SAME explores migrant exploitation on the silver screen

Click on the image above to see the photo gallery.

Surrey, B.C. – February 26, 2016 – The 2016 Students Against Migrant Exploitation (SAME) tour recently kicked off in Surrey, British Columbia at the KDocs Film Festival, with a special screening of Food Chain$, a documentary that explores the working conditions of migrant agriculture workers.

The Kwantlen Polytechnic University Documentary Film Festival, better known as KDocs, is a premier event in the Lower Mainland area that showcases and celebrates documentary film as well as investigates some of today's most pressing global issues.

Students Against Migrant Exploitation co-ordinator Pablo Godoy attended the festival and presented the Food Chain$ documentary. Food Chain$ takes a look at the U.S. farming industry and focuses on the plight of migrant agriculture workers, who are often exploited through wage theft and harsh working conditions.

 A 'Question & Answer' panel took place after the screening. Panelists included Kent Mullinix, Director for the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), and Dr. Mike Bomford, also from KPU, as well as UFCW Canada National Representative Felix Martinez. The panel focused on connecting the issues of the migrant workers in the United States to the realities and experiences many migrant workers face here in Canada. Panelists also looked at how young people can get involved to help make a difference to better working conditions for migrant workers.

"While the documentary focused primarily on migrant workers in the United States, there are many overlapping themes to what migrant workers face here in Canada," explained SAME Co-ordinator Pablo Godoy. "The reality is that migrant workers in North America are often exploited in an industry that generated $15 billion dollars last year in Canada alone."

Audiences at the screening also learned about the important work UFCW Canada and the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) are doing to improve the living and working conditions of migrant agriculture workers.

Since its inception, SAME has grown into Canada's leading organization dedicated to engaging youth on migrant worker issues. If you or your school would like to book a FREE presentation, or would like more information about volunteer opportunities, please contact [email protected] or visit the SAME Facebook page at www.facebook.com/samegroup.