Growing Filipino community in Canada still faces major obstacles to successful integration, says advocacy group
National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada SIKLAB-Canada Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance Filipino Nurses Support Group - BC and Quebec Press release Growing Filipino community in Canada still faces major obstacles to successful integration, says advocacy group For immediate release: January 30, 2009 While recently released statistics reveal that Filipinos are the largest source of immigrants and temporary workers for Canada combined surpassing China , national advocacy groups say Filipinos still face major barriers to their successful settlement and integration in Canada. According to statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 19,064 Permanent Residents and 15,254 temporary workers from the Philippines arrived in Canada in 2007. Aside from Americans, more Filipinos arrived in Canada as temporary foreign workers than any other nationality. Organizations under the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada, SIKLAB-Canada (Advance and Uphold the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers) Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance and the Filipino Nurses Support Group warn against the complacency that the recent announcement may create, signaling to Canadians that the Filipino community has finally reached a level of development in Canadian society. Instead, the [...]
One year after the death of 15-year old Deeward Ponte, the struggle against systemic racism continues!
January 27, 2009 Today marks the one-year death anniversary of Deeward Ponte, the 15-year old Filipino youth who was stabbed at Gray’s Park in Vancouver, and later died in the hospital. As Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (FCYA), we extend our sympathy to the Ponte family and pay tribute to the memory of Deeward. As Filipino youth, we are all deeply affected by this tragedy in our community and remain strong in our struggle against systemic racism and for the genuine social justice of all Filipinos. The Filipino community suffered the loss of two youth in the first half of 2008. In April of 2008, 24 year-old Charle Dalde was killed in Richmond, B.C. The Dalde case further shocked the community when the Richmond RCMP harassed the victim’s family racially profiling Charle’s stabbing as gang-related, a claim later proven false. Both the cases of Deeward Ponte and Charle Dalde are harsh reminders of the violence, racial profiling and negative stereotypes placed on Filipino youth in Canada. We also remember the violent deaths of 17 year-old [...]
Honor the Memory of Fallen Youth, Unite Against Racism and Youth Violence
November 28, 2008 marks 5 years since the untimely passing of 17-year old Mao Jomar Lanot, a Filipino student whose life was tragically taken after being beaten outside of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School in Vancouver, British Colombia. The impacts of the tragic event not only affected his family but was felt by the entire Filipino community, who grieved collectively at the loss of one of our youth. As Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/ Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC), we have always maintained the position that Jomar's death was one that could have been avoided. Measures must be put in place to understand that Jomar's death is not an isolated incident, but part of the larger systemic barriers like racism and economic marginalization that continue to block the Filipino community's genuine participation in Canadian society. On November 14, 2008, the report "The Roots of Youth Violence" was released in Ontario, authored by former Chief Justice Roy McMurtry and Dr. Alvin Curling. The report, commissioned by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, emphasizes the need to research the education and justice [...]
Communiquè from “Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural and Multi-ethnic Canada”
National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada More than 120 participants came together from British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario to attend "Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural and Multi-ethnic Canada." The community-based and community-led national research conference was held from November 6-9 at the University of Toronto. As part of a three-year project of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) in partnership with Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, the conference showcased the work being done by the Filipino community toward addressing its concerns and developing capacities and initiatives that will lead to the community's empowerment and full civic participation. The conference opened on the evening of November 6, 2008 with a reception and art exhibit at University of Toronto's Wilson Hall Lounge. Art exhibits included murals depicting narratives of migration painted by youth members of Kabataang Montreal, an art piece on the lack of access to health care for live-in caregivers by SIKLAB Ontario, a video on young women's issues by UKPC/FCYA Ontario, the "Maleta" family - a family of suitcases [...]
Filipino migrants advocacy group celebrates three-year anniversary; renews call to scrap the exploitative Live in Caregiver Program
For immediate release: October 15, 2008 TORONTO,ON – More than 50 members of the Filipino community from Toronto and Montreal gathered on October 11, 2008 to celebrate SIKLAB Canada's three years of educating, organizing and mobilizing Filipino migrant workers. The event was celebrated with a dinner and a forum on the Live-in Caregiver Program at the OISE building at the University of Toronto. SIKLAB–Canada is a national progressive organization that advances the rights and welfare of Filipino overseas workers. With the theme, "Sulong Migranteng Pinoy! Towards genuine development, equality and human rights," the event gathered migrant workers, women and youth to discuss urgent issues facing the community, including the lack of visibility in Canadian society and Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). "Despite our large numbers, Filipinos in Canada are virtually invisible in the larger society," says Roderick Carreon, Chairperson of SIKLAB-Canada. "Through our organizing work, we hope to increase our visibility and participation in Canadian society to address the most confronting issues facing our already marginalized community," stated Carreon. Carreon also encouraged members of the [...]
National Filipino workers advocacy group pushes for increased visibility and end to exploitative Live-in Caregiver Program; celebrates three-year anniversary
For immediate release: October 7, 2008 TORONTO, ON – With a federal election only a few days away, members of the local progressive Filipino community will gather this Saturday, October 11, 2008 to push for increased visibility in Canadian society and an end to exploitative labour programs like the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). The event to be held at the University of Toronto will also mark the three-year anniversary of the group's advocacy and organizing work amongst Filipino migrant workers across Canada. The dinner and forum will take place this Saturday, October 11, 2008 in the OISE building, University of Toronto, Room 2211 at 6:00 pm. Organized by SIKLAB-Canada (Advance the Rights and Welfare of Filipino Overseas Workers) the event entitled, "Sulong Migranteng Pinoy! Struggle towards equality, genuine development and human rights," expects to gather migrant workers, women and youth to discuss urgent issues facing the community, including the lack of visibility in Canadian society and Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Since the early 1908's nearly 100,000 Filipino women and their families have come to [...]
National research conference to tackle settlement and integration issues of Filipino community in Canada
Second Announcement On November 6-9, 2008, the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC), in partnership with Canadian Heritage, will hold it's first-ever community-led and community-based national research conference called "Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards full participation in a multicultural and multi-ethnic Canada" at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. The conference will showcase NAPWC's three-year project in addressing the most important issues confronting Filipinos and their community in the course of their settlement and integration in Canada. "With the rapidly growing Filipino community in Canada, the lack of our full participation in civic, political, economic and cultural affairs in Canadian society has major impacts in our community's successful settlement and integration. This is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed in our community organizing," stated Cecilia Diocson, Executive Director of NAPWC. Since the launching of its three-year project in January 2006, NAPWC has been addressing key issues in overcoming economic marginalization; enhancing Filipino women's equality, human rights and genuine development; combating systemic racism and making the Filipino youth count in Canada's future. Various community-led and [...]
UKPC Orientation and Open House
Title: UKPC Orientation and Open House Location: Magkaisa Centre Description: Join us as we collectively discuss the issues our youth and our community face today. Learn about the work UKPC/FCYA has been doing in educating , mobilizing and organizing Filipino youth in Canada. Explore the ways on how to get more involved with the Filipino community here in Ontario. Then stick around for some BBQ! Gising na kabataan! Start Time: 18:00 Date: 2008-09-19
Filipino Community’s Issues and Challenges Expressed by Youth at Successful Cultural Night
UKPC/FCYA-ON Press Release August 20, 2008 Filipino Community's Issues and Challenges Expressed by Youth at Successful Cultural Night On August 7, 2008, Ugnayan Ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance of Ontario (UKPC/FCYA-ON) hosted its first cultural and open mic night, “Pinoy Poetiks”, at the University of Toronto's historic Hart House. Nearly 100 youth of Filipino descent ranging from different backgrounds and age groups attended, with over 20 different performers. The event was held to fundraise for the organization's upcoming “Balik Ugat Balik Komunidad” (Reclaiming our Roots, Back to the Community) capacity-building workshop series, as well as the “Filipino Community and Beyond: Towards Full Participation in a Multicultural and Multi-ethnic Canada” national research conference held by the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada with Heritage and Multiculturalism Canada, commencing this upcoming November at the University of Toronto. The evening was opened by members of UKPC, including some well-known artists, R. Scribe, Dagamuffin and UGN Son, and FenaxiZ. Pinoy Poetiks showcased the rich talent of young Filipinos and expressed the diversity of their voices through spoken word, [...]
Filipino Youth Lead a Workshop Series to Educate, Organize and Mobilize for the Rights and Welfare of Filipinos in Canada
Press Release August 5, 2008 TORONTO, ON – While summertime in Toronto is full of festivals celebrating the diversity of cultures that depict the city's population, Filipino youth are gathering to identify and explore their Filipino heritage in a month-long workshop series: "Balik Ugat, Balik Komunidad" (Back to the Roots, Back to the Community). Young minds can wander during summer breaks from university, high school, and work, but the workshop promises to energize these minds by uncovering their Filipino roots, identify contemporary issues facing the community, develop skills in activism and organizing, and towards the pursuit for an artistic outlet. The workshops are designed with the intention and purpose of building our capacity to further advance our struggle towards equality, genuine development and full participation in Canadian society. The BUBK workshop series is hosted by Ugnayan Ng Kabataang Pilipino Sa Canada / Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance-Ontario, and is in partnership with the Philippine Women's Centre of – Ontario and SIKLAB Ontario. The series will be held bi-weekly, Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons, beginning on August 9th and will [...]
Progressive Filipino youth express empowerment and activism through Pinoy Poetiks Cultural Night
Press Release Toronto, ON – Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance-ON (UKPC/FCYA-ON) will be hosting its very first "Pinoy Poetiks" on August 7, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at Hart House, Arbor Room, University of Toronto (7 Hart House Circle, Toronto). This night will showcase the rich talent of young Filipinos and express the diversity of their voices through spoken word, poetry, song and dance. With the theme "Balik Ugat, Balik Komunidad" (Reclaiming our Roots, Back to the Community), Pinoy Poetiks tackles the country's most pressing issues, both in Canada and in the Philippines. Filipino identity, human rights, systemic racism, women's issues, and a history of activism are only some of the topics that will be expressed through various artistic mediums. "Culture is an effective tool for community empowerment, and the Filipino youth is really waking up to this fact," says Noel Matta, a rapper and member of UKPC originating from Scarborough, who is also known by his stage name FenaxiZ. The UKPC Kultural Collective aims to express the struggles the different sectors the Filipino community face [...]