Canadian Agricultural Workers Programme Endorsed by First-Time Jamaican Participant
By: , October 19, 2022
Photo: Mickella Anderson
St. Catherine resident, *Mark Grant, boards a bus to return to work on an apple farm in Ontario, Canada, after speaking with JIS News. The farm where he works was visited on October 14 by a team of Jamaican fact-finders who are assessing Canada’s seasonal agricultural workers programme.The Full Story
Alongside the 80 to 85 per cent of Jamaican returnees on Canada’s seasonal agricultural workers programme are newcomers who, each year, seize the opportunity to participate in the decades-old engagement.
One such is St. Catherine’s Mark Grant*, who works on one of the largest apple farms in Ontario.
Mr. Grant is a transferee from a neighboring peach and nectarine farm, which has closed for the remainder of the season.
Speaking with JIS News during a visit by a Jamaican team of fact-finders on October 14, Mr. Grant said contrary to even his own expectations, adjusting to the colder temperatures of the North American country has not been difficult.
“The cold isn’t extremely bad because it’s early in the winter, and by the time it should get bad, the [crop] season is already finished. From you put your mind to it, you can cope,” Mr. Grant explained.
He informed that he was introduced to the programme by a friend in Jamaica, after which he then contacted his Member of Parliament (MP) expressing an interest, “not just for the money but for the experience”.
Mr. Grant, who is a construction worker by profession, described himself as a part-time farmer.
He noted that his involvement in construction activities has helped him to remain industrious while on the programme in Canada.
“Because I am already used to working, I come here with the same momentum. So, the same driving force and energy that you would put out in Jamaica, that’s the same force you would put out here,” Mr. Grant said.
He pointed out that his involvement in part-time farming “also helps a lot because we are dealing with fruits day to day and, in some sense, we are familiar with some of the fruits and can always relate to them”.
“Our [Jamaican] apple is different, but we still can relate to the ones here. Most of us in Jamaica have a ‘country’ background, so we already have an interaction with fruits,” he added.
Mr. Grant, who is scheduled to leave Canada by the end of October or early in November, pointed out that, in some cases, the farmers’ departure is dependent on the speed with which they harvest all the apples on the 2,500-acre property.
He told JIS News that he would participate in the programme for another season, if given the opportunity.
“I would definitely come back, because I see where it can be beneficial in certain ways, and I would advise anyone who is young and seeking a different opportunity to try the programme,” Mr. Grant added.
“I would definitely come back, because I see where it can be beneficial in certain ways,” he added.
Established by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Karl Samuda, the team of fact-finders are in Canada to assess the seasonal agricultural workers programme and the status of participating Jamaican workers.