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Okanagan organization questions changes in Mexico-Canada affairs

The “amigos” have made changes to international travel and trade this week, but one group in the Okanagan is questioning how good the adjustments really are.

As part of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s visit to Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday plans to lift the visa requirement for Mexican travellers.

<who> Photo Credit: Government of Canada. </who> Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The changes will come into effect Dec. 1, 2016.

“We look forward to the social and economic benefits that lifting the visa requirement will bring to both countries, especially to the middle class here in Canada,” Trudeau said in a statement to the press.

Currently, Mexican citizens must apply for a visa to visit, study or work in Canada. Visitors are generally allowed a six-month stay, but some are given a specific date which they must leave.

After the visa requirement is lifted, Mexicans wanting to work or study in Canada will still need to apply for a permit before they get to Canada, but visitors will be able to travel here easier.

Robyn Bunn with Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (RAMA) said their members are in support of any steps taken by the federal government that would benefit Mexicans working and living in Canada.

Just a week ago, RAMA welcomed about 300 workers from Mexico who have been hired as cherry pickers for the summer in the Okanagan.

“Opening up tourist visas could mean family reunification and more visits with family members while here,” she explained.

<who> Photo Credit: KelownaNow. </who> RAMA welcomes migrant workers at the Kelowna Airport on June 22.

Still, Bunn said they feel like the relationship between the Mexican and Canadian governments conceals the poor treatment of migrant workers, human rights violations and violence by the Mexican government against residents.

“There is a long history of trade agreements that have displaced local livelihoods in Mexico, forcing local Mexican populations to look for precarious work outside of their homelands,” said Bunn.

During the Mexican president’s visit came the decision by Mexico to lift its outstanding restrictions on Canadian beef and beef products by October.

While Canadian producers might be excited about this change, RAMA worries about those in Mexico.

“That may well cause the displacement of more people and impact livelihoods negatively in Mexico, which in turn then could lead to people needing to leave their homes and families to work in Canada, for the very people, farm owners, who benefit from the loss of local jobs and farms in Mexico,” said Bunn.



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