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Immigrant Rights are Workers Rights CONTINGENT
Anti-Capitalist Mayday Demonstration
Sunday, May 1st, 2011
2:30 pm
corner of Berri and Ste-Catherine (parc Emilie-Gamelin, metro Berri-UQAM)
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For decades, immigrant workers have taken the streets on May 1st to
demand justice and equality. For example, in 2006, in the US, millions
of migrants organized mass mobilizations in defense of their rights
and for justice and dignity.

This year, we take the streets in the context of increasing attacks
against migrant workers and against immigrant communities.

WHY WE MARCH

BECAUSE deportations from Canada have increased 14% since 2009

BECAUSE Harper and the Canadian government are moving increasingly
towards temporary worker programs that exploit and use workers without
ever giving them a meaningful chance of obtaining permanent status in
Canada; last year, more people came to Canada as temporary workers
than as permanent residents

BECAUSE temporary workers programs create a disposable workforce where
people do not have access to basic labor standards and where workers
can be sent back if they are injured, unable to work or stand up for
their rights; the non-status workers who work in restaurants, hotels,
factories and picking fruit are also part of this disposable workforce
in which people work under extremely exploitative conditions,
sometimes for less than minimum wage and with the constant fear of
detention and deportation

BECAUSE Family sponsorships now take up to 14 years and refugee
acceptance rates have been cut by 56%

BECAUSE the unemployment rate in immigrant communities is double the
Quebec average

BECAUSE every day non-status migrants walk into clinics, food banks,
schools only to be denied access because of their immigration status

BECAUSE Racist immigration policies are creating conditions of modern
day slavery

BECAUSE the Canadian state continues to resist indigenous sovereignty
and liberation

BECAUSE while capital can move freely across borders, families
continue to be separated; when migrants try to cross borders, they
face fences, armed border guards and the security apparatus of
Fortress North America

BECAUSE “You cannot have capitalism without racism”(- Malcolm X)

Solidarity Across Borders, No One Is Illegal Montreal, JOC-Montreal,
the Immigrant Workers Center and Dignidad Migrante are organizing a
“Migrant Rights are Workers Rights” contingent in the May 1st
anti-capitalist demonstration. We demand :

1. Status for All : A complete and inclusive regularization program
for all non-status people in Canada
2. An end to deportations and detentions
3. An end to double punishment against permanent residents and
refugees with criminal records

Join us on Sunday, May 1st at 2:30 pm at the corner of Berri and
Sainte-Catherine (Parc Émilie-Gamelin, metro Berri-UQAM). Bring your
flags and noisemakers!

We are also organizing a “Status for All” march on Saturday May 28th
at noon (at metro Jean-Talon, corner Jean-Talon and Boyer). Join us!

NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!

WORKERS CONTROL NOT BORDER CONTROLS!