Building a Disposable Workforce Through Temporary Migration Policy

In 2006, the Conservative government declared its intention "to create the best educated, most skilled, and most flexible workforce in the world." Temporary workers are an important piece of the federal conservative government's efforts to create this "flexible" workforce. In their 2007 budget, close to $150 million were provided over five years to federal departments having responsibilities related to the TFWP, with an additional $35.5 million annually thereafter. The allocation was designed to improve the processing of employer applications for temporary workers, reduce delays and respond effectively to regional labour shortages. Close to 80% of this funding went to HRSDC, to service employer requests for temporary workers (OAG 2009). * In the summer of 2006, the B.C. Labour Relations Board heard complaints that approximately 40 construction workers were brought to Canada by an international employer under the TFWP and FTA exemptions with offers of employment that were never honoured. The workers from South and Latin America had their visas confiscated by their employers upon entering Canada, and were paid as little as $5/hr, while wages for a similarly qualified construction worker were in the range $25/hour. Canadian construction unions provided the temporary workers support to challenge their situation, and pointed out the employer's claim that importing specialized temporary construction workers was dubious.3 The employer responded by intimidating and attempting to coerce the temporary workers to accept their fate or return home. The case went to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, and in December 2008 a ruling was issued confirming the presence of systemic of wage discrimination (BCHRT 2008). The employer is appealing the ruling and Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism is on public record for inappropriately impugning the ruling (CLC Correspondence 2008). 3 Correspondence with BC & Yukon Building Trade Council research staff. "The workers were not NOC A and B. They were labourers. The employer filled out the applications and put down bogus titles like 'Supervisor of Segment Transport Beam. 'That meant the worker operated a conveyor belt, it was a job that anyone could learn in two hours according to testimony at the BCHRT. The locomotive operator was similarly 'Supervisor of Rail Train. 'There was an interview at the Canadian consulate to approve the incorporate transfer applications, but the Canadian official didn't verify the claims about the specialized skills the workers had (by asking for certifications, letters of experience, precise questions about what the job entailed)."