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Vancouver Canucks legend Trevor Linden will be at the oval on Monday to make a special announcement. For more on this, go to www. richmond-news.com. ,
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AGRICULTURE
Who wins win-win deal? Migrant workers vulnerable to abuse: Alliance BY EVE EDMONDS
eedmonds@richmond-news.com
While the last of the migrant farm workers are packing their bags and heading home, mainly to Mexico, Richmond farmers are busy preparing the applications to have a new batch of workers return in the spring. The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) has been operating in Canada for more than 40 years, but only for the past six years in B.C. Even in that short time, it has become a vital part of the farm industry in Richmond and a valuable infusion of Canadian dollars to Mexico. Many like to describe it as a win-win situation, but it’s also been highly controversial and open to abuse, according to Raul Gatica, a representative of the Agricultural Workers Alliance. Accommodation is often substandard and conditions unsafe, he added. “Many of these people don’t know their rights. They are not given time off or pay
for overtime. They are given one day of socalled training before they come, but really it’s just informing them not to make trouble or they’ll be sent home.” It’s no coincidence that the program requires the workers to be married with children, he added. “Those ones don’t ‘make trouble.’ They have families to feed and can’t afford to be sent back home.” Gatica’s biggest frustration in Richmond is simply getting access to workers. Recently he heard workers on Richmond’s Maybog farm were told they would be sent home if they were seen speaking to Gatica — even off the property. Repeated calls to Maybog were not returned. “We go to places where the workers go, churches, soccer fields, certain stores to try to talk to them, but they’re very nervous about being seen talking to us.” The ones he has talked to detail a list of complaints, he said. see Gatica page 4
CITY
B&B welcome mat out Contentious bed and breakfast bylaw revealed
CHUNG CHOW/RICHMOND NEWS
The world’s largest mailbox has found a home for the holidays at the Richmond Public Library, Brighouse branch — its size verified by the experts at Guinness World Records. For more information about the box and photos of kids at the library posting their letters, look online at www.richmond-news.com.
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There has been much wailing and gnashing of the teeth over the last six months. But this week the City of Richmond’s planning committee unanimously approved the controversial bed and breakfast bylaw. A bitter feud — lasting all summer and fall between the owner of a cul-desac B&B and his neighbours — was the catalyst for the bylaw. Provided the bylaw passes through
full city council next week and survives a public hearing, Richmond’s B&Bs will, once they have a business licence, be able to enjoy a maximum of three guest bedrooms, hosting up to six people. But it will not be an easy path for the B&B owners to tread, with the city — cognizant of the fact some neighbours were angry about living close to a B&B — setting down strict quality control criteria and a stringent code of conduct that the business must follow. Failure to adhere to the new guidelines will, according to the proposed bylaw, see Code page 6
8171 Westminster Hwy. (at Buswell, one block east of No. 3 Rd.) Walkway access also from Save-On Foods parking lot
Mon-Sat 8:45-6:30 Sun 10-5 (604) 780-4959
07283111
BY ALAN CAMPBELL
acampbell@richmond-news.com