Between The Lines: The Online Art/chive of Informes Informales

A recent study from the Canadian Undocumented Labor Office (CULO) shows that greater numbers of undocumented immigrants are bypassing the US on their journey north, preferring to seek a better life in Canada. Analysts say this could have major consequences for the US economy, agriculture, Republican scapegoating and sales of leaf blowers.

A recent Time Magazine cover story examined this trend in a series of articles that heralded the creation of a new country called "MEXICANADA."

"Undocumented immigrants are discovering that America is not really the land of the free it was cracked up to be, and they're having second thoughts," says Monty Real, a CULO researcher. "When they get to Canada, on the other hand, they find a country that has socialized medicine, a better track record on bilingual education, labor and the environment. And most importantly, their police don't kill you."

As major agribusiness corporations shipped cheap labor further and further north into the US heartland, it was only a matter of time before Mexicans discovered the country that has often been referred to as "NAFTA's silent partner."

"When you're working in horrible conditions on a corporate super-hogfarm in Detroit where everybody's getting tuberculosis due to the deplorable living situation, you inevitably yearn for a better life," says Real. "Today's mojados are finding that the American dream is really in Canada. And let's face it, crossing borders is in their blood. You put a border in front of a Mexican, and sooner or later he's gonna cross it."

Evidence of the new MEXICANADA culture is already becoming evident. On television, the morning talk show "¿Que Onda, Quebec?" is the top program in the country for the 5:00 am time slot, beating out longtime favorite "Frere Jacques and Friends." And Canadian radio waves are bouncing with hits by groups like Los Mero Meros de Manitoba and Los Tigres del Great White Norte.

Tigres del Great White Norte lead singer Leonard Cojon says Canadian culture is more suited to their Mexican musical stylings.

"Canadians and Mexicans have a lot in common," says Cojon. "We sing about family, ranches, freedom, friendship and a fear of US cultural imperialism. Canadians can relate to that. Add a song about logging, and what's not to like?"

In Mexico, the Canadian cultural exchange rate is also high. Now that family members are sending Canadian currency home, Queen Elizabeth II has replaced Maximilian and the Carlos V candy bar as the most recognized monarch in Mexico.

"When children of immigrants return to Mexico from the US, they often bring graffitti and gangsta rap with them," says Real. "When they come back from Canada, they bring street hockey, they go hiking and they sing romantic French songs. This is the best thing to hit Canadian/Mexican cultural relations since Cheech and Chong!"

But there are some who do not see the infusion of Mexican workers into Canada as a positive trend.

"It is a potential disaster," says Tex Ploiter, a spokesman for the Bush White House. "Every Republican in office owes his career to undocumented immigrants. Without the illegal alien invasion scare, our platform would be devalued like a peso in the Carlos Salinas de Gortari administration. Off the record, this trend has Republicans scared. We want our wets back."

Republicans in Congress are scrambling for a way to halt the mass mojado exodus.

"We met with representatives from the International Brotherhood of Mojados and discussed options," says Ploiter. "We offered incentive programs like an INS catch-and-release policy and a new Bracero program. We even offered to pay the workers from the old Bracero program. But the Mojados wanted better wages and working conditions. That was out of the question."

The situation has reportedly gotten so serious, that Republican relic Strom Thurmond has revived his old war cry of "54-40 or Fight!"

Canadian legislators are not so concerned, however, and are in fact welcoming the influx of Mexican workers. Air Canada has begun daily Tijuana to Toronto flights, and reports show that Canadian tomatoes are now 25 percent larger thanks to the Mexican laborer. And if that weren't enough, it is projected that within a year, salsa will outsell maple syrup.

Real says that the MEXICANADA phenomenon has great potential benefit for Mexicans and Canadians alike.

"You haven't lived until you've eaten a hot dog wrapped in Canadian bacon," says Real.

But perhaps the greatest benefit of the new northern migration is simply the fact that, as one recent Canadian tourism brochure points out: "No one has ever died crossing into Canada."

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