May Day 2019 Statement

Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians
May 4, 2019

Members of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) extend greetings of solidarity to allies, supporters, community organizations and progressives on this 133rd anniversary of International Workers Day! As a commemoration to the 1886 Haymarket Square labour strikes for workers rights, safer and better working and living conditions, economic justice and social stability, for more than a century May Day has come to symbolize the great sacrifices and celebrate important victories of working-class struggles and peoples’ movements all over the world. During these times of intensifying western imperialist wars of aggression–, the exploitation of billions of people under capitalism, as well as the environmental catastrophes we face today, May Day becomes a significant moment to reaffirm and strengthen our demands of social change and call for a socialist alternative. It is in this spirit of the culture of resistance that the CPFC continues to uphold and advance the working-class struggle for socialism in Canada.

On a global scale, we have observed record breaking spikes in temperatures, rising sea levels, massive deforestation of already dangerously dwindled forests, the extinction of numerous animal species and the endangerment of many more. Forced migration and displacement of entire populations continues to persist, and the loss of millions of lives because of war and the unconscionable plundering of capitalism is a reality of many around the world. These are impacts of a system that is not broken, but is by design working proficiently to serve the interests of fascistic and profit-driven governments, corporations and the mega rich.

We are also faced with the dangers of ultra-right wing nationalism and white supremacy that reek of murderous racism as we have witnessed in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the mosque shootings in Christchurch New Zealand, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. As peace and democracy-loving people, we simply cannot and will not tolerate these perspectives and practices to persist nor will we accept that these are merely isolated outcomes of attacks by troubled individuals. They are part and parcel to the racist ideology of right-wing nationalism, extremism, and white supremacy.

With its foreign and domestic policies favouring economic gains above all else, the Canadian State has proven time and time again that it is no “peace loving” country. It is an imperialist country with its’ support for the state of Israel and the genocidal war on the people of Palestine, its support for the United States’ ongoing occupation and war crimes of several countries in the middle east such as Afghanistan and Iraq, also supporting US intervention of movements of self determination in countries like Syria and Venezuela . The Canadian state is colonial in its squalid treatment of indigenous communities and First Nations, as it continues in the complete disregard of treaty rights, and the brutal criminalization of land defenders fighting off oil pipeline construction, and in undermining the plea for justice of thousands of families grieving for their missing and murdered mothers, daughters and sisters. In our own community, as immigrants coming to Canada as temporary workers, a life of uncertainty, desperation and fear is a common thread stitched into place by strict immigration and labour policies that relegate many into highly disposable, low-paying, and often dangerous jobs.

The Filipino Canadian community is certainly no stranger to the impacts of an immigration system build to usurp and profit from a steady supply of highly controlled and cheapened pool of labour. Filipino women historically and concurrently have made up the majority of workers filling the demand for childcare, elderly care, and care for people with high medical needs since the 1960s. What was loosely known as the Foreign Domestic Movement, then made official in 1992 as the Live-in Caregiver Program, has been rebranded a few times over as the Caregiver Program and now renamed as the Childcare Provider and Home Support Worker pilot programs. Under the two pathways, only a total of 5,500 primary applicants (2,750 per pathway not including spouses and dependants) can apply, but workers will still have to undergo a minimum of 2 years of being separated from their families to gain Canadian work experience plus the processing time to be deemed eligible for permanent residency and family sponsorship. Despite claims by the Liberal Federal government of improving these programs to rid of exploitative and abusive settings for workers arriving to Canada as care providers and deemed by some as a “victory” for caregivers, bureaucratic mechanisms in immigration and labour have kept the characteristics of these work positions as temporary and volatile. Additionally, these veer away from the issues of having genuine immigration in Canada, provision of universal childcare and healthcare, and the pitting of temporary foreign workers against local working communities to distract and divide us.

Across the provinces right-wing conservative politicians continue to promote plans detrimental to working class communities. From newly appointed Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney to Ontario Premiere Doug Ford, these current leaders in government proudly promote anti-people cutbacks to essential services and resources ranging from cuts to all levels of education, healthcare, community support programs and subsidies, affordable housing, libraries, settlement programs for newly arrived immigrants and refugees, public transit, and legal aid and the list growing longer by the day. They have made it clear that their plans are not “for the people”, they bare no connection to anybody but their rich corporate supporters and cronies deeming their provinces not only “open for business” but it is for sale to the highest bidder of the private, commercial and corporate sectors.

Under these growing attacks on the working class here in Canada, it is also not enough to reverse the latest regressive clawbacks to public services like quality education, health, and housing. We must demand them to be basic needs accessible for all. Our vision of socialism must consider the particularities of Canadian society and where we must move as revolutionaries. In our particular situation, we must show our support of grassroots and popular movements around affordable housing and liveable wages, student walk outs protesting regressive education cuts, and rallies garnering thousands to say no to healthcare cutbacks. We must also continue exposing Canada as a colonial power that continues to violently usurp the land and resources, maintaining the poverty and crises imposed on the indigenous communities both rural and urban. As a progressive organization, our contribution to the socialist vision of Canada is our demand for genuine settlement and integration as Canada continues to use the labour of migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers to build Canadian economy while denying these same workers the rights of healthcare, housing and safety that this country touts itself to uphold.

Moving forward on our path towards revolutionary social change, we must be determined to fight against regression and fight for the demands of the working class. United we will propel our struggle towards the broader socialist movement in Canada, the anti-imperialist movement and a sustainable global environment.

Expose and Oppose Neoliberal Cutbacks!
Down with Imperialist War and Plunder!
Advance and Uphold the the Struggle for Socialism!
Long Live International Workers’ Solidarity!

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