Talk about jumping the gun, getting ahead of oneself, leaping before you look, running madly off in all directions…
While it’s all well and good that Federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney last week slapped an immediate moratorium on the food services sector’s access to the temporary foreign worker program (TFW), which will remain in place until completion of an ongoing review, the move pretty much paints all operations that take advantage of the program with the same brush.
Yes, certain chain restaurants across the country appear to have been taking advantage of the TFW system in the worst possible way, somehow thinking employees could be treated as some form of indentured servants, or using the system as a way around allegedly hiring higher-paid Canadians.
Yes, many regular Canadians are now viewing the TFW program as a way to keep Canadians out of the workplace in favour of those from other nations.
Yes, even the Royal Bank of Canada took heat some time ago for using TFWs to replace the Canadians who had trained them.
On the other hand, it’s well worth pointing out that not every single business or corporation involved with the Temporary Foreign Worker program is abusing it.
That’s why Kenney’s moratorium on the hiring of TFWs is way premature. In announcing a moratorium now, despite evidence of abuse has been mounting for some time, it really puts a burden on operations such as those in Banff’s hospitality industry, to scramble just prior to the busy summer season.
To our knowledge, no Banff businesses have been identified for abusing the program, yet they are being treated the same as those who have developed horror stories all on their own.
Would there ever be a suspension of use of the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National Park because some maniacs insist on driving at 150 to 200 km/h instead of the posted 90? Of course not.
The problem is, the TFW program has clearly not been monitored properly for abuses. It was initially created to address a workforce shortage, a situation where the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council estimates that 228,000 tourism sector jobs may go unfilled by 2030 because of labour shortages.
The program has been used to address labour shortages – by some businesses successfully, by some businesses embarrassingly badly – but we can only assume that with all the reports now of program abuse, there were never proper follow ups with those hired or those doing the hiring.
In a written statement, Kenney said the government has been clear that Canadians must have the first chance at available jobs and have repeatedly warned employers that the program must only be used as a last and limited resort when Canadians are not available.
That’s fine, but clearly the idea has not been followed in practice.
The Temporary Foreign Worker program should be left in place while the feds as quickly as possible investigate abuses and work to ensure it properly addresses current issues with staffing in the hospitality industry.
But, with an investigation into the program under way, those involved will have to be prepared for the fact that if, in future, it appears the program has become little more than a means of providing cheap foreign labour, sweeping changes would need to be incorporated and accepted.
