Alberta welcomed migrant workers. Now, it wants to restrict their rights

A Mexican immigrant reflects on the harsh reality of settling in Calgary, where subzero temperatures greeted her arrival, describing the initial shock of winter’s intensity despite later learning it was far from the city’s coldest. Her experience underscores the challenges newcomers face beyond cultural adjustment, including extreme weather and the broader struggles of adapting to a new life. The article suggests that blaming non-permanent residents for rising living costs overlooks the deeper systemic and environmental factors at play. Ortiz’s perspective offers a personal lens on the complexities of integration in a city known for its stark climate and economic pressures.

‘Scapegoating non-permanent residents is not going to lower the cost of living,’ Vanesa Ortiz saysWhen Vanesa Ortiz came to Calgary from Mexico, she found herself in a city gripped by winter. Outside the airport, it was -15C (5F).“I would come to understand that this was not an extreme cold,” she said. “But in the moment it was terrifying. Continue reading...