Jamaican migrant worker dies on Canadian farm, new letter exposes horrible living conditions
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2022
- What is happening on farms across Canada? Multiple deaths of foreign workers dying on Canadian farms have triggered widespread concern from Canadians looking for answers about the controversial Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. The most recent, was Garvin Yapp, a Jamaican migrant worker who died while operating farm equipment at Berlo's Best Farm in Simcoe, Ontario. The news comes as migrant workers in Canada have also penned a new letter detailing disturbing details of horrific living and working conditions here in Canada. Brandon explains the details.
Thank you Brandon. This has been going on for to long and mainstream Canadian media DOESNT talk about it.
Agreed
Some leave there decent place to work just to continue to pay there bills
They make it sound like Canadians wouldnt do the work and they are not available. Canadians are available, these companies are not willing to pay regular wages or benefits. It's a disgrace
Absolutely agree and no Canadian would live and work under the mentioned conditions.
excellent point and very true
Exactly
Keep your foot on their necks. The government need to address this. It's so sad the conditions they have to live and work under. My God 😪
Shame, shame, shame, on the farmer’s.
We would never understand why employers of migrant workers treat them (employees) so cruel and unlivable conditions 😭😭😭😭
Hope the employers get audited and prosecuted.
The workers don’t even make minimum wage. A few years ago I was picking berries at a local farm and I was chatting with a farm worker from Barbados. He told me they made $10.75 a hour. No days off. He said the conditions were better than other farms he has worked at. He was a electrician and he was doing this to pay for his daughters university
Brandon THANK YOU for centring this story. Ppl will argue that they have been trying to out these farms from time but this is the most attention the situation has gotten. They need to be held accountable by any means.
The Jamaican government is planning on doing nothing
Outrageous, the government clearly is aware of this and they don't care. This is one of the reasons why we started a black initiative in Pamoja Community Investment Fund Development Cooperative, and purchased 100 acres of farmland. My goal is that we will hire our own people to work on our farm where they will be treated with respect and dignity.
How can I contribute? Is there a phone # to call? I am the daughter of a former migrant worker who know too well the pschological, social & emotional traumas that happen to farm workers & their loved ones.
@@mollyweir9350 and I'm so so sorry about what happened to your dad. It sincerely breaks my heart. I remember how my dad was treated by some people as a black man in construction back in the 80s, it was really bad for them too, but not nearly as horrible as our migrant workers. We must put a stop to this, and in my opinion the best way is having our OWN and being the difference we want to see
That is what is was like around here before Pierre Elliot Trudeau was the PM in the 1970’s.
@@nicolebusari5493 Thank you. I agree. What the regular Canadians don't understand is that it is more than the migrants that bear the trauma , the entire family does especially the children. The impact of which continues even into adulthood. The feel of ababdonment & in some cases the parent, the father do not know does not knoe how to parent & sometimes release built up traumas from their employers towards the child & the cycle of pschological, mental , emotional & physical abuse umtil the family / farmer decides to get help. In some cases, it is too late.
I visited a friend at Simcoe and the living conditions brought me to tears. I couldn’t believe they had human living in such condition. Everything mentioned in this video is the truth. Praying for change. Most of the worker have house business n family back home there not use to such conditions
Change starts with the individual so Save your tears.
@@oliwoodnorth2371thats like telling a homeless person to “just get a house”
@oliwoodnorth2371 this is an uneducated comment, reason is they are trying to make a better life for themselves and family. What would you rather they do? Can you employ them?
Heartbreaking!!! Justice is needed NOW for Jamaican and ALL Migrant Farmer workers!!! Canadian politicians, please Help protect our migrant workers!!!
Thank you for bringing this issue publicly. It is so sad to know what these hard working individuals are enduring. Their stories need to be heard without them facing backlash. They need proper representation. Please follow up on this as someone need to be held responsible for this man's death.
I was waiting for this news story! Thank you for following up. Continue to uncover the news the mainstream media ignores.
I have been waiting since the 1970’s for this story to get allot of public attention.
Amazing segment!! 🔥🔥 let’s keep this conversation going!!!! #RIP ❤️❤️ to all those who have lost their lives in Canadian farms
This hits hard. I know too many people who are suffering from PTSD from their time on the program. What frustrates me more is that I feel compelled to kibba for fear.of the target that might be on my back for speaking up about issues like these that I've seen the effects of firsthand.
I don't think we can underestimate the importance of Brandon’s platform & media initiative. We MUST continue to support him as much as we can to build his reach throughout Canada and The World. Any owner or Government aware of this inhumane practice should feel the weight of our disappointment and disgust. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Brandon, who do we need to address with regards to this matter?
Man Brandon you are doing some great stories! Keep up the great work!
Thank you Brandon for sharing this. This is been going on for decades. We have this to change the laws that enable workers to have the same health and safety and access to Canadian employment and laws in order to change the systemic racism and slavery.
Thank you for highlighting that this continues to happen on Canadian soil beyond heartbreaking and unacceptable.
They should join the class action lawsuit like what is already happening with black civil servants....this really pisses me off
What’s going on with Black civil servants?
I worked in a kitchen this past year making food for the migrant workers who were quarantined at a hotel. The distain that our kitchen manager had for these people was horrifying. She was cutting corners with dietary restrictions and said that these people didn't deserve the consideration. We had entire orders of pork breakfast sandwiches with the meat simply removed before being served to large groups of people who do not eat pork. They had no way of knowing their food was contaminated and the kitchen was so toxic and hostile I ended up getting fired for trying to speak up about these issues, among many others. You would think that Canadians would have a little more respect and care for the people who are providing the food we ALL eat. Thank you for shedding light on this exploitation, Canadians need to stop pretending we are above such atrocities.
What restaurant is this.
Thank you for your bravery. You did the right thing, even though it cost you personally but a Supreme Goodness will reward you. Please keep speaking out
Without saying more than I sadly feel safe we to, conditions such as these have been under the radar of conversation for FAR too long. Thank you for this dialogue provoking work.
Hi Brandon, what those men and women faced being on Canadian farm is inhumane. My husband worked on several farms here since 2000 he stopped in June 2018, we reside here now. If he sit and tell you some things that he faced alongside the other workers you would believe you watching a movie, couple years ago he was given the task to spray insecticides on vegetables without any PPE, the chemicals when in his eyes but it affected one more until today,
he has blurred vision. He was taken to the hospital but was coached on what to say while they stayed in the room to make sure he did not say otherwise...He was never compensated even when he had to stayed at the bunkhouse for couple days.
If they complain they were told "to hit the blue sky" and their names would be send to the Ministry of Labor in Jamaica and never to return to that farm, hence he been on different farms.
They are charged for bus rides to take them shopping whether they go or not, not to mention about the overcrowding in the bunkhouse that is infested with bedbugs...
I also need the government to reimburse all the monies they took from their salaries for for EI and after they leave the country many if not all don't have a job in their home country, and no income, so why did they took those monies from them in the first place????
JUSTICE FOR FARM WORKERS PAST AND PRESENT 🙏
Extremely disappointing as a human race💔
Thank you so much for covering this Brandon. This is so important. The Canadian government is 100% responsible and needs to be held account able
THANK YOU BRANDON, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR FAR TOO LONG WITH LITTLE TO NO MEDIA COVERAGE!
Thank You Brandon, may justice prevail for these essential workers
When I was in McGill student I was hired to work on a farm in Niagara region for the summer. I ran away after a week, the treatment was exactly as described here.
shameful.
The first time I visited a farm I cried. It was hard to see how these men are living. Just horrible and yes it was in Simcoe.
Why they stayed in the situation
Slavery is alive on these farms. Please visit.
This slavery system has been going on for a very long time. All of us from the Caribbean knows what it meant when people in the Caribbean would leave for "farm work". Workers have died not getting proper medical care. Since 2022 what has been the requirement for these workers to enter Canada?
Brandon go to those farms and investigate those companies.
He needs a team and witnesses to put pressure on these people. Make it so they can’t try to bury it. I completely agree
W5.
Also a heads up to people that shop at Sobey‘s their company works/supports with the farm that the farm worker passed away at
This is extremely disgusting my father did this farm work thing some years ago he left cause it wasn’t the best situation for him,I always tell people farm work is slavery sad to say but it is 😒😓
Sadly these are the people that help us get food to our stores. Something needs to change.
@@fortyseven7789 I agree and unfortunately alot of us are complaining about the food prices so if these workers were actually paid fairly , then we also pay the price. It's all so sad and frustrating. Definitely change needs to come !
Farm work is not slavery, those farm owners are slavers , there is a big difference, because almost all food comes from other peoples farms if you do not farm your own food. The problem is not enough people pick and collect their food from the farms like used to be done before Pierre Elliot Trudeau was the PM of Canada.
Yea it's crazy I visited a farm in Simcoe ont...it was so nasty I use the bushes to pee... and like 12 guys living in a small house the government needs to do better
Thank you Brandon. I spoke to my cousin's liaison officer about the conditions and work load. And they basically gave my cousin hell for bring this to my attention.
Den tell we a who a the slave liaison officer. Can't be keeping this stuff quiet. What are the credentials these liaison officers have? Who advocates to ensure OHS guidelines and standards are upheld? Are they experts and display good understanding of labour laws and OHS laws? Are they trained on workplace safety and ensure basic PPE?
I’m confused as to why there are no inspections done on these farms. Canada will inspect everything under the sun but why not this? People that are helping to provide food to us should be healthy
Exactly
Hello Brandon thank you for covering this I am sharing and posting
Thank you Brandon for this video and insight. I had no idea until you released your story.
This is so sad that this is happening in Canada! I had no idea. Definitely something needs to be done and we need to all take action and boycott these grocery stores that are working with these farms until something is done.
These people risponsible for the workers should be investigated and charged.
Proper inspection should be done at these places and deemed livable before any of the farmers get into the country.
Exactly.
So sad 😞. Thanks for covering this story 🙏🏾
I used to live in Bradford, which is in Simcoe County. I would see the farm workers all the time in our local Wal-Mart store. They would be sitting at the front close to the McDonald's so that they could get the free Wi-Fi. I'm sure they just wanted to stay in touch with their family members back home. It's a shame they're are being treated so poorly in a first world country like Canada!!! It's a real shame!!!
This is shameful, where is the law .
OMG! Thank you so much for sharing this!!! Horrible treatment for these workers!
Thank you,that is an important vedio,thanks,again.
Very important story ❤️🇯🇲🌞
This is sad. I have family members who have worked in these conditions. Thanks for covering this story.
Thank you for bringing light to this issue
I know someone who had to escape and run away off the farm !! This is so sad
This is disturbing!! This needs to change. I am shocked.
Canada racism doesn’t get talked about enough …
Canadians are not racist..we are not like the Americans😏😏😏😎😎
@@dadao8564 Arrogant Canadians like you are so annoying. Canadians aren't any better they just pretend to be. By the way...your comment is prejudiced itself so you prove the point perfectly. Glad you know all 500 million americans so you can generalize like that. Good luck.
Would love to see a follow-up to this story
MAKE THIS GO VIRAL! because they are trying to keep it hush hush.
Speak out 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾this is unacceptable
Thank You Brandon for covering news we could use, we wouldn’t know what’s going on around us because the mainstream media doesn’t cover this kind of stories for who knows what reason. So we Thank You and your team for all that you guys do keep up the great work 👍
This is horrific! If they’re coming to Canada to work they should be entitled to the same pay and benefits that the people they’re replacing would get. I can’t believe this is happening and I had no idea until now. Why isn’t this a bigger issue? Who is fighting for these people?
If the companies are mandated to pay them as if they were Canadians there would be no incentives for companies to hire them over a Canadian.
@@The_rasta_rant this is so fucked up
There shouldn't be though. The supposed claim is that Canadians won't do that work. Not that the farms aren't willing to pay even minimum wage. They're simply supposed to be filling a need that could benefit both the employer and the workers.. Instead they are just selfish and greedy and preying on individuals from other countries then further abusing them on top of it. Disgusting.
Exactly
Actually if Canadian Citizens do not want to do the work the Migrant farms should get more than our minimum wage for adults.
Sooo Darn sad 😔
Thanks Brandon for doing this, im very appreciative.
Important story that needs more eyes and ears
Thanks BG for bringing this to our attention
Thank you for making this public
Lawsuits should be filed and the employer pay the costs
Thank you so much Brandon for highlighting this form of modern day slavery. Keep doing what you are doing. The good Lord bless and keep you. My condolence goes out to this brother family. May his soul RIP.
This is shameful and shouldn’t be happening in this country nor any country but we’re better than this
Shameful living conditions
Shameful everything
And why are we finding out about this and the numbers these are people
Investigations should be happening
So sick and sad. Great news reporting. Appreciate
Thank you for this story I have heard this kind of story before keep up the good work
Amazing coverage!
Thanks for this information although it had me in tears.
I don’t know where to start. Please keep following this story because the change needs to happen.
I’m Jamaican and I know many families here would be worse off if it wasn’t for some of these work program but we are not slaves! And it makes me angry and hurt to know that we are being treated like ‘The Middle Passage’. Madness!!!
I’ve liked and subscribed!
Wow! Hey buddy,
I'm glad we found you, since you've left City TV live, ok I've subscribed and looking forward to fallow you now...
Listening to Brandon read this letter is soooo painful 😣. Modern day slavery right in a first world 🌎 country
Brandon you are an eloquent journalist
Speaking and communicating well
Keep the good vibes with you
This story is so Heartbreaking 💔 smh 🤦♀️ my God!!
So glad you are covering this. Ongoing problem, not just with farm workers but even people working at fast food restaurants. No person should be treated in this way --
Thank you Brandon, this mess up my life 14 of us in one place one toilet I ran aways and mess up my life the government need to do something
As a student in NYS in1975-6 friends world college long island NY,I did a study on migrant farm workers seasonal on farms in Suffolk county, living conditions were unlivable back then, mostly caricom& Mexican, southern African American workers
Thanks you very much
That is why another of them do not want to go back there thank you for the update
Thanks for sharing this interesting video 😊☺️☺️
This should give Canada a Black Eye on the world stage
these reports are not new the media doesn’t expose , investigate and report these types of conditions these works have to endure. When they speak out they are blacklisted . The liaison for the workers don’t care the Canadian government and Jamaican government don’t care it’s all about treating disadvantage people unfairly not like humans beings. This is definitely a human rights issue. We all benefit from they hard word they do by having food in the grocery stores. very very sad.
Damn! Just this year i spoke to a brother from Trinidad and he told me his experience as a migrant worker. He said he left when one of his co-workers ended up paralyzed !
Thanks for sharing
I am sure if the farmers drove up to a sally-ann they would find men that would work, the reason I think is because it is cheaper for migrant farm workers then actually paying Canadians.
Sad
Canadian here. This is so appalling. The world thinks were a utopia but were a temp worker nightmare.
So sad they deserve a better living condition
Thanks for covering this store Brandon. Hey BG Squad, this is one of the reasons why we need to support this show. Remember to like, comment and subscribe 😊
This is crazy OMG
This is soo embarrassing! Canada needs to do better. Smh
Watching from Jamaica 🇯🇲
This is so sad to hear
That’s disgraceful, the government should be sending out inspectors to inspect the farm facilities to make sure that these workers are treat humanely, and not like animals. What’s the Jamaican and Canadian government doing about these situations.?
Great job brother. Keep it up.
It’s just horrible what people have to go through to put food on their tables.
Please read basics to land law by Ontario law review it is easy found by doing a search, there is a hidden secret right in the open....
Hi Brandon! Finally I see you again. It's been so long that I am asking where have you been? I missed you as well in cp24.
Just sad
Thank you for exposing this
I hope someone is found guilty and their farm closes like many of others. The Caribbean and Mexican farmers and farm labourers in Canada work hard. Migrating is hard on them, therefore a comfy bed should be the least. They wanted to earn foreign cash and go home.
Can you imagine working in such poor conditions? They're sold a dream of working in Canada, and then this occurred. Only to realize this ambition is full of terrible limitations on some farms. These bad farm owners make it hard for future labourers to return. Because of selfish, terrible farm owners?
Garvin's death was awful, and I hope that farmworkers' health and safety won't be overlooked in the future.
Very good questions
An HONORABLE JOB you are doing in posting these videos .. hopefully it will lead to better working conditions for these workers … And I hope YOU remain safe
while doing this job … because WE know where this can go when they feel there income is being put in jeopardy… CANADA IS NOT A good place from this to the racism that has been exposed ( I’ve witnessed it MYSELF decades ago ) when my mom gifted my brother and I a trip to Toronto…. Walking across a street to there mall some kid shouted out the rear passenger window of there vehicle the N word at us as it drove on past us
I think u should go there and interview them one on one
Bet they won't let them..