With Mass Regularization in Sight, Migrants Rally to Demand That No One be Left Behind
WHAT: Demonstration to demand that new federal regularization measures include all 1.7 million migrants living in Canada with precarious or no status, including an estimated 500 000 undocumented people
WHEN: Sunday, September 18th at 2PM
WHERE: Place du Canada (corner of René-Lévesque and Peel, Métro Bonaventure)
With the news that the federal government is working on a regularization program potentially impacting millions of undocumented and precarious migrants in Canada, migrants and their allies will rally in downtown Montreal just days before Parliament reconvenes to demand that the new measures be comprehensive, immediate, and fully inclusive, with no exclusions or discriminations.
There are at least 500 000 undocumented migrants living in Canada, and another 1.2 million temporary workers, migrant students, refugee claimants and families with precarious status. Living without status means being denied basic legal protections and services, such as labour rights or healthcare, and facing the constant threat of arrest and deportation.
The campaign to demand a fully comprehensive and inclusive regularization program is supported by over 480 different civil society organizations, including in Quebec the Ligue des droits et libertés, the Fédération des femmes du Québec, Doctors of the World and FRAPRU.
Speakers on Sunday will include representatives from the Immigrant Workers’ Centre, Solidarity Across Borders, and other groups as well as undocumented migrants. The demonstration will include a march, a creative action to symbolize that no one should be left behind, a performance from popular Quebec City-based hip hop artist Webster, and a street dance party.
