Jason Kenny Seeks to Suspend Temporary Foreign Worker Program

[W921]

There are a lot of rural jobs and I'm not talking about grunt work, but try hiring an electrician, mobile mechanic that will work when its twenty bellow or try hiring skilled builders that know what they are doing and who will work rural and dont expect to be able to retire after they finish your job.
Also a lot of AG work is skilled work that you can't just hire anybody to do.
Plus it works both ways because I have received work from guys who where from eastern Canada, Holland, Switzerland, etc.

[bsmitty27]

This is a good thing. There will be growing pains for some industries. But I believe it's a good thing. Kenny hasn't got much if anything right yet. But I'll still throw him a cheese burger when he does something good.

[Hadji Ramjet]

Originally Posted by 1899b

So the clown that implemented the TFW mess when he was Employment Minster so that oil companies could circumvent paying locals full wages wants it suspended now.

Remarkable. The TFW program was implemented in 1973. Jason Kenney was capable enough at 5 years of age to be Employment Minister in a Liberal government?

Or, Trudeau pere created it to attract highly-specialized workers like academics and engineers to fill gaps here. Chretien in 2002 formally opened it to low-skilled workers, although that had actually started by 1974.

Back in the real world, changes introduced by Kenney:
-Paying TFWs the same wages as Canadian workers;
-The temporary suspension of the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process launched last year to streamline TFW approvals;
-Additional questions on the application to ensure the program is not being misused to outsource Canadian jobs;
-Increased TFW program application fees;
-Broadening the government’s authority to revoke work permits in the event the program is being misused;
-A declaration that only English and French can be cited by employers as a job requirement;
-Placed a temporary moratorium on food-service businesses preventing new or pending TFW applications;
-Barring employers from hiring low-wage TFWs in regions where the unemployment rate is above six per cent;
- Requiring employers to cap the number of foreign workers they hire at 10 per cent by 2016.

Within 4 months of becoming PM, Trudeau removed the seasonal-industry regulation that capped the number of foreign workers working below a provincial median wage at 10 per cent of a company’s workforce, allowing companies to bring in unlimited numbers of temporary foreign workers to fill seasonal jobs.
By mid-2017, Trudeau had expanded the same TFW program that he earlier, while in Opposition, demanded be "scaled back."

Doesn't appear that you're all that well informed about the TFW program, does it?

[coreya3212]

Originally Posted by hal53

^^^^^ This, right here, says whats wrong with this country right now......

Here here

[270person]

Originally Posted by W921

I dont think our problems are because of new people coming into the province.

You're 100% correct but treading on what others want to believe.

[comaderek]

Originally Posted by riden

Min wage is $15/hr. I don't see that how that is very low pay to a teenager. Sask and Man both have a min wage of less than $12/hr.

I was raised there is no such thing as a bad job, and that any job was better than no job. I think young people who think that way will go further in life than people who think " I can't work for less than.." .

I m not for kids not working but want employers to pay good salaries and not worry about stockholders and make money treating their employees like another number. Our current generation will change this with their attitude. Why u think they hire foreign workers is that they can treat them like crap because 12 hour job is probably 3 times what they can make at home.
I bet it picking fruit or vegetables paid $36 an hour pretty certain tons of kids would line up to work like foreigners do. Probably everyone that say kids should go to work picking fruit for $12 an hour couldn’t last a day doing it themselves.
I work at a place that was private that I liked working for but since they went public everything changed . No more worrying about how employees feel to worrying about who investors feel and stock price.
Very few of minimum wage employers careless about employees that is why they need foreign workers to fill positions. Who do u think wants more immigration? Big business and they pay politicians to ensure they come in so they can have more people desperate enough to work crap jobs, say nothing and accept crappy wage .
I want this generation to make employers change to start to care about there employees.

Someone stated that in downturn that companies need to lay-off people. So what I see is that price of oil is in tank and won’t be back up anytime soon so by his analogy most of Alberta should just get laid off and stop asking for federal government to do something. Or maybe what those companies need to do is shutdown then get a pile of foreign workers to come and pay them minimum wage instead great wage. Pretty sure if they cut employment cost by 3/4 Alberta oil would be viable again. How many of those unemployed oil field workers would take back their same job making 3/4 less than what they made before . My guess next to zero.

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by bsmitty27

This is a good thing. There will be growing pains for some industries. But I believe it's a good thing. Kenny hasn't got much if anything right yet. But I'll still throw him a cheese burger when he does something good.

I'll give him a blue jay burger for this one.

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by comaderek

Someone stated that in downturn that companies need to lay-off people. So what I see is that price of oil is in tank and won’t be back up anytime soon so by his analogy most of Alberta should just get laid off and stop asking for federal government to do something. Or maybe what those companies need to do is shutdown then get a pile of foreign workers to come and pay them minimum wage instead great wage. Pretty sure if they cut employment cost by 3/4 Alberta oil would be viable again. How many of those unemployed oil field workers would take back their same job making 3/4 less than what they made before . My guess next to zero.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’ve never worked on a rig or one of the “high paying” entry level jobs that include perks like being away from home for months at a time. There is a reason those jobs pay well. It’s because that’s what they had to offer to get people out there.

Temporary workers taking over the oil field is laughable. Might take a bit of training first. For example, the position I am in and the company I work for requires at least ten years experience on a rig and they don’t accept resumes. People I work with get sent all over the world because those countries don’t have people to do the job. That’s not to mention how many of the high paying jobs require advanced training/ degrees. It’s simple supply and demand. You won’t find many people willing to work outdoors in -40 when they could make the same at Walmart.

[comaderek]

I like people that whine about cerb and young people not working. I think a few of those might be retired people over 65. What the heck is government giving everyone over 65 $300? In Manitoba they are giving another $200. Don’t see much seniors complaining about getting money for nothing . Now that is a blatant vote buy . Don’t see bunch of elderly complaining what the heck is government giving us money for. I think all young people should start complaining why all the rich elderly need $500 for. I can’t find a job so government is giving me Cerb . Seniors are getting it because they are old!! WTF is that!!

[AndrewM]

About time they got rid of this. If they open it again they should let them come here and work with all their families. That way the tax money and all the money they make will be spent locally. Right now it is all just funnelled away.

[comaderek]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’ve never worked on a rig or one of the “high paying” entry level jobs that include perks like being away from home for months at a time. There is a reason those jobs pay well. It’s because that’s what they had to offer to get people out there.

Temporary workers taking over the oil field is laughable. Might take a bit of training first. For example, the position I am in and the company I work for requires at least ten years experience on a rig and they don’t accept resumes. People I work with get sent all over the world because those countries don’t have people to do the job. That’s not to mention how many of the high paying jobs require advanced training/ degrees. It’s simple supply and demand. You won’t find many people willing to work outdoors in -40 when they could make the same at Walmart.

You know why you make that much . Because a company can pay u that and still make lots of money . Nope never worked rigs but worked on a farm growing up where we commercial fished in winter. I didn’t make crap all but helped my father make a living . Go stand on an open lake at -30 at 12 years old making nothing.

Yup u started out not trained I guess and someone trained u. My guess is if oil prices remain crap your 10 year experience requirement will end and your big company will hire unskilled employees that will work for less and u will be training your own replacement. Once someone who makes a lot less than u can do your job u won’t be called back .

[landowner]

Originally Posted by The Cook

A business owner in Waterton can't find 130 workers to fill positions as justin is paying them to stay home and vote liberal and now he just gave nearly a billion dollars to his buddies to dole out to the students who would normally fill those jobs.

Which business is that ? Prince of Wales ?

[buckbrush]

[QUOTE=comaderek;

Yup u started out not trained I guess and someone trained u. My guess is if oil prices remain crap your 10 year experience requirement will end and your big company will hire unskilled employees that will work for less and u will be training your own replacement. Once someone who makes a lot less than u can do your job u won’t be called back .[/QUOTE]

I’d love to see them try that. I’m sure our customers would love inexperienced people making on the fly decisions that could literally cost them their new well or making the wrong call that could extend a jobs rig time by weeks. I’m a fishing/pipe recovery supervisor so to be honest a bunch of inexperienced rig hands would mean lots of work for me.

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by comaderek

You know why you make that much . Because a company can pay u that and still make lots of money . Nope never worked rigs but worked on a farm growing up where we commercial fished in winter. I didn’t make crap all but helped my father make a living . Go stand on an open lake at -30 at 12 years old making nothing.

Yup u started out not trained I guess and someone trained u. My guess is if oil prices remain crap your 10 year experience requirement will end and your big company will hire unskilled employees that will work for less and u will be training your own replacement. Once someone who makes a lot less than u can do your job u won’t be called back .

There will always be a demand for high paying wages as long as there is high priced equipment. You wouldn’t put a new driver on your seeder just like you wouldn’t put a new driver running the controls on the rig.

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

I’d love to see them try that. I’m sure our customers would love inexperienced people making on the fly decisions that could literally cost them their new well or making the wrong call that could extend a jobs rig time by weeks. I’m a fishing/pipe recovery supervisor so to be honest a bunch of inexperienced rig hands would mean lots of work for me.

Wouldn’t be working for long. Lol.

[comaderek]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

I’d love to see them try that. I’m sure our customers would love inexperienced people making on the fly decisions that could literally cost them their new well or making the wrong call that could extend a jobs rig time by weeks. I’m a fishing/pipe recovery supervisor so to be honest a bunch of inexperienced rig hands would mean lots of work for me.

Yup lots of work for you but company wouldn’t care if oil prices stay real low. The company that hired your company needs to make money and if oil they are after is next to nothing they can’t pay your company as much and thus for company can’t pay their employees as much . Basic economics . Your company may hire less skilled workers to stay a float or cut your wages on your next call back . Pretty certain other jobs like yours will dry up as companies will go bankrupt .
So u will work harder with your unskilled employees because no other openings around. Remember if both companies are public traded they worry about stockholders and stock price not u. They are not going to tell stockholders they stock is down because they need to pay u lots and u need experienced guys.
Oil work is boom or bust. Kenney is stopping immigrants because he knows we are at a bust time so he knows permanent layoffs are on the way . He also knows temporary workers will probably still come if they make half of what they make now. Pretty certain a lot of them have gained experience to take a lot of locals jobs .

[comaderek]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

There will always be a demand for high paying wages as long as there is high priced equipment. You wouldn’t put a new driver on your seeder just like you wouldn’t put a new driver running the controls on the rig.

It is called technology . Big farmers just need someone to sit in the tractor now for liability mostly. Self steering farm machines been around a long time.
All computerized only thing person there for is to fill it up and call mechanic when monitoring system states something is wrong. Guy I play baseball with “works” field for guy. Watches movies while tractor drives. His job is to drive to next field hit go on gps unit and keep watching his movie.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

This makes the most logical sense for the time being with this pandemic. Our whole system is turned upside down at the moment and our government should be on stand by for all hell to break loose again and why add the extra quarantine crap and skepticism when we can barely keep a grip on covid now. I’d go as far to say keep out indefinitely if society cannot get a grasp. I have no opinion on race or who has who’s jobs. Don’t care really, work or get rolled over

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by mulecrazy

I have a couple friends who own greenhouses and they use foreign workers. They are still absolutely a must. Their work is seasonal and comes and goes. for minimum wage its hard to find people local who will actually show up to work. Right now they are at their peak of around 40 workers each. they have turnover of about 6-8 locals per week but the TFW show up to work each and every day with half the drama.

And that's it right there....locals are lazy and if the guberment is giving out handouts then they sit and yet still complain.....should implement a program that looks at the region you live in before handing out cash....if there is work available that gets filled first.....

[wally338]

Originally Posted by comaderek

It is called technology . Big farmers just need someone to sit in the tractor now for liability mostly. Self steering farm machines been around a long time.
All computerized only thing person there for is to fill it up and call mechanic when monitoring system states something is wrong. Guy I play baseball with “works” field for guy. Watches movies while tractor drives. His job is to drive to next field hit go on gps unit and keep watching his movie.

You really have no clue how modern farming works.

[1899b]

At the end of the day a lot of our population are fat slob shopaholics that want more retail and fast food places than they actually need. We don’t need these TFW’s. Society want’s them and the needless amount of stores and shops that they keep open.....

[liar]

Originally Posted by comaderek

I like people that whine about cerb and young people not working. I think a few of those might be retired people over 65. What the heck is government giving everyone over 65 $300? In Manitoba they are giving another $200. Don’t see much seniors complaining about getting money for nothing . Now that is a blatant vote buy . Don’t see bunch of elderly complaining what the heck is government giving us money for. I think all young people should start complaining why all the rich elderly need $500 for. I can’t find a job so government is giving me Cerb . Seniors are getting it because they are old!! WTF is that!!

Are you talking about cpp that these "old people" paid into their whole lives and are now getting back a fraction of their investments ?

[IL Bar]

Originally Posted by comaderek

It is called technology . Big farmers just need someone to sit in the tractor now for liability mostly. Self steering farm machines been around a long time.
All computerized only thing person there for is to fill it up and call mechanic when monitoring system states something is wrong. Guy I play baseball with “works” field for guy. Watches movies while tractor drives. His job is to drive to next field hit go on gps unit and keep watching his movie.

You truly are clueless. Not many big guys farm just huge acres of bald ass prairie. Throw in hills, sloughs, trees, acreages, and some wet springs and you need way more than a movie watching steering wheel holder. Screw something up seeding and it messes up your year. Been more than one million dollar outfit screwed up by some amateur equipment operator.

And the grunt work. It’s still there regardless of technology or farm size. Everyone you try to hire is just there to run the big machines. I’ve yet to find a guy that’ll do the grunt work so I do it myself.

[CMichaud]

With the Maritimes creating a bubble and enforcing provincial border control, now would be a good time for Alberta to reciprocate.

With respect to TFW from outside Canada, I would like to see this practice ceased. Business that can continue to operate will do so and yes, we may see higher costs and an impact to our standard of living.

Those that cannot adjust will go under.

I see this as a strategic issue with long term implications.

Just my 2 cents

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by comaderek

It is called technology . Big farmers just need someone to sit in the tractor now for liability mostly. Self steering farm machines been around a long time.
All computerized only thing person there for is to fill it up and call mechanic when monitoring system states something is wrong. Guy I play baseball with “works” field for guy. Watches movies while tractor drives. His job is to drive to next field hit go on gps unit and keep watching his movie.

Maybe that’s why you have such a jaded view. Farming nor oilfield work is simple as that. Everything is simple until something goes wrong.

There are grunt workers in every economic sector and to me they are just important as everyone else. I am only as good as the people working for me. But to say they could take over the whole operation while getting paid less money is ridiculous.

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

Maybe that’s why you have such a jaded view. Farming nor oilfield work is simple as that. Everything is simple until something goes wrong.

There are grunt workers in every economic sector and to me they are just important as everyone else. I am only as good as the people working for me. But to say they could take over the whole operation while getting paid less money is ridiculous.

BINGO!

It's like hiring a contractor for a reno that is half the price of all the other guys except you are talking millions of dollars if something goes wrong instead of thousands.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by hal53

^^^^^ This, right here, says whats wrong with this country right now......

x3... corporations got away with murder, unions where formed to keep corporations honest, and now the unions largely get away with murder.

The unions got folks whom were largely uneducated and unskilled being paid as much as folks who where educated and skilled. The educated and skilled are now working around that via out sourcing and other means.

This has been the undoing of the middle class in the USA and Canada and why just about everything is out sourced oversees and what isn't out sourced now is looking to be.

I highly doubt it but hopefully COVID helps to brings back some domestic manufacturing, the unions wake up, government policy change, and the socialist movement lessons.

Suspension of TFW hopefully to helps folks locally have a opportunity to help themselves and go work for a living as opposed to living off of government handouts and wait for someone to help them. I'm doubtful as the newer generations in my opinion largely seem to have a sense of entitlement, don't understand work ethic, don't have much respect for others whom see things differently than them. Very unlike all of the generations before them that have created this country and freedoms we all currently enjoy with their blood/sweat/tears.

Now we just kick and scream at public protests like little children thinking that a temper tantrum will change something as opposed to getting our hands dirty and actually contributing to society.

[The Cook]

Originally Posted by landowner

Which business is that ? Prince of Wales ?

No, the guy owns a couple of business"s down town. Not sure which ones but if you"re looking for work just use mr. google.

[The Cook]

Originally Posted by comaderek

I like people that whine about cerb and young people not working. I think a few of those might be retired people over 65. What the heck is government giving everyone over 65 $300? In Manitoba they are giving another $200. Don’t see much seniors complaining about getting money for nothing . Now that is a blatant vote buy . Don’t see bunch of elderly complaining what the heck is government giving us money for. I think all young people should start complaining why all the rich elderly need $500 for. I can’t find a job so government is giving me Cerb . Seniors are getting it because they are old!! WTF is that!!

Don't worry Sonny, Us Boomers will take the blame for all that is bad in your life for a little while longer and then you can be at fault for all that is wrong.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by comaderek

Go stand on an open lake at -30 at 12 years old making nothing.

.

30 years ago I used to pay money to do just that. Lol