April 16 - 30 , 2017 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY 9
Tinig Migrante
By E . Maestro
As of this writing , there are only less than two weeks to go before the provincial election day on May 9 . Citizens of Canada in BC will be using their right to vote , that one particular right that distinguishes citizens from permanent residents in Canada . We all learned this fact when we took the citizenship classes in preparation to becoming Canadian citizens .
Political parties and candidates are out on the road , shaking hands , talking to their communities , making promises and defining their positions on issues that affect the communities they serve .
As citizens and as voters , we have a lot at stake in the process and the outcomes of the May 9 elections . We vote on issues and on track record .
As individuals , we take
TFWs : Voting on Issues That We Care About
sides at election times . And show this in our votes . As an advocate for the rights and interests of temporary foreign workers ( TFWs ), one quickly learns that the BC NDP stands out because it has the only party platform that includes TFWs and the issues of worker recruitment . Under the section on “ Welcoming and supporting newcomers , ” the NDP platform declares :
“ The Temporary Foreign Worker Program must ensure the interests of BC workers have priority , while considering the needs of employers facing legitimate worker shortages . For that to happen we need to know how many Temporary Foreign Workers are employed in the province and in what sectors they are working .
• We will bring in a Temporary Foreign Worker registry similar to Manitoba ’ s to give government the information it needs to protect
workers .
• We will end the collection of illegal recruitment fees from Temporary Foreign Workers by requiring recruiters and employers to register to recruit Temporary Foreign Workers , using legislation similar to the Manitoba “ Worker Recruitment and Protection Act ” and the Saskatchewan “ Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act .”
The provincial NDP has the strongest advocate for TFWs rights and welfare in Mable Elmore who is running for re-election in her riding of Vancouver- Ke n s i n g t o n . Mable Elmore has been involved in issues like the Project G u a r d i a n
targeting caregivers for possible deportation and in past campaigns like that of the class action suit filed by the Denny ’ s workers against their employer Denny ’ s Restaurant and in current campaigns like the Rising Up Campaign against Unjust Recruitment . She has been consistent and strong in her stand for TFWs and the demand for landed status , as well as her commitment to accreditation of credentials of foreign-trained professionals and her fight against closure of the high-schools in her catchment area .
There is still time to go out and volunteer in whatever way and whatever time we have to support the causes and issues we believe in .
Let it not be said that May 9th came and went and we did nothing .
Dr . Amando M . Esteban with his wife Josephine and daughter Sasa , at her graduation from medical school
force throughout his career .
“ DePaul University has an excellent academic reputation , and I am honored to have the opportunity to shape its future in partnership with the university community ,” Esteban said . “ In my conversations with DePaul ’ s students , faculty and staff , the distinct commitment to the university ’ s mission and values strongly resonated with my own personal beliefs . My family and I look forward to joining the DePaul community .”
A celebrated leader and advocate for minorities , Esteban has received multiple honors . The Carnegie Corporation of New York recognized him as a “ Great Immigrant ” in 2015 , and New Jersey ’ s leading business journal , NJBIZ , included him in its list of the 100 most powerful state leaders in 2016 for the second year in a row . The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem knighted him in 2014 . Esteban is a board member and former vice chairman of the Asian
Pacific Americans in Higher Education , a national organization established to address issues affecting Asian American students , faculty and staff . He also serves as a commissioner on the Commission on Inclusion of the American Council on Education .
He is married to Josephine King and they have an only daughter Ysabella or Sasa , a medical resident in University of Illinois . He was the first Philippine recipient of the Fujitsu Scholarship , taking him to Chaminade University in Hawaii , where he earned a master ’ s in Japanese business studies . He holds a doctorate in business administration from University of California , Irvine . His wife holds an MBA from the University of California , Riverside , a master ’ s in economics and a bachelor ’ s in business economics from the University of the Philippines .
Esteban will be 56 in November . Proud of him , my nephew ! His mother Lita is my elder sister . ( mb . com )
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