Document Details

2009-06-26

Sharon Hill

The Windsor Star

LEAMINGTON, Ont. — Another immigration raid in Leamington has netted six people.

The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Thursday that officers had conducted an investigation at a Leamington business Wednesday morning.

Officers detained six individuals for possible violations of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, agency spokeswoman Teri Mailloux said Thursday afternoon.

Mailloux wouldnt name the business or give more details on the people arrested.

Naveen Mehta, UFCW Canadas director of human rights, said three of the six are men from Mexico. He said the immigration raid took place at a Leamington greenhouse.

On May 27, the Canada Border Services Agency detained eight people after a raid at a different Leamington greenhouse.

Another immigration raid this week renewed calls from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union to change the ways workers are brought into the country to work and allow foreign workers to become permanent residents.

Mehta called the temporary foreign worker program a national embarrassment.

To have people come work and then go back, then come again, work, go back. Its basically an indication that you are not worthy or we dont even want you to stay. We just want your labour. Thats very un-Canadian. Thats not what our history is about.

Mehta said one of the Mexican men detained came to Canada last year as a temporary worker but was laid off. Under the temporary foreign worker program, workers are allowed into Canada to work for a specific employer. They cant switch employers without changing their paperwork.

He said its very difficult for foreign workers who may have a language barrier to find another job and get their new employer to get their paperwork in order.

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  Six Detained In Immigration Raid (http://www.immigrationwatchcanada.org/2009/06/26/six-detained-in-immigration-raid/)
  

Agriculture and horticulture workers

Policy analysis

Public awareness

Ontario and México

English