In 2023, CANA and Pause Famille developed the Shower for newcomer moms initiative to raise awareness of the issues faced by newcomer moms who are pregnant and/or have an infant living in the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Montréal-Nord.
The project had 3 major objectives :

Our warmest thanks go to the Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, who was our Honorary Patron for the Shower for Newly Arrived Moms.

Over the course of 2022, our organizations have seen an increase in requests for support from newly-arrived pregnant mothers and/or those with newborn babies. These women, often asylum seekers, face situations of vulnerability linked to their migratory status. These requests have grown in number and complexity, necessitating a concrete mobilization of our two organizations. Although there has been a slight decrease since the closure of Roxham Road in March 2023, the diverse and complex needs of these mothers require increased accompaniment and follow-up, involving more resources. As a result, our services continue to be in constant demand.

Newly-arrived mothers, the majority of whom are asylum seekers, face various vulnerabilities linked to their migratory status. These include difficulties in finding stable housing, inability to work, economic vulnerability, social isolation and frequent exposure to stressful situations, which can lead to emotional distress. To meet their urgent needs for equipment and support to welcome their babies, it is essential to estimate the resources required, although this is made difficult by the lack of precise data on these newly arrived mothers who are pregnant and/or with an infant.
Faced with this complex and often unrecognized reality, it is crucial to highlight these issues and find solutions to help these mothers in difficulty.

Maman quand est-ce qu’on arrive? is a moving independent documentary that puts the spotlight on immigrant mothers in Quebec. Directed by Marion Chuniaud Lacau and Alexandre Sarkis, in collaboration with Carrefour d’aide aux nouveaux arrivants (CANA) and Pause Famille, the film takes viewers deep into the stories of newly arrived mothers, exposing the challenges, hopes and often little-known realities of their experience. Through poignant testimonials, the documentary explores the traumas of travel, culture shock, difficulties in accessing care and the urgency of childbirth, while highlighting the crucial role of community organizations. It pays tribute to the resilience of these women and aims to raise public awareness of the complexity of their experience, encouraging deeper mutual understanding and constructive dialogue on how to better support newcomers to Quebec, while celebrating their courage and determination.

Production
Interview recording

Video editing
Image processing
Sound

During Le Shower pour maman nouvellement arrivée on September 16, a collective fresco was created by the public, with the aim of collectively reflecting on how to better support newly-arrived mothers in the neighborhood/borough. Newly-arrived families, people from the host society, politicians, community and public players were able to express their views and identify a number of possible solutions, as listed below.

This project is funded by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration and the Ville de Montréal.
In collaboration with the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.