Question 1: What are the conditions of migrant farm workers in Canada?
The issue of housing conditions has been a longstanding concern in Canada and USA. Migrant farmers working on farms belonging to the native Canadians have encountered challenges associated with housing conditions (Klassen et al., 2022). These conditions include limited access to essential services, substandard living conditions, lack of sanitation facilities, overcrowding, and inadequate housing.
One of the common conditions is the need for more suitable housing. These migrant farm workers have been assigned and grouped in temporary shelters. These shelters include trailers and bunkhouses with numerous challenges, such as overcrowding, poor maintenance, and limited insulation. Due to these conditions, these farm workers are vulnerable to health problems and accidents such as fires.
Other significant conditions include limited access to essential services and improper insulation. Most of the farm works are located in rural areas, which could be far from urban services and amenities. Due to this, farmers placed in these temporary homes are denied reliable access to services such as community support, transport, schools and medical facilities (Landry et al., 2021). Most of these farmers suffer from social isolation due to limited access to cultural engagement and recreational opportunities.
The other condition, in this case, is poor sanitation. These temporary accommodations lack sanitation facilities, subjecting these workers to diseases and an unhygienic environment. This means these farmers needed more facilities such as laundry, showers, and clean bathrooms. Due to these unsanitary conditions, these individuals may develop health-related issues, thereby threatening their well-being.
Question 2: How may you contribute to improving and housing conditions of migrant farm workers in Canada
If I were in a position to help, I would have several activities to improve these housing conditions for these people. One of the ways I would contribute to improving these conditions is to volunteer, intending to participate in initiatives to assist migrant workers (Allan, 2019). Some of these initiatives include providing legal and language support, organizing safety and health workshops, and renovating and building facilities.
The other contribution I would make is raising awareness. I would educate others on the problems that migrant workers encounter daily (Klassen et al., 2022). To achieve this, I use social media to share information, organize awareness programs, and utilize local community groups to improve their housing conditions.
The other contribution I would make is engaging with local authorities to improve their housing conditions. To achieve this, I would communicate the matter to government representatives and local authorities concerning addressing these poor housing conditions. I would also advocate for regulations and policies prioritizing adequate and safe housing.
I would also foster community integration. I would extend the urge to welcome migrant workers to our society. To attain this, I would participate in language programs, community events, and cultural exchanges to improve their social support and sense of belonging. By doing these, I would ensure that I change their living conditions by empowering them.
Lastly, I would ensure the support of ethical employers. For agricultural produce that emanates from those farms, I encourage local community members to purchase them. For this activity, I would campaign for employers that support their workers by providing better housing conditions (Colindres et al., 2021). By doing this, other employers would align their considerations through improvements such as improving working and housing conditions for their migrant farm workers.
In conclusion, migrant farm workers have poor housing conditions. I would improve housing conditions by engaging with legal authorities, raising awareness, volunteering, and supporting ethical farm employers. Poor housing conditions include poor sanitation, inadequate housing, substandard living conditions, and lack of access to essential services.
References
Allan, K. (2019). Volunteering as hope labour: The potential value of unpaid work experience
for the unemployed. Culture, Theory and Critique, 60(1), 66–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735784.2018.1548300
Colindres, C., Cohen, A., & Caxaj, C. S. (2021). Migrant agricultural workers’ health, safety and
Access to protections: A descriptive survey identifying structural gaps and vulnerabilities in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), 3696.
Klassen, S., Migrante, F., & Wittman, H. (2022). Sharing the struggle for fairness: Exploring
Possibilities for solidarity & just labour in organic agriculture. Canadian Food Studies/La Revue canadienne des études sur l’alimentation, 9(2), 147-179. https://doi.org/10.15353/cfs-rcea.v9i2.536
Landry, V., Semsar-Kazerooni, K., Tjong, J., Alj, A., Darnley, A., Lipp, R., & Guberman, G. I.
(2021). The systemized exploitation of temporary migrant agricultural workers in Canada: Exacerbation of health vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations for the future. Journal of migration and health, 3, 100035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100035
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