measures to insure the following:

1. That migrant workers as contracted under the SAWP receive equal treatment to their Canadian counterparts in terms of pay equity and that an independent monitoring system be implemented to ensure this is carried out sufficiently
2. That the federal government of Canada create a programme whereby migrant SAWP workers can claim the EI benefits that are granted to them in their contract
3. That SAWP workers be included in Canadian Health and Safety legislation
4. That SAWP workers be provided with safe and adequate housing by Canadian standards
5. That SAWP workers be permitted to practice their right to unionize and that a fair and impartial appeal process be implemented
6. That the Canadian government implements a process whereby SAWP workers can apply for permanent residency status in Canada

I trust that you will demonstrate your commitment to human equality by seeing that these discrepancies are immediately addressed.

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