Essential: A hard-hitting film to change the terms of the debate and influence immigration policies

Essential is a documentary film that recounts the reality of asylum seekers and temporary workers who hold precarious jobs in Quebec, in all sectors of our economy. The film makes us realize that many parts of our society depend on an immigrant workforce willing to live in precarious conditions, in the hope that their sacrifices will enable them to offer a better life to their loved ones.

“I was shocked by what I saw in this documentary. I was confronted as a Quebecer. I didn’t know that people were treated like that on our territory.”

– Patrick Lagacé, 98,5 FM (Québec Maintenant)

The documentary team wanted to draw the public’s attention to a burning issue:

Are Quebecers aware that our comfort depends on the labor of the humans who serve us?

Sonia Djelidi, a human rights activist, and Sarah Champagne, a journalist with Le Devoir newspaper, joined forces to publicly reveal the stories of Carole, Edyn and Rodrigo, as well as those of thousands of workers with precarious status.

Four months after the documentary aired, the provincial government announced the creation of a gateway to permanent residency for temporary workers, with lower French language proficiency requirements for less-skilled temporary workers.

An electrifying premiere

In partnership with Télé-Québec and Le Devoir, the film premiered at the BANQ Auditorium to a packed room of over 300 people, including many members of organizations working with temporary immigrants and asylum seekers.

The screening was followed by a round-table discussion moderated by Marie-Andrée Chouinard, editor-in-chief of Le Devoir, in the presence of team members, protagonists and Andrés Fontecilla, MP for Laurier-Dorion (Québec solidaire), and Alexandre Boulerice, MP for Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie and deputy leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

The initial reactions to the film we witnessed that evening confirmed the crying need to bring this reality to the attention of the general public in order to bring about rapid change.

“The documentary reveals the gap between political rhetoric and reality. There are nearly 300,000 people from abroad living and working on temporary permits in Quebec. That’s the figure we should be debating, rather than thinking about closing the door on permanent immigration.”

– Andrés Fontecilla, MP for Laurier-Dorion (Québec solidaire)

The film adopted by unions and organizations

As soon as the film premiered, requests for screenings began pouring in from host organizations and unions. In the 3 months following the film’s release, over 30 screening events were held across Quebec, with the film’s team in attendance.

QFL President Magali Picard presented the film to union employees. She took advantage of the screening to confirm her intention to make the issue of closed permits a priority.

Sonia Djelidi, whose film was the original idea, presented the film at the SCFP-Québec convention before 135,000 members, and a resolution was passed in defense of the rights of temporary foreign workers.

The day after the film was shown, the UPA published a letter in support of temporary workers titled Les employeurs agricoles saluent la contribution essentielle des travailleurs étrangers temporaires.

“It’s a documentary that prompts us to reflect as a society on the fate of temporary immigrants: those who feed us, those who clean our homes, those who care for our elders, those we call essential workers, but not essential enough to be offered permanent residence.”

– Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator

Echoes in government circles

Essential also made its way behind the scenes of the Quebec and Canadian governments, appearing at a screening in Ottawa’s Parliament to raise awareness among senators and MPs of the problem of closed permits and the working conditions of temporary and refugee workers. The event was a joint initiative of MP Alexandre Boulerice and Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne.

MP Alexandre Boulerice and his team continued the momentum by organizing two free screenings of the film for the citizens of his riding at the Cinéma Beaubien in Montreal, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of protecting the human rights of migrants, as well as the rights of the workers around us.

“It’s vital that everyone sees this documentary. To be aware of it, and then to take collective action. We need to become aware of our dependence on the services of these exploited workers, and ask ourselves if this is the kind of society we want to live in.”

– Alexandre Boulerice,
Member of Parliament for Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie and Deputy Leader of the NDP

A subject at the forefront of the press

The airing of the documentary and the issues it raises caused a stir in the Quebec media. In conjunction with the broadcast, a series of articles by Sarah Champagne on temporary immigration, Le grand virage de l’immigration, was published in Le Devoir. The series also won the Grand Prix Judith-Jasmin for the social impact of Essential and for Sarah Champagne’s journalistic work.

In the wake of the documentary and the dossier, 14 interviews and over 30 articles and mentions on the film circulated in the media. The subject was also taken up by a number of columnists, confirming that the precariousness of temporary immigration is indeed a major issue in Quebec that deserves its place in the spotlight.

“Ky Vy Le Duc’s documentary Essential helps viewers better understand the complex issues involved in cohabitation. At the same time, this investigation shows the existence of a status on the rise: that of the temporary… permanent worker.”

– Odile Tremblay, Le Devoir

Direct impact for Carole, Rodrigo and Edyn, and thousands of temporary workers

Following the broadcast of the documentary, major changes took place in the lives of Carole, Rodrigo and Edyn.

Carole, who at the time of filming hadn’t hugged her children in 6 years, received the permanent residency card she had been waiting for almost 2 years. The card enabled her to visit her children and family in Cameroon. Her children also received their Certificat de sélection du Québec, giving them access to permanent residency. A process that would normally take at least 12 to 18 months to complete, according to her lawyer.

Rodrigo and his wife Patricia took the risk of taking part in the film screenings, even though they were awaiting a decision on their asylum application. When this was refused, they applied for permanent residence on humanitarian grounds at the end of the shoot. In May 2023, less than 6 months after submitting their application, they received confirmation that it had been accepted. It normally takes more than two years for similar cases to be processed. The answer came within days of the film’s screening in Parliament.

As for Edyn, he took and passed his intermediate francization course, as well as a truck driver’s license. In May 2023, the government announced a new gateway to permanent residency for all temporary workers without a college or university degree, which Edyn will be able to take advantage of. He hopes to apply for permanent residency this year, an opportunity he’s been waiting for for over 10 years.