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Migrant Workers In Canada ‘Vulnerable’ To Modern-Day Slavery: UN Expert
Montreal, Quebec – A United Nations expert has warned that Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs are a “breeding ground” for new forms of slavery, nearly a year after Jamaican farmworkers in the province of Ontario condemned their exploitation.
Tomoya Obokata, the UN’s special rapporteur on modern forms of slavery, said on Wednesday that he was “deeply disturbed” by “accounts of exploitation and abuse shared” with him by migrant workers during a two-week fact-finding tour to Canada.
“Employer-specific work permit regimes, including certain Temporary Foreign Worker Programmes (TFWPs), make migrant workers vulnerable to contemporary forms of slavery, as they cannot report abuses without fear of deportation,” Obokata stated.
His remarks came after a group of Jamaican farmworkers compared their treatment on two Ontario farms to “systematic slavery” in a letter to the country’s labor minister in August last year.
“We are treated like mules, and we are punished for not working fast enough,” they complained.
“Without proper protection, we are exposed to dangerous pesticides, and our bosses are verbally abusive, swearing at us.” They intimidate us physically, ruin our things, and threaten to send us home.”
A United Nations expert has warned that Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs are a “breeding ground” for new forms of slavery.
For years, human rights advocates have urged the Canadian government to address structural concerns in its temporary foreign worker programs, claiming that the programs expose workers to abuse and provide little recourse for remedy.
Each year, 50,000 and 60,000 foreign agricultural laborers enter Canada on temporary visas to work in various sectors ranging from fruit and vegetable growing and harvesting to meat processing.
Foreign employees recruited to Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programme (SAWP), which allows Canadian firms to engage temporary migrant workers from Mexico and 11 Caribbean nations, can work up to eight months per year.
Nonetheless, the employees, many of whom have been in Canada for decades, claim they are forced to live in overcrowded, poor accommodations and work long hours in hazardous conditions. They also claim they face deportation or other repercussions if they file complaints.
The office of Canada’s employment minister told Al Jazeera last year that Ottawa has set aside $38.1 million (52 million Canadian dollars) over three years in 2021 to increase support for migrant laborers and is striving to guarantee all workers are protected.
A United Nations expert has warned that Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs are a “breeding ground” for new forms of slavery.
“We know that temporary foreign workers need better information about their rights, as well as better health and safety protections,” said then-Minister Carla Qualtrough in a statement.
In addition, the Canadian government has stated that it is investigating avenues to permanent residence for foreign employees and international students.
However, human rights organizations have encouraged Canada to quickly grant permanent immigration status to all temporary foreign workers and other migrants, claiming that doing so would provide them with the best protection against potential abuses.
Later this month, protests seeking “status for all” will occur nationwide.
On Wednesday, UN Special Rapporteur Obokata noted that Canada has taken steps “to reduce the risk of forced and child labour.”
A United Nations expert has warned that Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs are a “breeding ground” for new forms of slavery.
However, he encouraged the administration to “provide a clear pathway to permanent residency for all migrants in order to prevent future abuses.”
“Canada must do more to put these measures in place to combat modern slavery, by protecting workers’ rights and combating discrimination that facilitates exploitation,” he said.
Obokata’s findings were welcomed by Syed Hassan, executive director of the advocacy group Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.
“The United Nations Rapporteur has once again stated what we all know, and migrants have been saying for decades – a two-tier immigration system… breeds exploitation, exclusion, and violence,” Hassan said in a statement.
“All migrants, including undocumented people, migrant students, workers, and refugees, must have permanent resident status in order to protect themselves and ensure a fair society.”
SOURCE – (AJ)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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