A Filipina-Canadian is sentenced to two and a half years in prison for illegally hiring more than 70 foreign nationals, most of them fellow kababayans.
Jennilyn Morris was also ordered to pay $22,000 as compensation to the workers. She pleaded guilty to illegally hiring foreign workers and to inducing people to migrate to Canada by communicating false information.
Francisco Baquiran is one of Morris' victims. He said he is pleased with the decision.
"Para sa akin, maganda na yong nagyari na hinabol siya ng gobyerno dahil sa pagsasamantala niya sa kagaya ko at saka sa iba pang kapwa Pilipino," he said.
"Para sa akin, maganda na yong nagyari na hinabol siya ng gobyerno dahil sa pagsasamantala niya sa kagaya ko at saka sa iba pang kapwa Pilipino," he said.
Baquiran arrived in Toronto in 2008 as a visitor. He moved to Alberta and was introduced to Morris who promised him a job.
Morris made him work while on visitor status and deducted fees for the processing of the labor market opinion or LMO, which would have allowed him to obtain a sponsored work permit. But the LMO never materialized.
"Unang naging trabaho ko sa kanya sa printing press. Tapos pinatrabaho niya ako bilang dishwasher tapos nag housekeeper later on nung nahuli na ako pina obliga pa rin akong mag trabaho sa restaurant niya," he said.
Morris was charged with two counts of communicating false information to induce immigration to Canada and employing 68 foreign nationals in an unauthorized capacity.
"Unang naging trabaho ko sa kanya sa printing press. Tapos pinatrabaho niya ako bilang dishwasher tapos nag housekeeper later on nung nahuli na ako pina obliga pa rin akong mag trabaho sa restaurant niya," he said.
Morris was charged with two counts of communicating false information to induce immigration to Canada and employing 68 foreign nationals in an unauthorized capacity.
Morris entered Canada as a live-in caregiver, became a permanent resident in 2001 and a Canadian citizen in 2008.
Baquiran, who is a government witness, still hopes to obtain legal status in Canada.
"Wish ko sana dahil nga sa ako'y natatakot na pagka bumalik sa Pilipinas ako'y papayagan nila na maging permanent resident," he said.
Morris is the first person in Alberta to be charged and convicted under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act. Three charges, including human trafficking were dropped.
Source: ABS-CBN
"Wish ko sana dahil nga sa ako'y natatakot na pagka bumalik sa Pilipinas ako'y papayagan nila na maging permanent resident," he said.
Morris is the first person in Alberta to be charged and convicted under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act. Three charges, including human trafficking were dropped.
Source: ABS-CBN
