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Aquilini's under fire for the mistreatment of migrant workers.


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7 minutes ago, DonLever said:

The old Social Credit was a coalition party just like the BC Liberal government today that consist of Federal Conservatives and Federal Liberals.   The Social credit back in the 1940's was a very small party.  The Social Credit itself was taken over by  former Federal Liberals and Federal Conservatives as a coalition  to stop the left wing CCF (former party of NDP).  The purpose of these coalitions is to prevent splitting the right vote.   Exactly the same  strategy used today.  If the BC Liberal coalition fell apart, the NDP will win because the right wing will split.

Basically BC politics has always been &^@#ed!  :wacko: :lol:

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Statements like these make me wary (I mean, if they were paid for contractual obligations that promised 6 months of work at 40 hours/week but they did not get/work those hours...seriously?  So you worked in a berry field for a couple of months and....

 

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Although she now has a job at a food processing plant in Surrey, Iris Vela-Levia alleges she sustained injuries while working at Golden Eagle that have permanently affected her ability to work. “It's really hard for me to bend over and to do tasks on the floor. I’m not really a normal person anymore,” she said.
As the Employment Standards decision made clear, the contracts the women signed with Golden Eagle guaranteed 40 hours of work per week. But barely a month into their time at Pitt Meadows, the work began to dry up and only a select number of workers would be assigned shifts every day.

Also - that:

 

Quote

Golden Eagle went on to accuse Dignidad (Migrante Society) of making “extortive” financial demands of the company, which ultimately led to the collapse of a short-lived mediation process in March of this year. (Dignidad says it asked for $15,000 in compensation per worker, as well up to $100,000 for the legal and accommodation costs the organization incurred after the women left the farm. 

Divided between 174 women, the repayments ordered by Employment Standards range from $10 to $1,900, well below what Dignidad had initially requested

Look, I have no question that things likely weren't "ideal" - farmwork's hard, physical labout.  But I also consider that there could be a hint of exploitation and opportunism that may be turning this into what some may see as a potential pot of gold. 

 

It sounds like a handful of people (15) made complaints when they weren't getting the work/hours they thought they'd been promised.  Then a hundred or more went on strike in support of them and became part of the complaint.  Did things snowball and get blown out of proportion to make the case?  Or is it that things were awful and they kept quiet in fear of losing the opportunity?  That will become known I'm sure.

 

If there was sexual harassment, as suggested, that needs to be addressed on a person to person basis in my view.  Those individuals responsible for it.  Then, if it becomes a matter of being a known/reported company issue, an all encompassing deal.  Did they report it "in bulk" as part of this complaint?  Was it done in real time, as incidents occurred?  It's a serious issue and a crime.

 

So many questions that still need to be answered before we know for sure...

 

Again, it's likely something in the middle of "not the best working conditions" and "let's cash in on it".

 

If these women were exploited and treated badly, then that's disgusting.  Our country is better than that.   But I think we have to consider that a wealthy farm owner can be a prime target for gold diggers as well as berry pickers.   So the truth is important for both sides in this - because there are opportunists on both ends of the spectrum.

 

 

 

 https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/7xge49/inside-the-allegedly-exploitative-farm-owned-by-one-of-canadas-richest-families

 

 

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2 hours ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

I would classify them more as Red Tories than Liberals. 

Perfect description - Red Tories.   Which is quite different from current Federal Conservatives who are mostly social conservatives.

 

BC Liberals are socially progressive like the UK Conservatives under David Cameron who introduced and passed Gay marriage.   David Cameron was a Red Tory, unlike Margaret Thatcher who was very right wing in contrast.

 

 

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Hard to own a home in Vancouver if you are not part of the 1%: report

One’s household income in Vancouver would need to be above $240,000 in order to afford a home. In Toronto, a household would need more than $160,000.

 

https://vancouversun.com/real-estate/mortgages/its-going-to-be-hard-to-own-a-home-in-toronto-if-you-are-not-part-of-the-10-report/wcm/c9a2b263-6fe8-46da-84e7-54b7e34486e7

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Makes me sad...

 

 

The plight of migrant farm workers and their vulnerability to exploitation is a timeless story.

 

Poor, uneducated and often unable to speak the language in the country they are working, they are untethered from families and without the supports and benefits provided to domestic workers — including some who may be working alongside them.

It’s one reason that 170 Guatemalans successfully being awarded $133,632 in unpaid wages, vacation pay and wages by the B.C. Employment Standards director is news.

 

The other is that they won against one of the province’s wealthiest and most powerful families. The Aquilinis’ blueberry farms is one of the largest. They also own a 1,500-acre cranberry bog, fish farms and apiaries. They are land developers and the owners of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, Rogers Arena as well as hotels, restaurants, golf courses and energy companies.

They are politically active. Since 2005, Elections B.C. shows that they and their companies have donated just under $1.9 million to parties and candidates — primarily to the B.C. Liberals.

 

The fact that the Aquilinis, who operate Golden Eagle Blueberry Farm, didn’t appeal either the ruling, or contest a $53,690 fine from WorkSafeBC assessed last fall for using an unsafe bus to carry workers to the fields speaks for itself.

 

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/daphne-bramham-farm-workers-continue-the-decades-long-struggle-to-get-their-due

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/30/2019 at 4:16 PM, kingofsurrey said:

Hard to own a home in Vancouver if you are not part of the 1%: report

One’s household income in Vancouver would need to be above $240,000 in order to afford a home. In Toronto, a household would need more than $160,000.

 

https://vancouversun.com/real-estate/mortgages/its-going-to-be-hard-to-own-a-home-in-toronto-if-you-are-not-part-of-the-10-report/wcm/c9a2b263-6fe8-46da-84e7-54b7e34486e7

And Global said the population of Vancouver is expected to increase over the next couple years. I suppose these people are renting out the broom closets on Craigslist for $1250 a month..

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On 6/21/2019 at 7:17 AM, Fanuck said:

These guys can't seem to stay out of the media.

Wonder if Aquaman goes on stage again with the picks like in the past?

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/aquilini-canucks-tax-court-1.5183787

From abusing and ripping off their berry farm migrant workers to tax evasion, not to mention their slumlord reputation and how they have weaseled their way into the Canucks ownership, this lowlife family, especially Francesco, deserves every bit of karma that goes their way. Their philanthropy and charities mean absolutely squat.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/tax-cheating-consequences.html

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I have family members that do high end business with the Aquilini group. I've heard some very messed up stories from family who deal with them. I honestly wouldn't be surprised by these allegations. That being said, their are always too sides to every story..  

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18 hours ago, Tre Mac said:

Sekeras is going off on the fact that he heard the Canucks maybe losing money?  I had a dream that Aquaman had to sell the team recently, maybe dreams do come true.  

Matt Sekeras from TSN1040? When did you hear this?

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It was a brief topic of discussion yesterday.

Had to do with a poor fan/fair experience at the draft, pallets being left throughout the concourse, no garbage pick up at on of the entrances? so that a swarm of flies was there and the fact that some of the seats that should be replaced have not been.

edit to add

small management structure equals less money outflow as well.

Edited by gurn
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1 hour ago, Tiger-Hearted said:

Matt Sekeras from TSN1040? When did you hear this?

 

57 minutes ago, gurn said:

It was a brief topic of discussion yesterday.

Had to do with a poor fan/fair experience at the draft, pallets being left throughout the concourse, no garbage pick up at on of the entrances? so that a swarm of flies was there and the fact that some of the seats that should be replaced have not been.

edit to add

small management structure equals less money outflow as well.

 

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