Farmers hold Appreciation Day for foreigners who work in Canada

August 18 2009 by Matt Jones

Chatam celebrates Canadian immigration

In order to show their appreciation for foreign workers who come to work in Canada on a seasonal basis on Ontario’s farms, a group of farmers recently got together for the third annual ‘Chatham-Kent Offshore Workers Appreciation Day.’

Many of the larger farming operations in southwestern Ontario rely heavily on work permit holders making the move to Canada to live and work for between four and eight months a year.

Some 450 foreign workers come from countries like Mexico and Caribbean countries each year. They offer a lifeline to the agriculture of the region, helping to plug holed in the labour market.

One of the local farmers who hosts the event in Chatham-Kent, Hector Delanghe, says it is important to show their appreciation for the effort put in by the offshore workers. He says, “they come here year after year . . . making the sacrifice of leaving their families at home. This is a way to say we appreciate it."

Some of the foreign workers have been coming to work in Canada for up to three decades and were awarded with certificates of recognition for their efforts for the farms in the region.

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