SUNDAY - Migrant Workers Bring Caravan for Justice into Toronto

TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2011 /CNW/ - As Ontarians prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, the migrant farm workers who harvest their seasonal produce are organizing to demand justice against exploitative labour conditions and unfair immigration practices. On October 2, migrant workers will bring their demands to the Ontario Ministry of Labour in Toronto in an unprecedented action.

Who: Justicia for Migrant Workers 
What: Migrant Worker Solidarity Caravan for Justice, Respect and Dignity
Date: Sunday October 2, 2011 @ 3:00pm
Where: Ministry of Labour, 400 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Dubbed the Pilgrimage to Freedom, migrant workers from across the province will converge in Toronto as the final stop in their three-week tour of towns and cities across Ontario.

The caravan was organized to raise awareness about the issues affecting over 280,000 migrant workers across Canada. In past weeks the caravan has traced the historic route of the Underground Railroad in Southern Ontario in order to recognize past struggles for freedom and raise awareness around current injustices in the province.

"It has been inspiring to see the ways in which migrant workers have connected struggles of the past and present," says Tzazna Miranda Leal, organizer with Justicia for Migrant Workers.

"Migrant workers today also exist in a system of indentureship, where they are tied to their employer and face the constant risk of deportation. As we gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, we should keep in mind the great sacrifices these workers have made. Most of them don't see their families for half a year or more so that we can enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. The Underground Railroad is representative of a dream of freedom that is denied to many migrant workers today as they are subject to harsh labour conditions and unjust immigration laws."

With stops in Simcoe, Brantford, Hamilton and Toronto, migrant workers are bringing their voices and concerns to all those who buy fruits and vegetables from the farms and fields of Ontario.

In Toronto, there will be a community rally to greet the migrant workers at the Ministry of Labour (400 University Avenue south of Dundas Avenue) at 3:00pm which will continue on to a rally at Simcoe Place Park (Front and Simcoe st) at 4:00 pm. 

For further information:

Tzazna Miranda Leal - 647-618-5325 or Chris Ramsaroop 647 834 4932
[e-mail]
www.justicia4migrantworkers.org