CBC's The Current on SPP's temporary foreign workers initiative

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CBC's The Current on SPP's temporary foreign workers initiative

December 20, 2007
Posted by Brent Patterson

Earlier this week, CBC's The Current did a 24-minute report on temporary foreign workers. The blurb reads:

Every year, Canada relies on a new crop of temporary foreign workers to keep our economy humming. But in the last few years, Alberta has become absolutely dependent on them. In 2000, there were just over 9,000 foreigners working on temporary permits in Alberta. In 2006, there were more than 22,000.

They work in the province's restaurants, they keep the oil sands running, and they fuel Alberta's booming construction industry. But as the number of temporary foreign workers has grown, so too have the reports of exploitation -- of poor working conditions, illegal recruitment fees and cramped housing…

For it's part, the Federal Government says it's working with the provinces to help make sure that temporary foreign workers aren't exploited. In fact Monte Solberg, Canada's Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, says temporary foreign workers have all the same rights as Canadian workers and that Ottawa is trying to make it easier for employers to hire more of them.

The Current interviews: Yessy Byl, a lawyer who has been working as a temporary foreign worker advocate with the Alberta Federation of Labour; Iris Evans, Alberta's minister of employment, immigration and industry; and Winston Gereluk, co-ordinator of industrial relations and human resources in the School of Business at Athabasca University in Edmonton.

On February 23, 2007, the North American Competitiveness Council recommended to the Security and Prosperity Partnership ministers gathered in Ottawa that day that they should, "Expand temporary exchanges of students, academics and technically skilled labour in the energy sector. As a starting point, Canada and Mexico should proceed as quickly as possible to enhance temporary movement and skills training in the energy sector through the Canada- Mexico Partnership."

Steven Chase's Globe and Mail article on this, "More Mexican labour needed in oil patch, executives say," reported that, "Canada and Mexico should accelerate efforts to import temporary Mexican energy workers to alleviate the skills shortage in Alberta and other provinces as oil sands development ramps up, top North American CEOs will recommend today...CEOs will argue that Mexico stands to benefit in the long run from training people to help develop its own energy sector."

Less than 25 days after this NACC recommendation was made, the Harper government presented its Budget 2007 on March 19, which stated: "As a result of labour shortages in certain sectors and regions of the country, e.g. in the Alberta oil sands… the [Temporary Foreign Worker] program has become increasingly important for businesses in their efforts to remain competitive in Canada's booming economy. Budget 2007 proposes a series of improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program designed to reduce processing delays and more effectively respond to regional labour and skill shortages… Budget 2007 provides $50.5 million over the next two years to support these improvements."

Subsequently the Canadian Press reported on May 1: "Two Chinese workers (temporary foreign workers) killed at an oilsands construction site in northern Alberta have been identified as an engineer and a scaffolder. Hong Liang Liu, 33, an electrical engineer, and Genbao Ge, 27, were identified by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. as the men killed Tuesday (April 24) when the roof of a huge oil container fell down as it was being put into place. Both were non-union employees of Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co. Canada Ltd., said Real Doucet, Natural Resources’ vice-president of oilsands… Four other Chinese labourers were injured in the accident."

A fuller article in Embassy magazine noted: "The federal departments of immigration and human resources announced in February that temporary foreign workers across the country who don't have formal training would be able to stay for up to two years without having to request an extension, double the previous time allowance.

"In addition, employees in some job categories are exempt from having to go through the process of applying for work visas or even acquiring licenses for a certain amount of time."

The article continues: "Studies and surveys by the [North South Institute] and other groups over the past few years have identified numerous concerns and issues facing temporary foreign workers. Many have reported poor living conditions – which are provided by employers – inadequate training, lack of proper equipment to do their jobs, and a general sense of powerlessness as workers, the majority from developing countries, are reluctant to voice complaints for fear they will lose their jobs and be sent home."

Click here to listen to CBC's report on temporary foreign workers on The Current. Scroll down to Part 2.

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