My name is Mario Gonzalez Ochoa and I have been coming to Canada for 17 seasons – eight years in Port Burwell growing asparagus. I was raised on a farm in Mexico and still have a small farm growing sugar cane and coffee. My wife, Paula, helps me and I find someone else to help when I am here.
We have two children. Our daughter is 19 and our boy is seven. It’s difficult being here but I’m doing this for his future. My daughter has just started university, studying commerce/business. I’m very proud of her. She will have a good career.
I heard about the seasonal agriculture worker program through someone I knew back home and I was very interested. There was no office in my town to apply so I had to go to Veracruz to apply to the Ministry of Labour. It was tough talking about it with my wife. She told me that if we both worked at home, we could get ahead in life but I said I was going to check it out in Canada. This is different, but it works.
We’re all here and we want to work and do the best thing possible. I’m happy to be here and my family has a better future because of it. We help to feed Canadians and they help to feed us.
My hobby, when I am not working, is to go for walks.