Non-permanent residents unfairly blamed for poor government planning, say protesters

Several dozen protesters gathered outside Province House in Charlottetown Thursday evening to protest against xenophobia and rally in support of temporary foreign workers, international students and other non-permanent residents in the province.

Maria Gomez, a community relations coordinator with the advocacy group BIPOC USHR, said non-permanent residents are being unfairly blamed for crises in housing and health care.

"Who are to blame? Immigrants, which is easy to say," said Gomez.

"In reality, it's poor planning and poor policy."

The crowd heard from several speakers who called for better protections for temporary foreign workersand a more clear path to citizenship.

"When Canada brings them [here] with dreams and hopes and positions and job offers, and when they get here with no jobs or really inhumane working conditions,it's just not fair," said Gomez.

"They often leave everything at home to come here for dreams and then they face very, very different reality."

The Charlottetown rally was one of nine held across the country organized by the Migrant Rights Network.