Migrant workers across Canada protests to demand ‘status for all’

Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said he expects thousands of people to attend the rallies and marches planned in 13 cities.

Thousands of migrants and their supporters were planning rallies across Canadian cities Sunday to call on Ottawa to extend permanent status to undocumented people.

There will also be calls to swiftly implement an inclusive regularization program for undocumented migrants — a longstanding demand that advocates say appears closer than ever to becoming a reality.

Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said it’s an opportune moment for Ottawa to listen to his group’s calls for more access to basic rights for undocumented people in Canada.

“We have a historic opportunity right now to fix a wrong that has been going on for many, many years,” he said by phone before heading to a planned afternoon rally in Toronto.

“We want to make sure that parliament does not in any way delay.”

Ottawa launched a regularization program during the COVID-19 pandemic for asylum seekers who worked in the health sector. Since then, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indicated interest in expanding the initiative.

A mandate letter from December 2021 asked Trudeau’s immigration and citizenship minister to “build on existing pilot programs to further explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.”

Hussan said the program should include all undocumented people and argued it should be a focus for the government as parliament prepares to return next week.