Anti-immigrant rhetoric is meant to justify exploitation, says head of farmer’s union [video]

Inflammatory comments from right-wing politicians aimed at immigrants and asylum seekers are part of an “old colonial playbook,” says the head of the National Farmers Union in New Brunswick.

“It’s an old colonial playbook to use fear to justify exploitation,” said Data Brainanta, president of the NFU-NB, during a webinar titled “Migrant Justice is Food Justice.” The full talk is now available for viewing here:

He noted recent comments by Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance, which have fuelled unsubstantiated claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are stealing and eating pets and wildlife from parks.

Brainanta also took aim at controversial statements by Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs, who alleged in a speech last month that Ottawa was trying to force New Brunswick to accept 4,600 asylum seekers.

Higgs said the feds were doing so “without providing any financial assistance or any opportunity for us to have the ability to build the resources and the capability to manage.” The federal Immigration Minister later said those comments were “largely fictitious.”

Brainanta said politicians are scapegoating migrants for issues including the housing shortage and problems in the health-care system. “Everybody seems to be blaming the migrant workers,” he said.

It was part of a wide-ranging talk that kicked off the Community Food Mentor Training Program’s Migrant Justice Edition series on September 17. The series is being organized by the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre, with support from Food For All NB.

Brainanta also discussed topics including colonialism, the Green Revolution, and Indonesia, his country of origin. There, he was a student activist in the pro-democracy movement during the military dictatorship of President Suharto.

A laid-off sweatshop worker in Indonesia made a lasting impression on Brainanta, when he said he planned to return to agriculture in his village. “I realized, when you have nothing else to rely on, it’s the earth that you can go back to, to grow your food and start all over again,” Brainanta said during the webinar.

Here in New Brunswick, Brainanta recently co-founded a food garden cooperative in Nauwigewauk, near Saint John. He’s also an activist involved in Palestine solidarity efforts in Saint John and writes for the NB Media Co-op. He was the 2023 recipient of the Brian Beaton Annual Prize in Journalism for Justice.

Upcoming events in the series

Register for the events here.

Wednesday, October 16 on Zoom

Grant Writing for Food Justice with Kelsey Wilson

Learn some grant writing tips from Kelsey Wilson. Kelsey has an extensive background working with not-for-profit and charitable organizations, holding various leadership positions as well as being active as a developer and coordinator of many environmental, social enterprise, cooperative, social justice, and other projects. Kelsey offers grant writing and project management services through her business, To Be Growing Strategies.

Wednesday, October 23 at 7:00 PM on Zoom

What about food security for migrant workers in New Brunswick? With Niger Saravia and Teresa Devor Hall

Learn about the food insecurity being experienced by migrant workers who grow our food and process our lobster in New Brunswick. Find out how migrant workers are organizing to realize their right to food from Niger Saravia of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and Teresa Devor Hall of the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre. This session is supported by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and will have English to French interpretation.

Events are free. Donations are welcomed to support the work of the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre.

For more information, contact info@madhucentre.ca.