Strengthen its commitment toward the elimination of human trafficking and modern slavery in Canada, and globally, in the work urged upon church leaders and members in the 2019 General Synod Resolution A204: Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery by developing and enabling a national strategy for faith-based ministries of hospitality that support the needs of migrant workers in Canada and address the systemic injustices that migrant workers experience.

We ask:

1. The Primate and National House of Bishops of The Anglican Church of Canada to continue to constructively engage federal, provincial and municipal government on relevant policy areas to ensure safe and non-exploitative labour for migrant workers in Canada, including support for:
   1. Permanent Residency Pathways for Temporary International Workers in Essential Occupations in Canada, which would afford such workers the rights and protections granted to other workers in Canada;
   2. Regularization of undocumented workers, stemming from Canada’s 58-year-old Temporary Foreign Workers Program, which ties employees to employers, creating a system rife with abuse;
   3. Labour rights that ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and protection against exploitation; and
   4. Equitable access to healthcare, education and social services.

2. The Office of General Synod to share and promote resources that will support and connect the participation of local Canadian Anglican parishes and groups in ministries of hospitality and advocacy in partnership with migrant workers and migrant serving organizations, including resources that:
   1. Raise awareness and promote learning about the contributions of migrant workers to local and national food security, economy and community;
   2. Raise awareness about migrant worker experiences in Canada, including learning about and responding to:
      1. The root causes of enforced migration;
      2. Migrant exploitation and labour abuses in Canada;
      3. Misinformation, discrimination, and xenophobia; and
   3. Enable faith-based initiatives including ministries of:
      1. Pastoral care and worship;
      2. Study and prayer that ground service and advocacy in scriptural and theological teachings about welcoming the stranger and protecting the vulnerable;
      3. Enabling relationships between migrant workers and local parishes and congregations that build mutual understanding, friendship and support;
      4. Direct services that meet basic needs, such as clothing, language skills, shelter, transportation, access to health care, and more; and
      5. Empowerment programs in support of migrant organizing and advocacy for their own rights.
   4. Strengthen Anglican participation and partnerships of collaboration with local, regional, and national migrant justice networks, ecumenical groups, civil society organizations, and government agencies to address issues and solutions holistically; and
   5. Enable effective ministry monitoring, evaluation, and long-term sustainability and vision.

The Anglican Church of Canada is committed to challenging the crimes of human trafficking and modern slavery in Canada and globally. Core to this commitment are Canadian Anglican church people, parishes, and partnerships with ecumenical, civil society, private sector and government allies working to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and protection against exploitation for migrant workers in Canada.

Presently, several Canadian Anglican dioceses support comprehensive diocesan ministry programs with and for regional migrant workers, while a small number of Anglican parishes elsewhere provide a range of initiatives including monthly migrant led worship services in workers’ first languages, pastoral care, community meals, clothing centres, and more. Such ministries are living commitments of our baptismal covenant, of the Anglican Communion’s marks of mission and principles of partnership, and of The Anglican Church of Canada’s strategic ministry commitments.

Unfortunately, Canadian foreign and immigration policies can be seen as complicit in enforced migration globally and are associated with ongoing experiences of precarious living and working conditions for migrant workers in Canada. Without permanent residency status, migrant workers, of whom the vast majority are tax payers, have restricted access to social services and few guarantees of their labour rights.  Immigration policies, rather than addressing real labour needs, restrict opportunities for residency, which encourages unstable and potentially exploitative migrant work contexts.

Unfortunately, few Canadians are aware of migrant workers who are all but invisible in our rural and urban workplaces. Many of us know little about migrant workers’ experiences and their direct contributions to local, regional, national, and international economies and food security.

This resolution serves to support existing and future Anglican ministries with migrant workers from coast to coast to coast through providing resources and connections for the church’s leaders and members with other faith-based communities also engaged in similar ministries of hospitality and advocacy. It also serves to build bridges between diverse communities in Canada, such as migrant and Indigenous peoples, and supports education toward racial justice.

This resolution serves to strengthen the Church’s commitment to recognize, uphold and defend the dignity of every human being, and work toward the dismantling of racism and colonialism within the church and beyond. This resolution seeks justice and aspires to nurture and sustain right relationships among people of faith in local, national, and global communities and networks.

In the normal course, an ordinary motion must be passed by a majority of the members of General Synod present and voting together.

Six members of General Synod may, prior to the question being put, require a vote by Orders, with a majority of each Order being necessary to pass.

If a question passes on a Vote by Orders, any six members (two from each of three different dioceses) may immediately before the next item of business require a vote to be taken by dioceses. A motion passes if a majority (or a tie) of dioceses vote in favour.

Source: Sections 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles and sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Rules of Order and Procedure.