Migration and activism

Last Spring I told someone that I needed to choose my battles. I was talking then about my involvement in a grassroots organization called the Spanish Speaking Education Network (SSEN <http://www.ssencanada.org>). This dedicated group of parents and educators from the "Spanish speaking" community of Toronto was created as a reaction to a report from the local public school board (better known as TDSB) in which high school students from "our" cultural-ethnic-whatever group had an increasing trend in terms of drop out rates. In other words, compared to other groups whose drop-out rates might or might not be increasing, Hispanics / Latin-Americans / Spanish-speakers drop-out rates were increasing at a faster pace.
Of course this is an alarming trend. Through a recommendation by my friend SZ I was able to participate on a round-table and give a talk on the first congress of the SSEN in September of 2006. In the second congress, this past September, I participated as a moderator in one of the small groups of parents discussing the talks given during the day. I am just happy I was able to help. But my commitment to the organization couldn't go further... there might be time constraints and personal situations of this year that made me think about saying no (I have a problem with "saying no"). So I chose not to pick that battle. I am aware now that my motivation in part decayed because I am not a parent. I do work in research in child development and parenthood is part of my interests from different perspectives. But I have no problem with the TDSB and/or "the system", because I have no children yet.

Last July I went to the screening of an early version of a documentary called "Migrants: Those Who Come From Within" from Mexican filmmaker Aaraon Díaz (left), and sponsored by the NGO Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW). Both the documentary and J4MW are trying to give voice to temporary or seasonal migrant workers here in Canada. Since the 1960s people from the Caribbean and Latin America have been coming to work in Canada, mainly in farms but also in other "seasonal" activities, through treaties (or "convenios" in Spanish) between the governments of Canada and the country of origin of these individuals. This issue caught my attention probably during my first couple of years in Canada when it was featured on the news or some sort of investigative journalism programs on TV. I found it, originally, interesting because (1)the workers being showcased were Latin American (I will stop doing the whole hyphenation thing soon, I promise): they were Mexicans working in Leamington, Ontario; and (2)it reminded me of my social studies classes in high school and other sources (like "La Patria del Criollo") that described the "herding" or workers, mainly indigenous people, from the highlands of Guatemala to the Pacific Ocean coast where they were needed for harvesting whatever. Thus, the post-colonialists neurons I've developed immediately were alerted of an issue that instead of having been resolved it just evolved into some sort of globalized version of the "herding" including useless bureaucracy and lack of planning that such 21st century international treaties are well known for.

I saw "Migrants" again this past Friday... Aaraon's documentary presents a handful of seasonal workers from Mexico and their families, whose lives were affected by coming to Canada. Marital problems, cancer, brain damage, death... a second time around keeps making my activist self thinking about waking up. I was able to talk and socialize with Aaraon and some friends from J4MW after last Friday's screening. He thinks I might be able to help him with a project he has in mind for the workers here in Ontario. I hope that if that is so, I will have the determination of giving a little bit of my time to this cause. Would I pick this battle? Does it have to be a battle or just the much needed volunteer work I think I have left for others to do? Because, you see, 21st Century Canadian citizenship implies this type of community involvement. The judge that makes us swear loyalty to Her Majesty tells us so... We are bombarded by charity organizations asking us, not only for money, but for time, that precious currency we cherish so much for ourselves.

Migration is a topic that touches an inner chord in me. I am myself a migrant, a hybrid by choice. I am lucky though. The lives of people I love have been affected by immigration policies. I've been thinking recently on my weekly (sometimes daily) dose of "what if's" about the effects in my life as it is now if my tourist visas to Canada would have been rejected. Illegal "staying" in Canada has a face now for me as well, for reasons I cannot disclose here. The refugee status system seems to be flawed and with unacceptable amounts of Type I and Type II errors. That is, both letting people in that don't meet the criteria (or even lie about their situations) and denying status to those who will be persecuted once they return to their motherlands. People come to this country with technical and academic training that is not recognized, while there is a cry for skilled and unskilled workers.

So, the seasonal workers program, in paper, might sound like a solution. It might even be for the most part for the employer. And for the workers it most definitely is a chance of earning a "first world" salary for a part of the year. But is not a solution to illegal immigration, when this latter has the advantage of more freedom to chose from the different underground jobs that are available and in need of filling, whereas seasonal workers are still being "herd" across borders. Someone made the point last Friday of asking about the prevalence of problems like those shown in the documentary. For me (and I am a Stats guy, believe me) numbers don't matter. Particularly when, if a Canadian gets hurt or dies abroad, let's say in Cancún, it becomes an international incident.

Is there a double standard in the value of one human being's life over the life of another? You bet!

December 18th will be International Migrant's Day. You can check this website <http://www.december18.net> for activities and campaigns that might be occurring on your neck of the woods. And if you happen to be in Toronto at the time, you can check J4MW website <http://www.justicia4migrantworkers.org/>
for details on another screening of "Migrants: Those Who Come From Within" on that day.