Last week, on February 23, the municipal government passed a motion in support of regularization for all. This would not directly grant status to all undocumented people in the city, but it would instead put pressure on the federal government to provide status for all.

The motion passed unanimously. It was presented and proposed by Borough Mayor for Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension Giuliana Fumagalli. Local 514 host Savanna Craig interviewed Giuliana on the significance of regularization and what it means. Regularization would not significantly change the lives of non-status people in Montreal, but it would recognize them, and need much more work and the municipal, and mostly federal level to provide status for all undocumented people.

There are approximately 50,000 people without status in Montreal. This number has been suggested to be underestimated. Non-status people come from all walks of life, most often escaping violence and persecution in their country of origin and in pursuit of a better life in a new country. However, without status, they are left vulnerable. Many non-status workers have had to quit their jobs with hours during Quebec's curfew in fear of police asking for their identification, proving that they are undocumented, heightening the changes of them being reported to the Canadian Border Services Agency and being deported.

This interview discusses the basics of regularization and the passed motion, but if you want to learn more about non-status people in Montreal and the exploitation of the undocumented in the workforce – stay tuned for the next episode of Local 514 dropping soon. It will focus on the exploitation of migrants in the workforce and factors that contribute to them being unpaid and undervalued in Montreal's workforce and society.