May 18, 2026 | ICHRP Canada – International Coalition for Human Rights & Fuerza Migrante
Langley, BC — A peasant leader, migrant farmworkers and community organizers gathered at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church on May 17 for an international solidarity dialogue on migrant labour, land struggles, workers’ rights, and the shared realities of agricultural communities across borders.
Organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) BC/Canada, Fuerza Migrante, International Migrants Alliance (IMA), Anakbayan BC, and Migrante BC, in partnership with the Justice and Peace Unit of the Diocese of New Westminster of the Anglican Church, the event brought together migrant farmworkers from Mexico, Filipino peasant leader, and community organizers.
The gathering featured a dialogue with Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, a Filipino peasant leader from the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP/Peasant Movement of the Philippines), alongside migrant farmworkers. Discussions focused on shared struggles rooted in poverty, land dispossession, labour migration, and economic inequality.
Participants reflected on what they brought with them when first arriving in Canada — winter clothing, spices, toys, family photographs, keepsakes, and hopes for a better future — highlighting common experiences of sacrifice, uncertainty, and resilience.
“Many of us arrived carrying not only our belongings, but also our determination to move forward for our families,” shared one seasonal agricultural worker from Mexico.
Ka Daning spoke about the conditions facing peasants in the Philippines, including landlessness, displacement, and the growing influence of multinational agribusiness, emphasizing the importance of peasants, fisherfolk, migrants, and agricultural workers working together around common struggles.
“We believe there are common issues and concerns that unite us,” said Ka Daning. “Land, food, decent wages, and dignity are struggles shared across borders. International solidarity is important to pursue our common interests.”
Migrant agricultural workers participating through Fuerza Migrante also shared experiences under Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), raising concerns about tied work permits, employer dependency, housing conditions, limited access to benefits, and fears of reprisals when speaking out.
Workers described returning to Canada for three to eight months each year to support the agricultural economy while remaining separated from their families and facing uncertainty over workplace protections.
Representatives from Fuerza Migrante stressed the importance of educating workers about their rights, including access to pensions, Employment Insurance, and legal protections, noting many migrant workers remain unaware of benefits they help fund through taxes and payroll deductions.
The dialogue also highlighted common struggles in the Philippines and Mexico, including land privatization, corporate control of agriculture, Indigenous displacement, and economic pressures that drive migration.
Participants concluded with a call for stronger ties between migrant communities, grassroots organizations, and faith-based groups to advance migrant rights, education, and cross-border solidarity.
“Long live international solidarity,” Ka Daning told attendees, encouraging continued collaboration and people-to-people exchanges between communities in Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines. ###
Media Contact:
– Jeff Solis, ICHRP BC/Canada
[email protected] | Homepage – ICHRP Canada
–Alexandra Henao, Fuerza Migrante | Fuerza Migrante – Fuerza Migrante