Migrant worker’s death prompts calls for full and permanent immigration status
Working conditions of migrant farm workers have come into focus following the death of a migrant worker while operating heavy equipment at a southern Ontario farm.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour confirmed on Aug. 14 that it was notified of a fatality at a farm in Norfolk County, stating: "a temporary foreign worker was fatally injured while operating farm equipment."
The worker was identified by the Jamaican government and his Norfolk County employer.
"The Ministry of Labour and social security is expressing deep sadness at the passing of Mr. Garvin Yapp, a 57-year-old worker who participated in the ministry’s farm work programme in Canada,” the Jamaican ministry said in a media release.
It goes on to say that Yapp had been travelling to work on farms in Canada for 35 years, and he was held in such high esteem that his employer would vacation at Yapp’s home on his visits to Jamaica.
His employer, the VanBerlo family declined an interview, sending a statement instead through their lawyer.
"The VanBerlo's did not lose an employee. They lost a person they considered a member of their family. Their relationship with Garvin was forged over 34 years of employment at their family farm. Accordingly, they are devastated by his death,” the lawyer’s statement read.
The emailed statement from the lawyer said the family has cooperated fully with the investigation undertaken by the Ministry of Labour and awaits the outcome of the coroner's analysis into the cause of death.
“The VanBerlo’s extend their profound and heartfelt condolences to Garvin’s family in Canada and Jamaica.
ADVOCATES SPEAK TO MIGRANT WORKER'S CONDITIONS
Advocates are arguing the system that governs migrant worker’s employment in Canada is broken and needs to be revamped to ensure there are no more preventable deaths.
“We do not know if his family will receive any compensation,” said Syed Hussan, executive director at Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.
The organization said this is just one of a dozen migrant worker deaths in Canada they are aware of this year.
“People are literally dying for your food,” said Hussan.
The organization points to the death as proof the foreign worker system needs to be overhauled, arguing workers need to receive full and permanent immigration status.
“Human beings are being treated like machines,” said Hussan.
The cause of the farming equipment crash which led to Yapp's death is unknown at this point.
"The migrant farm worker program is effectively a human rights catastrophe," said Hussan. "Every day we hear about injuries. Every month we hear about deaths. There have been three deaths that we know of just in the last week."
The Ontario Ministry Of Labour says their investigation is ongoing.
The Jamaican Ministry Of Labour said they are in contact with Yapp's family offering 'psycho-social and other support.'
The Jamaican labour minister is touring farms in Canada this week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922300.1718132871!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING 'All hands on deck situation': City of Calgary declares state of local emergency over water main break
The City of Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning in response to the latest developments in a major water main break that is impacting the city.
A new tax filing system could give Canadians more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Video shows northern Ont. storm hammer shoreline, breaking dock
The owner of a northern Ont. camp is continuing to clean up after an intense storm that prompted a tornado warning Thursday ripped through the area breaking his dock and downing trees.
U.K. royals unite on palace balcony as Princess of Wales returns to public view after cancer diagnosis
London put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ' first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Trudeau calls into question findings of stunning watchdog foreign interference report
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has concerns with how conclusions were gathered in a spy watchdog report.
93-year-old pleads guilty to careless driving after crash involving CTV Kitchener reporter
A 93-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to careless driving causing bodily harm in the crash that sent CTV News Kitchener reporter Stephanie Villella to hospital with life-threatening injuries last year.
Man who stabbed Mexican tourist in Vancouver Tim Hortons 2 years ago released from prison, police warn
Vancouver police are warning the public that the man who stabbed a stranger in a downtown coffee shop in January 2022 has been released and will be living in the city again.
Think cicadas are weird? Check out superfans, who eat the bugs, use them in art and even striptease
Mayumi Barrack sees a pair of mating periodical cicadas getting together, whips out her phone, says, 'Hi guys!' and takes their picture.
Abducted child found dead and sister injured in suspected human trafficking case, authorities say
36-year-old Daniel Callihan was arrested Thursday after a 35-year-old mother was found dead and her two abducted daughters were later discovered in Mississippi – one dead and the other alive – in what investigators say may be a human trafficking case.