June 30, 2024
The weather forecast on Saturday, June 29 was less than promising with heavy rain and high wind warnings. Amazingly, the clouds parted and sun broke through just as people began to arrive at the Virgil arena for the first ever farmworkers appreciation event hosted by the Jamaican Liaison Service.
Canadian and Jamaican flags fluttered in the breeze surrounded by green, yellow and black balloons.
James Golding, Donna Douglas and Althea Reilly, the 3 liaison officers credited with organizing the event, circulated among the growing crowd, shaking hands and greeting the farm workers and their employers.
“Farmworkers can we hear you?” announced Ms. Reilly once everyone gathered in and around the pavilion. A polite cheer followed which prompted her to repeat, “Farmworkers can we hear you?!”
A much stronger and enthusiastic response followed.
Liaison officer James Golding opened with greetings and a warm welcome.
“We would like to remind you that we must look after the program so that we can continue to look after the Jamaican people,” said Golding.
Deputy Mayor Erwin Wiens spoke on behalf of the Town and shared, “What we always say at Town Hall is that we have nice things because of the things you do. If you’re looking around the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, because of your hard work, this is what we’ve evolved to. It wouldn’t happen without you, it’s because everybody has worked so hard and contributing to make it this way. It’s not lost on our community how important you are, that you are contributing members and that you need to be taken seriously. On behalf of Gary Zalepa, myself, the Town council I guarantee you that we will keep working towards this. We want to thank you because our farmland is being preserved because you’re working the farmland or else we’ll lose farmland that is second to none anywhere. Because of people like you, who have left your families for 6 months at a time, year after year. Not only do we want to thank you, we want to thank your families that allow you to come back here year after year to make us prosperous. We have a terrific relationship with the Liaison Service and the Town of Niagara-on -the-Lake, and of course you and all of the employers. To all of the employers who brought everybody, thank you. It’s a team effort to keep the Town going, to keep the industry going and to keep the economy going because without the economy we don’t have nice things. Thank you very much, I am honoured to be here.”
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Owners of six local farms also shared about the importance of their Jamaican employees, agreeing that they are not only essential to the agricultural industry but also for protecting our farmland by keeping it viable.
Employees who have worked in Niagara for 29 years or more received certificates handed out by Liaison Officer Althea Reilly who offered personal words of gratitude for their sacrifice and hard work over the years.
She extended a special thank you to Coralee Stoner, the only female to receive the 29 year certificate that evening.
“We thank Cora for her hard work, long service and her dedication to this program. She has weathered the storm, she has taken care of her family, she has sent her kids to school and it is all because of the farm work program. She is one of the champions of this program especially when it comes to females. Cora represents what we look for in a female farmworker. Thank you for your dedication and service to the farmwork program.”
After the ceremony a well-organized crew distributed jerk chicken and curried goat dinners prepared in advance by a Toronto restaurant.
It was evident that the organizers were very pleased with the good turnout and indicated that it is an event that would be continued in the future.
As people mixed and mingled during the dinner, many of the those who received certificates were eager to share their thoughts. There was a common thread among every conversation.
One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, questioned why they are good enough to work here for 30 to 40 years and yet denied a path to permanent resident status.
Almost all have close family – parents, children, siblings – living in Canada who they long to spend time when their contract is completed for the year.
Every single person expressed the wish for their wives or partners to be able to see where they worked so hard for 8 months of the year, 30 years or more.
They believed they have earned the right to have permanent status, to be able to travel freely between the 2 countries after a well-deserved retirement.
Workers questioned how they can come here and work so hard, yet to be treated like this by a country who calls them essential and yet be denied status.
Canada is a wealthy country built by immigrants and enslaved people.
The labour of Caribbean and Latin American people has ensured a solid foundation for our farms and agricultural industry for the past 58 years.
Farmworkers, we can hear you.
As people mixed and mingled during the dinner, many of the those who received certificates were eager to share their thoughts, with a common thread among conversations.
One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, questioned why they are good enough to work here for 30 to 40 years and yet denied a path to permanent resident status.
Almost all have close family — parents, children, siblings — living in Canada with whom they would like to spend time when their contract is completed for the year.
The labour of Caribbean and Latin American people has ensured a solid foundation for our farms and agricultural industry for the past 58 years.