It's getting harder and harder to pin down the self-contradicting NDP on migrant farm workers. In a news release just 3 months ago, on March 20, 2020, the federal NDP called for:
The federal and provincial governments followed up and did exactly what everyone agreed to: providing guarantees that migrant workers could arrive in Ontario and also providing loans and grants to farmers (not workers) for Covid-19 related expenses. You would think that would make everyone happy right? Wrong.
Fast forward to June 2, 2020. The federal NDP issues a new press release. This one contradicts their views from only three months ago. Now the NDP are saying:
Well if Covid-19 cases among migrant farm workers are "alarming and disturbing," why did the federal NDP want to get these migrant farm workers into Ontario so fast back in March? Why didn't the NDP call for strict border controls and screening measures for migrant farm workers? And if migrant farm workers are subjected to "abuses and inhuman treatment," then why did the federal NDP support giving loans and grants to the very same farmers who are (allegedly) guilty of these things? Hmmm?
And as if to make my point, here is a press release from Essex MPP Taras Natyshak. Essentially Natyshak contradicts the federal NDP and says:
Huh? So let's get this straight, the federal NDP gets exactly what it wants and then the provincial NDP complains about it. They contradict each other. But they both say that local Essex County farmers exploit migrant farm workers. Here is a June 12, 2020 news report where Natyshak is said to make that nasty allegation.
What's funny is that the federal NDP contradiction was issued on June 2, 2020 and it took Natyshak another 10 days to come up with his own written version on June 12, 2020. Why didn't he just cut and paste the federal NDP contradiction? That would have saved him lots of time.
Here's what's not funny: the NDP accusation that Essex County farmers are exploiters. If the allegations of "inhuman treatment" are true, then why would the federal NDP support giving money to farmers? And if the allegations of exploitation are true, then where does that leave MPP Taras Natyshak, in favour of giving money to Essex County farmers, or against it?
Here's the truth of it: the NDP want to portray themselves as the protector of workers; and simultaneosly want to portray themselves as the friend to farmers. So they get caught in this contradictory problem of being both for and against Essex County farmers. And that's why it's getting harder and harder to pin down the self-contradicting NDP on migrant farm workers.
- Guarantees that travel restrictions would not impede migrant workers from getting to Ontario farms, and,
- Loans and grants to farmers, (not workers) to assist with the financial fall-out of the Covid-19 crisis.
The federal and provincial governments followed up and did exactly what everyone agreed to: providing guarantees that migrant workers could arrive in Ontario and also providing loans and grants to farmers (not workers) for Covid-19 related expenses. You would think that would make everyone happy right? Wrong.
Fast forward to June 2, 2020. The federal NDP issues a new press release. This one contradicts their views from only three months ago. Now the NDP are saying:
- Covid-19 cases among migrant farm workers are "alarming and disturbing."
- Migrant farm workers are subjected to "abuses and inhuman treatment."
Well if Covid-19 cases among migrant farm workers are "alarming and disturbing," why did the federal NDP want to get these migrant farm workers into Ontario so fast back in March? Why didn't the NDP call for strict border controls and screening measures for migrant farm workers? And if migrant farm workers are subjected to "abuses and inhuman treatment," then why did the federal NDP support giving loans and grants to the very same farmers who are (allegedly) guilty of these things? Hmmm?
And as if to make my point, here is a press release from Essex MPP Taras Natyshak. Essentially Natyshak contradicts the federal NDP and says:
- Migrant workers should be subject to "directives," "rules," and "quarantine protocols."
- "Cutting cheques to farmers" and leaving it up to them to handle this public health emergency on their own is a disastrous plan."
Huh? So let's get this straight, the federal NDP gets exactly what it wants and then the provincial NDP complains about it. They contradict each other. But they both say that local Essex County farmers exploit migrant farm workers. Here is a June 12, 2020 news report where Natyshak is said to make that nasty allegation.
What's funny is that the federal NDP contradiction was issued on June 2, 2020 and it took Natyshak another 10 days to come up with his own written version on June 12, 2020. Why didn't he just cut and paste the federal NDP contradiction? That would have saved him lots of time.
Here's what's not funny: the NDP accusation that Essex County farmers are exploiters. If the allegations of "inhuman treatment" are true, then why would the federal NDP support giving money to farmers? And if the allegations of exploitation are true, then where does that leave MPP Taras Natyshak, in favour of giving money to Essex County farmers, or against it?
Here's the truth of it: the NDP want to portray themselves as the protector of workers; and simultaneosly want to portray themselves as the friend to farmers. So they get caught in this contradictory problem of being both for and against Essex County farmers. And that's why it's getting harder and harder to pin down the self-contradicting NDP on migrant farm workers.