UN envoy calls Canada’s use of migrant workers ‘breeding ground for slavery’

Canada’s Reliance on Temporary Foreign Workers Breeds Contemporary Forms of Slavery, UN Warns

Canada’s reliance on temporary foreign workers is a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery, according to a report by UN special rapporteur Tomoya Obokata. The report highlights the deep power imbalances and discriminatory practices in Canada that cut costs for companies but exploit workers from the global south. Obokata toured several cities in Canada to study the temporary foreign worker program, which heavily relies on workers from Mexico, Guatemala, and Jamaica.

Exploitation and Abuse

• Workers are locked in debt bondage, borrowing money to participate in the program and relying on their Canadian wages to repay debts.
• Widespread emotional and physical abuse, wage theft, hazardous work conditions, long hours, sexual harassment, and exploitation.

The report states that the temporary foreign worker program institutionalizes asymmetries of power that favor employers and prevent workers from exercising their rights. Under the current rules, the program allows companies to bring in foreign workers when local workers are not available, with the agricultural sector relying heavily on seasonal migrant workers.

Increasing Reliance and Exploitation

1. Last year, employers hired 239,646 temporary foreign workers, more than double the number in 2018.
2. Employers are increasingly using the program to fill positions in new sectors, including fast food and construction.
3. The number of people hired for low-wage jobs in the healthcare sector has increased by more than 15,000% since 2018.

The coronavirus pandemic has shed light on the abuse and exploitation within the program. Chris Ramsaroop of Justice for Migrant Workers stated that rights groups have long raised concerns over worker exploitation, and the report serves as a “day of reckoning” for sectors that have turned a blind eye to abuse and discrimination.

Call for Change

Advocacy groups argue that the only way to end exploitation is to grant workers permanent resident status, a move resisted by the federal government. The government has instead pledged stricter oversight and the possibility of sector-specific work permits, which advocacy groups see as a tactic to deprive workers of power.

Ramsaroop emphasized the need to end the system of indentured labor and to stop profiting from the sacrifices of Black and brown workers from the global south.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The issues highlighted in the article, such as exploitation, discrimination, and abuse of temporary foreign workers, are connected to SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The article also mentions the deep power imbalances and discriminatory practices that contribute to reduced inequalities (SDG 10). Additionally, the article discusses the need for stronger institutions and justice to address the exploitation and abuse faced by these workers, aligning with SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
• Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are Target 8.7, which focuses on eradicating forced labor and modern slavery, Target 10.7, which aims to ensure safe and responsible migration, and Target 16.3, which promotes the rule of law and equal access to justice.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group.
• Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destination.
• Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.

The article mentions indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These include Indicator 8.7.1, which measures the proportion and number of children engaged in child labor, Indicator 10.7.1, which measures the recruitment cost borne by employees as a proportion of their monthly income, and Indicator 16.3.1, which measures the proportion of victims of violence who report their victimization to competent authorities.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theguardian.com