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Juana Tejada’s courage inspires our campaign

Tejada with Connie Sorio and lawyer Rafael Fabrigas.

Juana Tejada, a friend and an advocate for the rights of caregivers passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2009. She lost her final battle with cancer. The Independent Workers Association (iWorkers) expresses its deepest sympathy to her husband Noli, to her sister Berna, to her parents and other family members in the Philippines, and to all her “family” in Canada who supported and continue to support her and her cause.

Juana is a very special person to the iWorkers. She was the first member that signed the iWorkers membership card when the Association was launched in June 2008. She believed in the iWorkers and what it could do to protect and promote the rights and welfare of Live-in Caregivers. Juana was a Caregiver herself when she came to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) in 2003. She finished the 24-months live-in requirement and became eligible to apply for permanent residency. Her dream of permanently living in Canada was temporarily shattered when she was diagnosed with advanced cancer. She was denied her right to stay twice by an immigration officer, as she was told she would be a burden to the Canadian health care system.

Her fight for the right to stay started a campaign to reform the immigration law to ensure a fair process to workers seeking permanent residence under the LCP. iWorkers along with the USW, other community groups and individuals, rallied to support her fight to stay in Canada. On July 17th 2008, Citizenship and Immigration Canada reversed its decision and advised her that they would allow her to stay.

Despite her illness, Juana did not stop there. After her victory, she continued to advocate for the changes to the LCP, specifically for The Juana Tejada Law which, if passed, would exempt other caregivers from the requirement of having to pass a second medical exam in order to be granted permanent residence. She tirelessly campaigned for this law, and was supposed to attend a news conference on March 6, 2009 and call on the current Minister of Immigration to make this change happen.

In a prayer vigil held two hours before her passing, Connie Sorio, the interim spokesperson for iWorkers, remembered Juana as a petite, soft-spoken woman filled with courage and bravery._
“She does not speak much, but when she spoke, it’s always profound and direct to the point. She gave me, and the iWorkers’ membership, the inspiration to continue the campaign and make the change happen” Sorio added.

The iWorkers and the United Steelworkers are committed to continuing the campaign for The Juana Tejada Law, and the campaign seeking a comprehensive reform of the LCP.

You’ll be missed Juana. But your memory of not giving up, your genuine concern to the other women who are terminally ill and are in similar situation as you were before, and your desire to alleviate some of the hardships that workers under the Program have to go through will always be remembered and will continue to serve as an inspiration to all of us.

As we remember Juana, let us remember the courageous woman that started a campaign to make the lives of Caregivers a little better. Juana’s wake will be at De Marco’s Funeral Home at 3725 Keele St. on Sunday March 15th from 3-8 pm, and Monday, March 16th from 6-9 pm.

(PRESS RELEASE,
March 9, 2009)

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