MIGRANTE Canada

Migrante Canada is a chapter of Philippine based Migrante International, a global alliance of over 200 member organizations in 23 countries. Migrante Canada was founded in October 2010 and has 13 chapters and member organizations across Canada. We are based in Vancouver, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Winnipeg, Toronto, Barry, Ottawa, Montreal, Sherbrooke and Quebec City.

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As a member of Migrante International, we work to:

• Promote migrants’ rights and dignity against all forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse in the work place and in the community and resist all anti-migrant policies

• Assert the right to organize

• Strengthen unity among the Filipino diaspora and rally their families and advocates towards the upholding of migrants’ rights for jobs, fair wages and due recognition

• Push for the building of a self-reliant economy to stop forced migration, promote social equity and justice and unite with other sectors of society for the advancement of national development and democracy

• Build solidarity with migrant organizations of other nationalities and peoples who are against the plunder of economies, destruction of the environment and wars of aggression that cause widespread poverty and injustice

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WHAT WE DO

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Our Chapters and member organizations: 

1. ADDRESS RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF MIGRANTS AND OUR COMPATRIOTS. We receive complaints of migrants in distress and support settlement and immigration needs of our members and community through direct services and referrals.

2. CAMPAIGNS AND ADVOCACY - We bring the issues facing migrants to public attention. We do thing through fora, conferences, different multi-media platforms to create public awareness in Canada

3. EDUCATION AND RESEARCH - We conduct research, case studies, and documentation independently or together with the academic community on the complex situations of migrants. Paaralang Migrante (Migrants’ School) is a set curriculum that each member use. It's composed of skills training, labour rights, Philippine national situation and history of Filipino migration.

4. NETWORKING AND LOBBYING - We continue to build a broad network of advocates and volunteers, alliances and coalition with the goal of supporting migrants and our compatriots in Canada. We also conduct dialogues and seek audience with concerned government agencies to create pro-migrant policies if all levels of government.

5. INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY - We work and cooperate with other migrant communities, labour unions and community groups. We promote the International Migrants Alliance (IMA), a global alliance of grassroots migrants from different countries.

6. EXPOSURE TOURS - We facilitate immersion programs in the Philippines. Local Canadian people, students and the second generation Filipinos can visit the different communities in the Philippines and learn more about the root causes of our migration. We do this through the People's Solidarity and Education Tours (PSET), our partner in the Philippines.

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OUR ORGANIZATION

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Migrante Canada Congress is the highest policy making body of the organization. We hold our Congress every year in the Province voted on by the delegates. The organization have a 5-member Executive Committee that is led by the Chairperson. Council is appointed at the Congress whose members were elected in their own regions prior to the assembly. The Secretariat is also appointed at the Congress whos main function is the day-to-day work of the Alliance.