“Neah” Aimy Anderson
Seminar # 12
SOCI2F60
REFLECTION #3
Managed Migration and the Temporary Labor Fix
Description
My third OOCLO’S was a lecture that took place at Sankey Chambers, Brock University, on Friday, November 16, at 3:00-5:00pm. The presenter was Christina Gabriel from Carleton University she was presenting on “Managed Migration and the Temporary Labor Fix”.
During this lecture I observed a wide variety of people in attendance. There was an elderly couple, a man that was dressed in dirty worn clothes, additionally in attendance were other students from Brock university, plus I noticed people who were dresses in suites and ties.
A great deal of information was said in regards to; the farmers, their migrant workers and their rights, the Seasonal Agriculture Workers Program, Global migration and the Global Labor Market.
The question and answer portion of the lecture was slow to start. The ice was broken by the facilitator of the lecture when he asked a question, others joined in by continuing to ask other questions. As the gentleman with worn and dirty clothes spoke up to ask his question, an under the breath comment was made by a man in a suite to another man in a suite. This comment was juvenile referring that his comment was surprisingly an intellectual and relevant question. When I heard this comment by the man in the suite I was quickly with drawn and silent to ask a question of my own, fearful of asking an unintelligent question. The elderly lady also spoke up during the questioning. Her question really put things into perspective and the room broke out in laughter. With this ladies comment I felt at ease and would have liked to talk with her further. Unfortunately as quickly as the people in attendance gathered, they dispersed.
Ms. Gabriel’s lecture described in detail of who really tends to the farmer’s fields. The facts about the “Global Labor Market” was discussed. Also within this lecture the rights of the “Migrant Workers” was discussed in great detail. The gaps in the “Migrant Workers Program” was pointed out and the changes were also mentioned as part of the lecture.
Examination
In examination of the “Food Security” dilemma and the Hellman’s You Tube video and my participation in “Managed Migration and the Temporary Labor Fix” OOCLO, the complexity of the situation can become simple if we are to ask the right questions and take responsibility to rectify the situation. The politics the surround the food industry needs to be kept accountable to the general public. This does not seem to be happening, the common people are getting pushed aside for the betterment of the poorer people of another country who are willing to work for less money and poorer living conditions.
This week’s readings discussed the concept “Food Charity” and “Food Security”. This article reflected how the population is becoming more and more dependent on food banks and that we need to do more to support this growing need to feed the people in the local communities.
Reflecting With this reading and this Managed Migration and the Temporary Labor Fix, I have learned that there is more to the issue of “Migrant Field Workers” working at jobs that I was once employed in. It is disappointing to realize why there are no longer the opportunities to work in the farmer’s fields as I once did or as my mother and grandmother did. There is no longer the self-sufficiency and self-gratification of working off the land.
Articulation
I have also learned that there is more of a complex situation that the “Migrant Workers” find themselves in. I was unaware that the working conditions “Migrant Workers” work in are lower standards and wages are lower. Jobs that could be sought by local individuals are no longer available. I gain knowledge of this when the statically information on “Migrant Workers” did not match the government sponsored YouTube videos on hunger and the food banks.
What I found to be enlightening and an eye opener is, it is cheaper to hire migrant workers under the “Seasonal Agriculture Workers Program” than it is to hire local people who are from the area to tend to the fields of the local farmers. The cost of living has become increasingly high, to the point that we have many families that go hungry. Those that are going hungry do not have the means to grow their own food or at the least the ability to work in the Agricultural field. I have learned that the miss match of the Migrant Labor Market and the unemployment rate that ultimately leads to the need of food banks are in desperate need improvement.
In conclusion, their seems to be an ongoing conflict between the corporations who are driven by financial gain and common people of communities who go hungry. This conflict between the two could possibly be resolved if the gaps between then could be bridged with a healthy resolution. There is no financial gain in charity and there is no charity to be made to million dollar corporations.
Reference
Tarasuk, (2009). Journal of Hunger & Poverty, Food Charity: When Doing Our Best Is Not Enough.
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