Lottery Ticket Commemorates 50 Years of the Mexico-Canada Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program

Lottery Ticket Commemorates 50 Years of the Mexico-Canada Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program

• Over five decades, the program has provided 525,320 contracts for agricultural workers.

• Lottery Draw No. 2817, featuring the SAWP logo, offers a grand prize of 17 million pesos in two series.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and Labor (STPS), the Mexican Embassy in Canada, and the National Lottery unveiled the lottery ticket for draw no. 2817 that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Mexico-Canada Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP). The ticket recognizes the program's significance and its impact on the lives of Mexican farmers and their families in Canada.

The unveiling event, held simultaneously in Mexico City and Canada, was led by Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena, Undersecretary of Employment and Labor Productivity Quia Chávez Domínguez (representing Labor Secretary Marath Bolaños López), Mexico's Ambassador to Canada Carlos Joaquín González, Canadian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Shauna Hemingway, and National Lottery Director General Marco Antonio Mena Rodríguez.

Secretary Bárcena delivered her remarks remotely, saying that the Mexico-Canada Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program has become an international benchmark that underscores the high level of complementarity between Mexico and Canada. "This innovative program has operated for five decades, meeting Canada's agricultural labor demands while offering hope to our compatriots. From 203 participants in 1974, we've grown to involve over half a million people, positively impacting thousands of lives."

She added that the program is a model for orderly, safe, and regular labor mobility, which could be extended to sectors beyond agriculture. "This program exemplifies what can be achieved in other countries like the United States by promoting fair and dignified jobs for Mexican workers."

"Our Mexican migrant workers are the heroes who have contributed with unwavering dedication to improving our country and helping their families, not only in Mexico but also in Canada," she stressed.

Quia Chávez Domínguez, Undersecretary of Employment and Labor Productivity at STPS, noted that the SAWP has become an international reference for safe, orderly, regular and circular labor migration. It has demonstrated that migration can be positive, contributing to regional growth and development in various ways. This success demands collaboration and cooperation between the countries involved to successfully implement such projects.

She said that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has always referred to migrants as living heroes, who commit themselves fully to their own development and that of their families, as well as to the countries they travel to and those that receive them. "May this lottery ticket serve to recognize all Mexican agricultural workers and reaffirm the commitment of both the Mexican and Canadian governments to continue making this program possible," she added.

Over half a century, the SAWP has grown significantly, going from 203 workers in 1974 to nearly 27,000 this year. The current administration has overseen the largest increase in the program's history, placing more than 148,000 agricultural workers between 2019 and July 2024. In total, 525,320 work contracts have been awarded, benefiting men and women who have put their talents to work in Canada's agricultural sector.

National Lottery Director Marco Antonio Mena Rodríguez said that the organization was recognizing and promoting the SAWP with a commemorative ticket. The program has not only supported Mexican nationals but has also become a pillar of the bilateral relationship with Canada. "It has benefited workers and their families and significantly contributed to the development of rural communities in Mexico. Over five decades, the program has proven to be a source of international cooperation based on mutual respect and shared benefits, strengthening social and cultural ties between our nations," he said.

He also announced that the National Lottery has performed exceptionally well during this administration and is on track to surpass its all-time sales record by the end of 2024.

He reported that the commemorative lottery draw has a grand prize of 17 million pesos in two series, with a total prize pool of 51 million pesos. The draw will take place on Friday, August 9, at 8:00 PM.

Carlos Joaquín González, Mexican Ambassador to Canada, said that the SAWP's most valuable asset is undoubtedly its people. Brave women and men who, with determination and hope, embark on the journey north to contribute their effort and dedication to the development of both nations.

A total of 2,400,000 tickets were issued, and can be purchased at over 11,000 places across Mexico and at alegrialoteria.com. The draw will be broadcast live on the National Lottery's official YouTube channel, Sorteos Tradicionales de la Lotería Nacional.

The event was also attended by Roberto Velasco Álvarez, Chief Officer for North America at the Mexican Foreign Ministry; Robert Oliphant, Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada; Michael MacPhee, Associate Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada; and Martha Juárez Vásquez, a SAWP participant.