Spread all over the Canadian farms,
There are tens of thousands of temporary migrant workers
From Mexico, Jamaica
And other Central American countries,
They come here to work for eight to ten months every year,
Then travel back home and waits to return next year.
Here, few people are aware of their presence.
Canada’s history of foreign labor,
Can be traced back to the Sixties of the twentieth century,
And their contribution to Canada is often overlooked.
Let the workers be recognized for the fruits produced,
The silence hidden under a perfect façade,
Let all be released, from the pent-up frustration and sadness,
And stressed that their presence cannot be ignored.
We have no reason to ignore them,
They must be seen.
If we look past the imagined barriers,
They are real human beings,
Have their own hope and enthusiasm;
Like all of us,
Have their own family to take care of.
– Gu Xiong, 2017