Seasonal workers get awards for long time service in Ontario

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

For the first time ever, Jamaican government officials handed out awards to workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker program while the employees are on their jobs in Ontario.

Jamaican Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier led a delegation to Ontario July 20 to 24. During their time in the province, Kellier and ministry permanent secretary Colette Roberts Risden visited farms and handed out certificates recognizing the long-serving workers and Ontario employers in the program.

Fifty workers, including one serving for 42 years, and six employers received awards last month.  They were honoured for making a significant contribution to the seasonal agricultural worker program, Phillips says. The certificates were signed by Kellier and Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller.

Kenneth Phillips, deputy chief liaison officer for the Jamaican Liaison Service in Toronto, says normally the workers receive their awards once they return to Jamaica after their work term in Canada ends for the year. The awards honour workers serving more than 10 years in the program. The majority of workers who were honoured have served for more than 20 years, Phillips says.

The seasonal agricultural worker program enables Canadian farmers to hire temporary workers from participating Caribbean countries and Mexico when Canadians and permanent residents aren’t available. The workers are in Canada for up to eight months at a time.

Phillips says the government in consultation with the liaison service recommends people to receive the award.

While in Ontario, the Jamaican delegation also met with representatives of the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS). President Ken Forth says they had a three-hour meeting in Toronto on July 23 with the Jamaican officials to discuss various aspects of the program.

FARMS is a non-profit, federally incorporated organization that facilitates the processing of farmer requests for foreign seasonal workers. A board of directors appointed from participating commodities runs the program.

Forth says Jamaican government representatives come to Ontario periodically “and they just wanted to meet with us.”

Phillips says “our minister normally visits the farms (in Ontario) with a delegation to see what is happening.” He meets with employers and talks to workers “to see how things are going.”

Phillips says next year for the 50th anniversary of the program, “We plan to do it (the award recognition ceremony) on a wider scale.” He notes details haven’t been worked out yet but the Jamaican government would like to hold celebrations in both Canada and Jamaica.

Jamaican workers have been coming to Canada as part of the seasonal agricultural worker program since its inception in 1966. Slightly more than 7,000 Jamaican workers come to Canada annually.

The program also includes workers from the Caribbean and Mexico. About 16,000 workers come to Ontario from all participating countries as part of the program. BF