In Conversation with Borough Mayor Giuliana Fumagalli

Local 514 host Savanna Craig spoke with Giuliana Fumagalli, borough mayor of Montréal's Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. Giuliana discusses her motion put towards Montreal’s municipal council that would support regularization for all, what regularization means and how it can improve the lives of non-status people.

This motion would not provide status for all, but would put pressure on the federal government to provide status for all. Giuliana discusses the next steps after this motion passes in order to obtain status for all. 

As borough mayor for Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, Giuliana is often surrounded and in touch with many immigrant people, including non-status people, noticing the unique difficulties that they face, which Montrealers and Canadians with status do not experience. She discussed how some non-status people are having to break COVID regulations, including sleeping at a friends, colleagues or their workplace instead of commuting home after work, just to avoid getting caught by police during curfew checks. She also noticed the anxiety that non-status people often live with, due to being in constant fear of police finding out they are without status and possibly being reported to the Canadian Border Services Agency for deportation.

This interview was conducted before Montreal council voted on the motion for regularization. This motion was passed unanimously, to view the interview where Local 514 talked to Giuliana about the passing of this motion and how she plans to move forward to apply pressure on the federal government to provide status for all, click here.

Parts of this interview was used towards the second episode of Local 514. To view the full episode, click here.