“I grew up very poor, struggling to survive. We all had to work very hard. I worked in a candy factory from the age of nine, pulling hot candy onto sticks to make lollipops. When I came to Canada, I left my two teenage daughters behind. I left for survival and to escape years of abuse from my husband. I don’t know when I will see my kids again.”

This is Elena’s story. Elena arrived in Canada under the Live-in

 Caregiver Program (LCP), a federal immigration program designed to respond to the growing need for more live-in caregivers. Her story was one of four stories featured in Scrap: A Political Fashion Show to Stop Violence against Filipino Women. The show, which took place at the Centre A Gallery on October 26, was organized by the Philippine Women Centre of B.C. (PWC). This is the PWC’s third political fashion show. Their goal is to educate community members on the different issues affecting Filipinos today.

The fashion show was divided into four segments: Elena’s story, a moving personal description about one woman’s struggle to survive under the LCP; Joy’s story, a personal account of rape and cultural pressure to remain silent; Liza’s story, a revealing tale shedding light on the continuing existence of the mail-order-bride industry; and Gloria’s story, a heartbreaking description of one woman’s emotional and financial burden to provide for her family. Each story is an individual example of a larger systemic issue.

Aesthetically, the stories were tied together with the color white. According to Jill Laxamana, a local Filipino activist and a designer for the show, white represents the fact that many of these women remain unnoticed in our society. 

Although all the stories were quite moving, I was particularly touched by Elena’s story. Her story speaks to something we have all seen and have come to accept as the norm in Vancouver: Filipino nannies. According to a report funded by the Status of Women Canada, approximately 76% of immigrant care-givers arriving under the LCP come from the Philippines. These are women who are forced to migrate from their country seeking better opportunities, both for themselves and their families. What is shocking, however, is not the statistics but how some of these women are treated.   

Like Elena, many of the women that arrive under the LCP seek permanent residency. They want financial stability and a chance at a better future. What they find is sometimes a different story. According to the conditions set out by the LCP, caregivers must work for a period of 24 months in the home of a validated employer. These 24 months must be completed within a three year time period, during which the caregiver must live in the home of the employer.

The problem with this system lies in what happens if caregivers are dismissed or want to resign. If this occurs, the caregiver must find a new place of employment, obtain a new federal work permit, and pay the prescribed fees. During this time, the three year allotted time period is not paused. Caregivers must still complete the 24 month period of work within the three years. Consequently, many caregivers choose to stay with employers who take advantage of them; who ask them to complete duties outside of their contract; who provide them with unacceptable living accommodations; who ask them to work overtime without additional pay; and who don’t pay them enough.

Despite the sad nature of all these stories, the show had a very powerful and hopeful ending. As all the models took their final walk down the runway, the word “empowerment” glowed on the screen. There was a sense of accomplishment amongst the members of the PWC. Although there is still a long way to go before justice and equality are realized, this fashion show represents a small step towards achieving that goal.