what: emergency planning meeting
when: thursday, april 16th, 6pm
where: OPIRG Ottawa U, 631 King Edward Ave
allies in toronto have asked for solidarity actions to take place in several cities across the country, including ottawa. see details below. this meeting will be to plan an action to take place soon, and is open to all. please forward widely.
****
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)
++++++++++++++++++++++
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)
