Uganda's Bobi Wine at Canada Immigrant Convention

Bobi Wine, a popstar-turned-politician from Uganda, was present at the Canada Migrant Convention in 2023 in Toronto. He spoke at the National Unity Platform (NUP) Canada Diaspora Convention in Toronto, Ontario which took place over the weekend. Ugandans living in Canada expressed their excitement about Bobi Wine’s visit and the upcoming National Unity Platform. In his speech, Bobi Wine spoke truth to power, awakening the revolutionary spirit of the diaspora. The Convention focused on issues of governance, human rights and democracy.  Organizers said that one of the aims of the convention was to enable participants to understand deeper the phenomenon of people power and popular protests that were sweeping world capitals.

Bobi Wine also attended a service at Dominion Church in Toronto. The congregation of hundreds of Ugandans at the Dominion Church included the NUP leadership in Canada, his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi, Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, and his elder brother Eddie Yawe. The pastoral team includes Rev. Eddie Jjumba and Pastor Becky Tey. The church also provides free counseling and transportation to the church. They have been actively involved in supporting the refugee crisis in Canada. Over 100 refugees have survived sleeping on the streets in Canada and are now having temporary shelter at Dominion Church International.

The Migrants’ march

Migrants, including undocumented people, students, and refugees, marched in cities across Canada on Sunday, September 17, 2023. They demanded the government create an uncapped program that would grant permanent resident status to all migrants and undocumented people without any exclusions. The march was organized by the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

The protesters believe that without permanent resident status, undocumented people face massive exploitation at work, are denied life-saving treatments in healthcare, and live in daily fear of deportation, and the pain of family separation. The protest comes after Canada’s temporary foreign worker program was labeled a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery” by a United Nations official earlier this month.

Sarom Rho, an organizer with the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said that there are 1.7 million people in Canada on temporary study or work permits. They are growing Canada’s food, taking care of children, and working in essential frontline jobs.

The marchers believe that it hurts all of us when there is a section of our society who are denied the same rights and protections as everyone else. The protest was held ahead of the resumption of federal parliament on Monday.

'Without status, you can't do anything in this country,' said one undocumented migrant

Migrants, including undocumented people, students and refugees, marched in cities across Canada Sunday to demand permanent residency status for all ahead of the resumption of federal parliament on Monday.

In Toronto, migrants and supporters marched downtown, including through the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street, prompting police to say on social media that traffic in the area had been disrupted.

The protesters are calling on the government to create an uncapped program that would grant permanent resident status to all migrants and undocumented people without any exclusions, according to Sarom Rho, an organizer with Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

"Without permanent resident status migration, undocumented people are facing massive exploitation at work, are denied life saving treatments in healthcare, live in daily fear of deportation and the pain of family separation," Rho said.

Protest comes after UN criticizes foreign worker program

The protest comes after Canada's temporary foreign worker program was labelled a "breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery" by a United Nations official earlier this month. Tomoya Obokata, UN special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery,  called on the federal government to give all temporary foreign workers a pathway to longer term or permanent residency. At the time, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Marc Miller's office wouldn't say if such a permanent pathway would be instituted.  

Jane, an undocumented immigrant from Uganda, attended the protest in Toronto. She requested CBC News withhold her last name because of her precarious immigration status. After living undocumented in Canada for six years, Jane says she wants permanent residency so she can get a good job and be treated equally.

"A fair job where you won't be discriminated, where you earn decent wages, where you [are] free to go wherever you want, to reunite with your families," she said. "Without status you can't do anything in this country."

The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program in Canada allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available. This program is regulated through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

The program is administered in partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), through its Service Canada processing centers, assesses applications from employers requesting permission to hire temporary foreign workers.

The program conducts Labor Market Impact Assessments to determine the likely effect these workers would have on the Canadian labor market. The assessment considers available labor market information for the region and the occupation, the employers’ recruitment and advertisement efforts, wages and working conditions, labor shortages, and the transfer of skills and knowledge to Canadians.

As a temporary foreign worker, you have the right to change employers while you are in Canada. It is illegal for your employer to punish or deport you for looking for another job. When you came to Canada as a temporary foreign worker, you were granted a work permit for a period of time. You may need to change your work permit before you can start working for a different employer.