Shame
Are some women in the Canadian labour force still treated like slaves?
Yes.
Are they still disposable?
Yes.
Crash that killed three farm workers ruled 'accidental' by coroner's jury
In 2008, police recommended 33 criminal charges be laid against both the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash, Harwinder Gill, and her husband, Ranjit Gill. But the charges were not approved by Crown counsel. Instead, Harwinder Gill pleaded guilty to four lesser charges under the Motor Vehicle Act and was fined $2,000.
“It was literally a slap on the wrist,” Jim Sayre, lawyer for the victim’s families, said Thursday.
“It was a demonstration of disrespect in their view for the lives of their loved ones. That that was all those lives were worth,” he said.
The Gills were also fined $69,000 following an investigation by WorkSafeBC. But that fine was never paid.
The jury heard earlier in the inquest there were 17 people inside the van at the time of the crash. Only two had seatbelts, including the driver and a frontseat passenger. Gill was not properly licenced to drive the vehicle. Meanwhile, the van itself was in poor working condition with balding and inadequately inflated tires.
* * *
The day after this sickening and completely avoidable tragedy, my friend, Jim Sinclair, BC Fed President went out to the Gills' farm and watched as more indentured poor were badgered into unsafe vans without seat belts.
Lay all of the blame here at the provincial and municipal governments who refuse to pay inspectors in adequate numbers to police and enforce even the most basic working conditions - like drinking water and sanitation.
When it comes to some areas we are not "the greatest place on earth."
We are a corrupt and self-indulgent third-world slum.
Oh.
And, by the way.
Gord has no regrets.
Posted by
David Berner
at
10:23 AM
5 comments:
What would the Crown be saying if this same situation involved students from the westside?
What a travesty.
Please note the original nationalities of all involved.
The way these people treat each other is exactly the way they treat each other back in their homeland India. They never learn and are a prime example of what's wrong with our immigration system here in Canada. This example shows the worst of caste practices brought over by immigrants who don't seem to realize why Canada is such a desirable place to live in the first place . . . . it's because of the blood sweat and tears and basic intelligence of our fore bearers and the society they formed that works.
I would like to see all new immigrants to Canada forced to participate in basic human rights classes where they could see why the systems they practiced in their home lands that they have deserted didn't work and why the Canadian system is superior. Cap that off with an admonishment to "assimilate quickly" or be forced to return to their "homeland"
Adding racism and anti-immigration to an already dreadful situtation may not be helpful.
What you say may have some legitimacy, but I would ask you to look past the WHO and move onto the WHAT.
These owners, whether they are from Kamloops or Bolivia, are behaving badly, irresponsibly and criminally.
They have to change their BEHAVIOUR not their ethnicity.
And OUR governments have respinsibilities which they are avoiding.
They musy also be held to account.
David, of all of your blogs this one really rubs me the wrong way. I am a trucker and work closely with many Indo Canadians every day.
First this IS AN EXAMPLE of typical East Indian cost cutting .They have driven the trucking industry to the brink of disaster. I could go on for pages outlinning the endless companies that they have driven out of business or taken over. BUT lets share the blame.
HBC Walmart Canfor West Fraser Zellers All of the major grocery chains, Future Shop ETC All of these companies understand how the trucking companies will undercut each other for shrinking market share. They wii get a rate so low that anyone that runs properly maintained trucks or pays decent wages cant even think about moving their freight.
I met one trucker that was on salary he was paid $1000 per month for working 60 hours per week . You do the math. Next ICBC
ICBC is incharge of the inspectors that check trucks on the road. They will sit on Delta Port way and pull over truck after truck easy picking . But much like the police road checks they will not do what is needed. You want to stop drunk driving set up in driveways at bars.
You want to stop unsafe trucking go to the endless number of trcking companies in Surrey . Inspect them where they sit . Why wait till they are on the road. Farm vehicles and berry pickers get them in the fields. BUT this would be bad for business and the dollar is the bottom line. Its unfortunate that these people have a culture that allows them to compete with no qualms about the outcome of their actions.
If the motoring public was aware of what trucking in BC has become they would , as I have warned all of my family NEVER be beside or infront of a truck in BC
The growers bear a lot of the responsibility for these tragedies and the terrible conditions. Everyone from the growers, lawyers, contractors, vehicle inspectors to blatant government refusal to enforce the law have created this mess and mister smarmy grin below could fix the problem in a minute. But then the Liberal Party out in the Valley would lose the lolly from the grower's bloc.
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