TORONTO -- Advocates are calling for systemic changes to be implemented to Canada鈥檚 vaccine rollout to make the process more inclusive and safe for migrants and undocumented workers.
Syed Hussan of said many fear that getting vaccinated could lead to deportation or detainment due to lack of identification or law enforcement gaining access to vaccine database information.
Hussan said that what Canada needs is a 鈥渧ery clear system,鈥� to ensure that 鈥渧accination is provided for free, without a healthcard, with no name, address and ID information that is tracked 鈥� and if it is tracked, it鈥檚 not shared with federal law enforcement.鈥�
Hussan said further fears arise for migrants and undocumented workers if institutions such as the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) potentially gain access to vaccination databases in efforts to find, detain or deport them.
鈥淭he provinces keep saying the vaccine is available to everyone but they鈥檙e not actually putting in place the concrete measures to make that happen,鈥� Hussan said.
It鈥檚 estimated that there are 1.6 million people without citizenship or permanent status within Canada, and approximately 500,000 of those are undocumented.
Hussan said migrant workers, including farm workers, have been telling his organization that 鈥渢heir employers are saying that if they don鈥檛 get vaccinated, they will be kicked out of the country.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e being coerced into being vaccinated - you must be able to get the vaccine but you must also have the choice,鈥� he said.
Hussan also called for health care workers who are providing the vaccines to get sensitivity training 鈥渋mmediately鈥� so that 鈥淏lack and brown and racialized people be provided vaccinations with dignity.鈥�
Pointing out that vaccination programs had been 鈥渇igured out鈥� for people experiencing homelessness, Hussan said the same measures and extensions could be put to use for migrants and undocumented workers.
鈥淵ou have to rely on people that they actually care about their health and will come back,鈥� Hussan said. 鈥淭he provincial and federal government are simply not putting into place the measures that ensure all of us are protected.鈥�
鈥淎nd if all of us aren鈥檛 protected, none of us are.鈥�
