Toronto City Council Assists Undocumented Workers to Access City Services

The Toronto City Council had a very heated debate at on Thursday regarding the issue of whether to allow undocumented workers to easily access city services without the fear of any sort of consequences. An immigrant’s son claimed that those who enter the country illegally are an “insult” for others, especially those who have gained legal allowance to work in the country.

Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who represents Don Valley East, presented strong arguments against illegal immigrants, saying that “undocumented workers are illegal workers, illegal immigrants.” He alleged that “their first stop is the welfare office. They already know the address because they’ve been told back home where to go.” Minnan-Wong recommended that Toronto shall neither assist nor allow these people to stay or work, appraising federal government’s approach towards legal immigration, and supporting the deportation of illegal immigrants. He acclaimed that “they are an insult to every immigrant who played by the rules to get into this country,” and “It sends a message to the world that it is OK to break the law to come to Canada, and it says that the city of Toronto is an accomplice to this lawbreaking.”

However, regardless of Mr. Minnan-Wong’s heavy arguments, the city council did not agree with his suggestions and instead decided to make it easier for people living in Toronto without legal status to feel more comfortable while accessing city services. The council assured its commitment to “ensuring access to services without fear to immigrants without full status or without full status documents.”