Event in Simcoe, Ont., aims to show migrant workers 'respect,' recognize their contributions

Migrant workers areanessential part of the food industry in Canada, but many Canadians"don't know who they are, what they do or why they are here," says Diana Rueda.

"Thanks to [migrant workers], we can get food on our tables," she told CBC Hamilton in an interview translated from Spanish. But their work can get overlooked because ofhow isolated they are or because they don't speak English.

Rueda is one of the organizers of an event to recognize the contributions migrant workers make to Ontario communities.

The event takes place Thursday afternoon in Simcoe, Ont., a town surrounded by agricultural area near the shores of Lake Erie.

The event is free and open to the public and will take place on the Trinity Church lawnfrom 4 to 8 p.m.

It will be the second iteration of the event, saidRueda, who is part of a group called the Huron Farmworkers Ministry. The group, which istied to a local church,says ithelps the 5,000 farmworkersin the area with translation services, access to clothing, food and other resources.

"The workers feel happy when we simply say 'hello' on the street, they feel important and respected as people, so this event is to have everyone realize that we are people and we all need to be seen with respect," said Rueda, adding there will be food, games and a sharing of resources at the event.

Rueda said she wants the evening to be one of fun and relaxation for the workers who usually focus solely on working for six to 10months out of the year.

"The idea of all this is for [migrant workers] to have a couple of hours of distraction, fun, and also to get them out of their work routine a little bit," she said.

Groups like The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) whichhasalso providedfunding for the Huron Farmworkers Ministry banks, and institutions like the fire department will have information booths set up to offer information.

Support group relies on donations and volunteers

The Huron Farmworkers Ministryoffers workers a quick meal and a place to catch up at the Trinity Church every Thursdayand Friday. They do so in partnership with TNO, who have an officeat the Simcoe Town Centre across the street.

For workers, the twice-weekly tradition has become a place to socialize and unwind during the long months away from home.

Rueda said the whole operation relies solely on volunteers and the group encourages the local community tojoin its efforts or donate if they can.

"People ask us why we do this, if [workers] receive everything from employers," she said. "We tell them... [workers]must buy andcook their own food, in many cases they must pay a small rent to the employer, etc.,and they earn the minimum wage per hour, so they really aren't making as much money as people think."

For Joanna Hall, volunteering has become her way of giving back to Mexican and Caribbean workers who are employed locally.

"People don't realize what these folks go through in a regular working day," she said.

"If we can provide one meal for them on a Thursday or a Friday evening where they can sit down and have some fellowship with other workers. That's a small price that anybody can give these men and women."

She said without their work, dinner tables in Canada would look "very different," which is why the community must show interest in their lives.

For Hall,the smiles of workers and connections she makes are her rewards.

And although she's still working on her Spanish skills, she said she still tries her best to communicate her gratitude.

"They say to me, 'gracias' ['thank you'in Spanish] and I always say straight back to them 'no, gracias to you, thank you for what you do,'" she said.