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Labour

During oral questions on labour, Christine Normandin of the Bloc Québécois asked the government to change temporary foreign worker program rules that group Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu with Montreal, saying the region’s low unemployment and local businesses, including defence firms, justify treating it separately. Liberals replied that temporary foreign worker use is down 50% in 2025 and accounts for less than 1% of the workforce, that employment insurance is meant to serve communities across the country, and that the government is engaging with Quebec on temporary foreign workers and recognizes the need for workers in its regions.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“The government uses Montreal's high unemployment rate to block businesses in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu from hiring temporary foreign workers. Saint-Jean's unemployment is low, and local businesses need these workers. I want the government to change this rule and treat Saint-Jean separately from Montreal.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is not Montreal, yet the federal government treats it as if it were Montreal when applying temporary foreign worker program rules. As a result, because the unemployment rate is high in Montreal, we are not allowed to hire or retain workers in Saint-Jean, even though our unemployment rate is low. Everyone has spoken out against this policy: the city, members of the Quebec National Assembly, the chamber of commerce, businesses and so on. I myself have contacted three ministers, including the Quebec lieutenant. Since Saint-Jean is not Montreal, will the government treat Saint-Jean separately instead of harming businesses?

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Leslie Church

Liberal
“Use of the temporary foreign worker program is down by half this year and makes up under one percent of our workforce. We are still committed to making sure employment insurance helps workers across the country.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to make sure the member opposite knows that our temporary foreign worker program use is down 50% in 2025 and makes up less than 1% of our workforce. In terms of ensuring that our EI program tackles the needs of all communities across the country, that is something that our government remains committed to, especially at a time when our EI program is so essential to Canadian workers right across the country.

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Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“The government treats Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu like Montreal, but workers will not travel that far. Local defence businesses cannot hire or keep the workers they need. I want the minister to change the rules.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Clarity 49 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the federal government, in its laziness, assumes that all towns within the same census metropolitan area are the same, but I repeat: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is not Montreal. People from Montreal will not travel two and a half hours by public transit, one way, to come here and work. Let us not forget that we are a strategic national hub for defence and that, at a time when the federal government is investing in defence, local businesses are not allowed to hire staff or retain their existing workforce. Does the minister realize how absurd this is? Is she going to change the rules?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal

Linked statement

“We are working with the Quebec government on temporary foreign workers. We know Quebec needs more workers to fill job openings.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 21 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we continue to engage with the Quebec government concerning temporary foreign workers. We know how much the regions of Quebec need workers. Nothing is sadder than an order going unfilled because of a shortage of workers. We are keenly aware of the situation described by my Bloc Québécois colleague, and we continue to engage with the Government of Quebec on this matter.

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