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Announcement: February 7, 2005
SIKLAB's 10th Anniversary Celebration
April 16, 2005
Russian Hall,
600 Campbell St., Vancouver, BC
"Halina at sama sama nating itaguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng
migranteng Pilipino"
This April 16, 2005 in Vancouver, BC, SIKLAB (Overseas Filipino Workers
Group) will be hosting a day-long consultation and celebration of
Filipino
workers and their families under the theme, "Halina at sama sama nating
itaguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng migranteng Pilipino" (Come! Join
us
in upholding our rights and welfare as overseas Filipino workers).
The need for the consultation
Currently, there are almost half a million Filipinos living and working
in
Canada. We are the fourth largest visible minority group in Canada.
In
B.C. alone, there are over 60,000 Filipino workers and their families,
making us the third largest visible minority group in the province.
Everyday, over 3,000 Filipinos leave the Philippines in order to find
work
abroad in countries like Canada. There are currently more than eight
million
Filipino migrant workers in over 186 countries. With about 10% of its
population abroad, the Filipino people's experience is becoming
characterized by our displacement and diaspora around the globe.
The
growing
majority of Filipinos in Canada have come in the last two decades
through
Canada Immigration's Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP), where 93% of
workers
under the LCP are from the Philippines.
The LCP is an exploitative and racist policy that sentences Filipinos
to
a
lifetime of live-in domestic, cleaning, and other service sector work.
The
LCP steals our dignity and strips us of previous experience and
education.
Therefore, even after we finish our 24 months of live-in domestic work
and
LCP contracts, we still continue to be low wage workers trapped as a
segregated pool of cheap labour.
Many of us cannot even afford to sponsor our families because of high
immigration fees. Even when we are able to scrounge together enough
money
and be re-united with our families, we then must face new challenges
such as
family adjustment, lack of employment, poor housing condition,
education
and
discrimination.
"Halina at sama sama nating itaguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng
migranteng Pilipino", will be an opportunity for Filipinos and their
families to celebrate the decade-long history of educating, organizing
and
mobilizing work of SIKLAB in Vancouver; while also taking a critical
look at
the challenges and experiences Filipinos face in Canada.
Through
discussion,
skits and other activities, we hope to encourage members of our
community to
meet each other, share their stories and examine our common experiences
as
overseas workers.
Consultation Objectives
1. To gather and unite overseas Filipino workers and their
families;
2. To share our stories and experiences as overseas Filipinos in
Canada;
3. To celebrate SIKLAB's 10th year anniversary as part of the
community's
continuing advance towards genuine empowerment and development.
From these objectives, we are inviting all Filipino workers and their
families to take part in this consultation and celebration.
This
day-long
event will include cultural activities, children's activities,
testimonials
from community members about our experiences, group sharings, and a
look
at
the 10-year history of SIKLAB.
Registration: $25
Childcare and children's program provided and meals included.
For more information and to register, please contact Glecy or Sean at:
SIKLAB
c/o Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1G7
Ph/Fax: 604-215-1103   |
