In the camp jargon of Auschwitz-Birkenau, “Canada” was the name given to the barrack-warehouses and the working commando who took care of sorting prisoners’ personal belongings and then packing them and sending them to Germany. Work in “Canada” was very desirable, just as it was in the kitchen and food storehouses. Hence the name, because it was associated with the country of wellbeing, where people live satiated and affluently.
“Mexico” is the name given to the third part of the Birkenau camp, which was a transition place for Jewish women, who were awaiting the final decision on their fate. The work on that part was never completed, that is why it was missing sewerage, water, light and sometimes even bunk-beds. Even before the war, Mexico was considered a poor, unstable country with a disorganized administration.