Canada’s Foreign Worker Program Under Fire – The Organization for World Peace

A United Nations report has raised serious concerns about Canada’s temporary foreign worker program, describing it as a “breeding ground for modern-day slavery.” The report highlights systemic problems such as wage theft, physical and verbal abuse, excessive working hours, gender-based exploitation, including instances of sexual abuse, and a lack of adequate health care and protective equipment. In some cases, such as in British Columbia, female workers were not only forced to work in precarious conditions but were also exposed to sexual abuse. The report also highlighted that workers are placed in vulnerable positions due to employer-specific permits, making it difficult for them to report exploitation without risking deportation. The report calls for urgent reforms to prevent further abuses and improve workers’ rights.

UN Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, who led the inquiry, stressed that Canada must do more to protect the rights of foreign workers, stating that the current system allows for serious exploitation. He further emphasized the need for the Canadian government to prioritize reforms, including providing clearer pathways to permanent residency for temporary workers. Furthermore, other advocates, such as Marco Luciano, Executive Director of Migrante Alberta, echoed these sentiments, pointing out that workers often face a difficult choice between enduring abuse or losing their jobs and being deported. He began by stating that the violations, including sexual harassment and exploitation, are not isolated incidents but systemic across the country. Many of these experts agree that there is a need for more comprehensive oversight and urgent legal protections to address the vulnerabilities of temporary foreign workers in Canada.

However, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller did express concern about the abuses detailed in the report, but opposed the use of the term “slavery,” calling it inflammatory. While this response seems to avoid full accountability for the human rights violations, Miller did acknowledge that the report raises significant concerns. He agreed that these reforms are essential given the current situation. This acknowledgement indicates that he is willing to address the violations, even if he disagreed with the language used.

The discovery of these violations through the UN report is deeply troubling. While acknowledging the problem is a step in the right direction, Canada’s current response falls short. Marc Miller’s reluctance to use the term “slavery” reflects an unwillingness to fully confront the grave reality of abuse within the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. If Canada continues down this path, it risks undermining its global reputation for human rights. These violations are not isolated, but there has been a worrying lack of international outcry, suggesting a disturbing normalization of exploitation within Canada’s migration system.

Canada must be held accountable and reform its migration policies to reflect its core values. Immediate, comprehensive reforms are needed, and public pressure must increase to demand these changes. In particular, Canada must implement stricter oversight, provide foreign workers with better access to resources, and create clearer paths to permanent residency. The points-based immigration system must also be overhauled to address hidden biases and deceptive practices. Rights education must be prioritized so that reporting abuse does not lead to retaliation. Canada must break with its discriminatory past and use migration as an opportunity for growth.

Canada’s troubled history with racism and slavery in the context of work permits and conditions extends beyond the exploitation of African and Indigenous peoples. Chinese workers building the transcontinental railroad in the 19th century endured brutal working conditions, dangerous environments, and discriminatory policies like the Chinese poll tax. Jewish refugees, particularly during World War II, were also denied entry under Canada’s exclusionary immigration policies, famously summed up by the phrase “None is too many.” These instances of systemic racism echo in today’s migration policies, where power imbalances and exploitation persist. Recognizing this historical context is crucial to understanding the mistakes Canada has made and continues to make with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

In conclusion, if Canada continues to ignore the systematic exploitation within its Temporary Foreign Worker Program, it risks deepening social divisions and eroding trust in its institutions. Immediate reforms are needed to uphold human rights and promote long-term peace and security, and to ensure fairness in migration policies.