Healthcare for all: Solidarity with migrant worker Kerian Burnett

Healthcare policies vary province-to-province. In some provinces, migrant workers have access to public healthcare on arrival. In Nova Scotia, migrant workers must have a one-year work permit to be eligible for public healthcare (MSI). This means that migrant farm workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) are not eligible, because their contracts are only up to 8 months. This leaves migrant farm workers like Kerian Burnett in a vulnerable situation. 

Kerian has 6 children and 2 grandchildren. She came to Canada from Jamaica in April 2022. She worked on a strawberry farm in Nova Scotia, through the SAWP. After 2 months, Kerian fell sick and was unable to work. She was diagnosed with cancer which required two different surgeries. She was advised by her doctor to remain in Canada to undergo life-saving treatments. 

For Kerian and thousands of migrant farm workers like her, her housing, income, immigration status and health insurance depends on her having a job. Because of her sickness, her job ended. So too did her housing, her income, and her health insurance. 

Kerian is set to start her treatments for cancer soon, but she has no health insurance. 

Cancer is a big enough fight. Let’s show Kerian that she’s not alone!

TAKE ACTION 

Contact Health Minister Michelle Thompson to grant Kerian Burnett and all migrant workers in Nova Scotia access to MSI. Phone: (902) 424-7570 / Email: Health.Minister@novascotia.ca.

Use our phone script and email here as a template or example