FOLLOW UP: Advocate exposes mistreatment of migrant workers on Canadian farms & who’s responsible 

We have to continue to tell the truth for those who are too afraid or can't speak up! What's done in the dark comes to the light!

Thank you for your fantastic coverage! As a first generation Canadian I know when my European ancestors came to Canada to do farm work in the 1950s they could choose to leave the farm & were granted Permanent Residency when they arrived. I know my ancestors from the Caribbean didn’t get this kind of treatment - let’s treat farm workers like the important people they are! We must do better!!!

Jamaicans you can make it back home, do not settle for less. If you are not being treated right, go back home. It's better we go and try again, we can do it. But the system needs to change for everyone. Let's get out of slavery. I think that we can all help our countries to be more self sustainable.

I worked in a kitchen this past year making food for the migrant workers who were quarantined at a hotel. The distain that our kitchen manager had for these people was horrifying. She was cutting corners with dietary restrictions and said that these people didn't deserve the consideration. We had entire orders of pork breakfast sandwiches with the meat simply removed before being served to large groups of people who do not eat pork. They had no way of knowing their food was contaminated and the kitchen was so toxic and hostile I ended up getting fired for trying to speak up about these issues, among many others. You would think that Canadians would have a little more respect and care for the people who are providing the food we ALL eat. Thank you for shedding light on this exploitation, Canadians need to stop pretending we are above such atrocities.

As I typed on your platform last night I am calling out for JUSTICE for ALL FARM WORKERS PAST AND PRESENT...The government needs to reimburse these workers the monies wrongfully taken from them in the form of E.I C.P.P etc. My husband is suffering from PTSD especially when it comes to winter after been forced many years to work in extremely cold weather conditions even when the MET office warn otherwise... He also suffer from conditions like passing out every now and again and this started from the farm when he had to spray dangerous chemicals without proper PPEs... He also said a farm with around 89 men would have 3-4 microwaves, lunch time on some farms are 30-45 mins, my husband said the workers are taken off work on the exact time of lunch, while they are taken to & from the bunkhouse their minutes are running, with 3-4 microwaves workers don't heat, eat and digest their foods properly, therefore many throw up after resuming work... I could go on and on but as I said...The farm workers and their families needs JUSTICE

Wow. This is heartbreaking and sickening. Less than $2000 a month while working and living in despicable conditions??? This is madness. I will do whatever I can to help.

Thank you for covering this story! This is so important and so few Canadians know about the human rights violations that are taking place

I always respect people who speak up for the oppressed. Thank you for the fine work.

Systematic slavery is something we need to realize is done right in front of our faces …. From 1966 to now in 2022 … thanks Brandon once again for sharing this content🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎

Yes Brandon! Blessings to you! I appreciate you covering this story! You are brave and we respect you for this!

Thank you for bringing this situation more to light, please don't stop reporting on this matter. Things definitely need to change..

Sometimes I feel like I have lost all hope in mankind. The evil that they show towards other humans is just overwhelming. These individuals are fueled by the devil himself.

THANK YOU THANK YOU!! LETS GO VIRAL WITH THIS CRAP! LETS NOT ACT LIKE like CANADA should NOT BE PUT ON BLAST!

Thanks Brandon for reporting this!

Thanks Brandon for highlighting this horrible issue

Absolutely disgusting. I feel so sorry for these people. This is not what Canadians want. Our government are monsters.

Completely enraged!

This is news reporting 🙌🏾 #TeamBG This is heartbreaking thank you for continuing to shed light on this harrowing atrocity 😩

Something really needs to be done about this. It’s insane

This is why I rate Brandon Gonez, amazing work 👏🏾 🙌🏾 🙏🏾..... these major news networks could never. shame on Canada and shame on the Canadian government from 1966 until now, it is a crime to be poor but trust mi God naw sleep. R.I.P. to all the migrant worker who die to help put food on our tables where they had none on their's

We need help but one man can't do it 😫 😪

Thank you Brandon. This is inhumane please don’t stop reporting on this

God bless you for bringing this to our attention.

Thanks Brandon for what yu do. Excellent content

Hi Brandon thank you for highlighting this evil that's being done to these migrant workers. Please post the link for the petition so we can share.

This was a very powerful segment. Really good information. So disappointing to hear what is going on, and what these workers were told by their own minister. Change is needed. This exploitation needs to stop.

Mr. Gonez get a list of all the farms in Ontario where migrants workers are employed. They are being taken advantage of in the most deplorable way imaginable; this is 2022 and what is happening is disgusting, disgraceful and inhumane.

Thank You for covering this story, my Uncle use to do Farm Work. He worked long hours, back breaking work for little pay. He could have family visit once every two months for a limited time and he was not aloud to leave the farm.

This is definitely not new but glad to c it covered on this platform cuz this need crowd. And these are the same farms who talk about “locally grown” “handpicked” “grown with love” smh They forgot to add “with a dash of exploitation”

Very informative 👏👍

This is so sad.... 😞

I am here in Canada, Kelowna BC and I had to work 3weeks before pay and when I did get paid it was short and it was not even me alone. 99% of the workers was shorten paid or didn't receive any till the othe week

I always thinking to apply making me change my mind we may live pool in our country and that condition

Thanks for video....

Please list these farms. Who and where are they?

Thanks for bringing the many struggles and hardship migrants face to light

Unfortunately I do not see Canadian care for the workers in farms, Canadians can care less

SLAVERY Brandon, I’m wondering how can we get a response from the Jamaican government???!!!

What can we do? Who do we contact?

Brandon you doing a very good job

We must stand up for all workers. Informal workers need even more protections. Migrant workers must be protected by both the sending and receiving countries and should have the same benefits as other workers in Canada. Anything less is the equivalent to modern day slavery. We must do everything to protect the people who care for us in many ways. Racism, discrimination and inequities should not be part of the world of work. All migrant workers must have a path to permanent citizenship, fairness and proper living conditions.

Keep it coming!!!

Injustice will not go unnoticed .......only for a time .

Jamaicans get bad treatment in British Columbia Canada too. i been through it.

i hope the government fix it ,what a shame.

I was in this situation In novia Scotia I had first hand of exactly what they're talking about and there's absolutely no lies to these stories I have lived it but God has been good to me I manage to get myself out of it in one piece 🙏I hope the girls get some help.

Very informative thank you guys for bringing light to this.

This is crazy how people( our) people are treated that's working so hard.oh my God

I know one guy that is currently working at a farm in BC. Guy got really sick and went to the hospital and that's when he discovered that his boss didn't take out health insurance for his workers. Poor guy had to pay the equivalent of 3 months pay out of pocket.

Look into the construction industry, the home renovation after fire or floods, and now landscaping , a lot of illegal immigrants in that industry that get low pay and a lot of abuse and some get sent back to their countries and their employers don't pay them, home builders and contractors know about and they are making a lot of money from this people because they save money on the wages

Before all this Canada would have children from English poor families shipped here to be farm hands. Many were treated terribly. Look up the British Home Children.

So where are the liaison officers that the countries send to Canada from the source countries. They are paid well, provided a free home and car here in Canada to look after the migrant workers and advocate for them. This is not only the responsibility of Canada but the source countries are not doing their do diligence to ensure that the farmers are well taken care of. What are these government workers being paid for .

Deep

I’ve seen one of the housing and it is horrible. They cannot speak up in most cases because they may be sent home. It’s a horrible system.

We need more because we're not slave Bob Marley said free yourself from mental slavery wake up people

Wow just wow

Is this problem general across Canadian farms?

Its sad to say but as a jamaican our government don't give a two rats about what happen to these workers ok, the only time they will act as if they care is only when someone died and it on the news. Don't think they don't already know the mistreatment that these workers are enduring

Am I really the 1st on here. Whoa

You need help to grow your business and you got willing bodies and this is how you treat them? Ungrateful, boycott these farms!

I've heard all my life how nice Canadians are and believed it ((I live in MA). it's not abuse, it's slavery. i realize getting paid might not fit the slavery definition but everything else does, how horrific. do better Canada!

This is disgusting

It's always been an extension of the slave trade. They changed the definition of slavery in the English language to allow for slavery to continue. Now as long as a slave receives money they are called an employee.

Its that Canadian Racism

Mexico seeks to overhaul Canada migrant farmworker program amid climate disasters By Anna Mehler Paperny

Wow. That was a lot to digest.

Seems like it's only Jamaicans they put in these horrible conditions

Expose them one of brothers died and they tried to cover it up

Slave Master Dem ago pay bitterly fire lighting thunder .

I buy local, thinking I support good farmers. I am disappointed to say the least. Sickening, farmers are employing these people, they should have to tread them as such. Pay them a fair amount, tread them well. Why am I buying local to support these farmers, they sure complain a lot if they don’t get what they want. Feeding the country, and abusing their workers. Not ok.

That is modern day slavery jeeeezzzz

Better laws need to be implemented to better safeguard against employer abuse! The granting of permanent status to all isn't realistic, it's not something you just hand out like that, and this guy seems somewhat smart enough to know this. If you grant status to everyone, then there won't be a point to the program in the first place, as well as our immigration system will be easily exploited! This program has helped persons in their respective countries, so get to work on getting the farmers on board or red flag them severely if they fail to cease from exploiting these workers.

How can we help

😅

How can I get Hassan's contact???

Caribbeaners put up with this. Other migrant workers wouldn’t. Speak up!

not only farms. Factories use and abuse migrant workers as well. racialized immigrants in this country are treated usually the ones taken advantage of.

They need to pass a bill at the Ontario legislature

Sounds like modern day slavery.

Very very sad

Its modern-day slavery. Lets be honest Canadian ppl want fruits, vegetables but don't want ro work on the farm fields

Yeah he’s right

Farm workers deserve and need a union, the Con govt won't do anything for anyone but the rich.

Mexicans feed north America

Working 90 days straight that’s insanity

Status for all

😂

I know I'm going to get negative feedback for this, but why are only the Jamaican workers complaining? I have relatives going there for years who have never complained about these conditions. In fact they go back every year because they make more money than they would at home working an entire year. They have to understand that the work is seasonal and the crops have to be harvested and planted within a short time period. Long hours are a given but the workers get the extra pay.

Of course working 89 days 14 hours per day is awful! Those people should not have come to America illegally and they would not have been exploited by some abusive people. Obeying the law is a very good thing.

I just hope this is not a race hustle

Legaly you can work 14 hours a day 21 days straight with 4 days off. The fact these people are coming during harvest season what do they expect it's a limited work season and the work needs to get done. Make your money and go home.

They need to take the Jamaica government to court and we Caribbean people in the diaspora need to stand up againt this slavery tactics used by the governments in the name of better jobs when they can take Canadian government and its farm owners to task for exploitation its all political we need to fight the government and protest demand change