Why is Labour Trafficking Increasing In Canada? | The Agenda

New research reveals most Canadians are unaware that labour trafficking is a major issue across the country. But Canadian authorities recently shut down an international labour trafficking ring operating in York region and across the GTA and rescued 64 Mexican nationals who were being exploited. Steve Paikin talks to experts about what labour trafficking entails, why this issue flies under the radar, sweeping changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, the pandemic's impact, and policy recommendations. Julia Drydyk, (  / juliadrydyk  ) executive director of the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking (https://www.canadiancentretoendhumant...) Loly Rico, (  / loly_rico  ) co-founder and executive director of the FCJ Refugee Centre (https://www.fcjrefugeecentre.org/abou...) Syed Hussan, (  / hussansk  ) executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (https://migrantworkersalliance.org/press) 00:00 Intro 01:10 Migrant workers in Canada 01:54 What is labour trafficking? 02:45 Why do a majority of Canadians lack awareness on labour trafficking? 03:43 Canadian employers who exploit and traffic migrant workers 05:20 What’s leading to an increase in labour trafficking cases? 6:28 Reasons labour exploitation of migrant workers is underreported in Canada 7:58 Where do migrant workers come to Canada from? 08:45 How did the pandemic effect the migrant workers in Canada? 10:05 The experience of migrant workers 12:25 International labour trafficking ring shutdown in York Region and the GTA 13:10 How often do police catch labour traffickers? 13:41 Why the Canadian justice system fails migrant workers 16:20 Migrant workers who are “rescued” by police are often deported 17:47 Why governments need to give migrant workers permanent resident status 18:11 Statement from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skill Development 18:59 Criticisms of Ontario Ministry of Labour’s efforts to mitigate migrant exploitation 22:10 Reactions to changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program 25:31 Migrant farm workers experience “systematic slavery” in Canada 26:42 Experts react to statement from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture 29:15 Policy recommendations to end migrant worker labour trafficking and exploitation Subscribe to The Agenda with Steve Paikin on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/theagenda?s... Listen to the podcast: https://www.tvo.org/podcasts/the-agen... Follow on social media: Facebook -   / theagenda   Twitter -   / theagenda   Subscribe to TVO Media Education Group newsletters: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Get the TVO Today app: App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/tvo-tod... Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... See more ways to access The Agenda with Steve Paikin and TVO Today: https://www.tvo.org/tvo-anytime-anywhere The Agenda with Steve Paikin is TVO Today's flagship current affairs program, devoted to exploring the social, political, cultural and economic issues that are changing our world. We consistently offer a diversity of viewpoints and in-depth analysis of what lies behind the headlines. See more about The Agenda with Steve Paikin at https://www.tvo.org/theagenda