Act Now! Raided Workers Facing Deportation

ACT! CALL! WRITE!

This Sunday, 41 workers will be handcuffed, dragged to an airport and
placed on a plane to Thailand. Many of them will never have the chance to
return to Canada. They were arrested with dozens of others on their way to
work or while packing food at Cericola Farms, in southwestern Ontario last
week. CBSA then lied to them and tricked them into waiving their legal
rights. This is a targeted attack by the Tory government against migrants.
Minister Van Loan can stop these deportations; Minister Kenney can grant
them status.

YOU can insist that they do so.

1. Take public action against your MP, Immigration or Enforcement Office.
(See list of cities below)

2. Spread the word!
(http://rabble.ca/news/2009/04/protests-respond-ontario-immigration-raids)

3. Call Kenney and Van Loan. And call your local MP to pressure the
Ministers.

4. Send a letter to Ministers Van Loan and Kenney (sample below). Ask your
MP to do the same. Write to your local media outlet.

5. Spread the word. Stop the raids. Stop the deportations. Demand status
for all. On 2 May, take to the streets
(http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/275)

Further details in sample letter below.

Peter Van Loan, Minister
Constituency Office
T 1-877-738-3748; T: 613-996-7752
F 905-898-4600; F 613-992-8351
E vanlop1@parl.gc.ca
45 Grist Mill Road, Unit 10, Holland Landing, ON L9N1M7
Room 209-S, Centre Block, Ottawa, ON K1A0A6

Jason Kenney, Minister
P. 613-992-2235; F. 613-992-1920
P. 403-225-3480. F. 403-225-3504
E Minister@cic.gc.ca. AND kennej@parl.gc.ca
325 East Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
1168 137 Ave SE. Calgary, AB T2J 6T6

Ministers Van Loan and Kenney,

On April 2nd and 3rd, CBSA raided three food processing factories where
they held all workers at gun point. These workers were herded into a
cafeteria where citizens and permanent residents were separated from other
workers.

These other workers, many of whom possess temporary work permits, were
handcuffed and held on a bus for over eight hours. In unprecedented
weekend hearings, most of the detained workers were tricked into waiving
legal advice or the right to dispute their removal.

These illegal and egregious actions were followed by speedy requests for
travel documents, as their original passports are held by unscrupulous,
corrupt agents at TNT Recruitment. The Thai consulate has provided these
papers and 41 of the arrested are being put on a plane on Sunday April
19th.

Removing workers from Canada in this way is arbitrary and illegal. The
recruitment agency and the company which paid these workers $9.00 an hour
for 12 hours of back-breaking and brutal work have not been charged.

Minister Van Loan, sign a notice to stop the deportations. Minister
Kenney, grant all workers arrested full status. Stop using the economic
crisis as an excuse to target migrant workers and their families!

++++++++++++++++++++++
Endorsed by:
No One Is Illegal-Toronto
Justicia for Migrant Workers
Migrante Ontario
No One Is Illegal Vancouver
Solidarity Across Borders (Montreal)
Immigrant Workers Center (Montreal)
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty
++++++++++++++++++++++

Actions:

18 April
Toronto
Details to be announced

17 April
Montreal
Meet at downtown CBSA Offices

14 April
Calgary
1130, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
100 - 6 Avenue S.W

9 April
Vancouver
http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=1048

7 April
Edmonton
http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/local/article/210247

5 April
Toronto
http://rabble.ca/news/2009/04/protests-respond-ontario-immigration-raids

(Please email nooneisillegal@riseup.net if you're organizing an action)