Press release: Migrant workers are speaking out publicly about abuse on Nova Scotia farms

Photo: Latoya Ben speaks to DBS Television, St Lucian media outlet, recalling abuse experienced by her and other migrant workers on a Nova Scotian farm. Screenshot taken from here.

Halifax, NS (September 18, 2022) – Migrant farm workers are sharing their stories of abuse and unfair treatment in Nova Scotia, as thousands rally throughout the country for migrant rights.

The poor treatment of migrant farm workers in Canada is currently dominating the headlines in Saint Lucia, which sent its first cohort of women to participate in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program in April. The women were sent to work at a strawberry farm in Nova Scotia. Latoya Ben, one of the women, recently spoke out against alleged verbal and physical abuse on the farm.

“The treatment was very disrespectful and very bad. We were working on our knees 24-7. The owner of the farm kicked one of the Saint Lucian ladies and called us hungry dogs,” Latoya Ben told DBS Television on September 13, 2022. The day before, One Lucian Radio aired an interview with a migrant worker on that same farm.

Other migrant farm workers in Nova Scotia are also coming forward to share their stories of workplace abuse for the first time.

“Having a workplace injury, I spoke to [the supervisors and manager on the farm] about it. There was no help offered from them. And, it’s like, they are giving us some false hope, in terms of ‘wait and this will happen’... and nothing happens. Having been injured at work, it was a very painful moment - physically, mentally and psychologically. It was part of me being depressed... The treatment from them wasn’t good. Our working conditions were very poor. We barely had lunch breaks...From the time I got to the farm til the time I left, these [Porta] Potties were there and they weren’t changed. Every day, you go to the same dirty smelling [Porta] Potti or toilet that cannot be used on a daily basis by females,” said one migrant farm worker from Saint Lucia on the condition of anonymity.  

“They don’t treat us the same way as they would treat a Canadian... These guys are getting away with a lot of stuff and no one is disciplining them,” said Paul, a Jamaican farm worker who has over 10 years of experience at an apple farm in Nova Scotia.

Paul recounts poor conditions on the farm where he worked, including overcrowded housing, pressure to work without a day of rest, threats to send workers back to Jamaica, verbal abuse, and late pay. Paul says that in 2021, while working, his employer pushed him down in an apple tree.

“It is a race for our life... This is the 21st century. Slavery was abolished a long time ago, but we still face this kind of abuse? We need somebody to come up front and help we, because we are human beings. We have kids, we have family,” he said.

“Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents. We regularly receive reports of abuse on farms across the province and we support migrant workers to know what actions they can take, and to take them. We need urgent provincial and federal action to stop the abuse and unfair treatment faced by migrant workers in Nova Scotia and throughout Canada,” said Stacey Gomez, who manages No one is illegal – Halifax/Kjipuktuk (NOII-Hfx) Migrant Workers Program. NOII-Hfx is a member of the Migrant Rights Network, Canada’s largest migrant-led coalition.

On September 17th, NOII-Hfx presented an art installation calling for full and permanent immigration status for all migrants in the Minister of Immigration Sean Fraser’s riding. Community members shared messages of solidarity for migrants and voiced their support for status for all. Today, thousands of people are expected to rally throughout the country with this demand, in the lead up to Parliament’s return. Migrants and migrant-led organizations are calling for status for all migrants to ensure equal access to rights, benefits and essential services for migrants.