Dear editor:

I appreciated that on July 30, The Lake Report gave space to migrant workers to share their experiences (“‘We always are the problem’: Migrant farm workers speak out on their conditions in survey“).

It takes real courage for workers whose jobs and status depend on their employer to speak out at all.

That’s why I was concerned to see the follow-up story on Aug. 7 framed as a rebuttal from farmers (“Migrant workers survey paints ‘a pretty negative’ but cherry-picked picture, farmers say“).

When we respond with “not all farmers,” we reduce a systemic issue to a matter of individual behaviour.

That framing overlooks how the temporary foreign worker program is structured: permits tied to a single employer, housing controlled by bosses and little freedom to speak up without fear of losing one’s job.

Even if some farms in Niagara provide excellent conditions, the system itself still creates vulnerability. Deflecting criticism doesn’t just miss the point; it risks silencing the very people we most need to hear from.

The better question is this: if local farmers are going above and beyond, why not use that leadership to stand with migrant workers and push for stronger protections for all?

That would move the conversation from defence to progress and from reputations to real solutions.

Migrant workers are not just seasonal help; they are essential workers and a cornerstone of Niagara’s agricultural success.

As a community that prides itself on our farms and vineyards, we should show that same pride by standing alongside the workers who make it possible and by defending their right to dignity, safety and fairness without exception.

Alissa O’Halloran
Old Town