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Employment

During question period on employment, Conservatives asked why the government continues to bring in large numbers of temporary foreign workers when youth unemployment is above 14%, arguing the program has grown beyond its temporary purpose and should be ended except for hard-to-fill farm jobs, with support instead for unemployed Canadians to fill openings. Liberal ministers replied that youth employment rose in May and announced funding for worker training, said the number of temporary foreign workers has fallen by more than half, and pointed to labour shortages in rural areas and Quebec, arguing opposition members there were asking for more temporary workers. The exchange turned on that disagreement over whether regions of the country need the program.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

8 statements

Brad Vis

Conservative
“More than 14 percent of young Canadians cannot find work. The Bank of Canada says bringing in too many temporary foreign workers lowers wages and takes jobs from young people. Why is the government still bringing in so many foreign workers?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House of Commons, we believe in the incredible potential of Canadian youth, yet the Bank of Canada says the surge in temporary foreign workers is driving down wages and making it harder for young Canadians to find jobs. The youth unemployment rate sits at over 14%. While Conservatives would prioritize jobs for Canadian youth, the Liberals are still flooding the labour market with temporary foreign workers when young Canadians cannot find work. Why?

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Jill McKnight

Liberal
“Youth employment went up in May, and youth unemployment dropped. We still have more work to do, so we are spending $6 billion to help train workers, including young people.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 46 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the other side for the question specifically about youth jobs and youth employment. Youth employment rose by 22,000 jobs in May. Youth unemployment fell by 0.9%, the first decline since January. That means we have more work to do, which is why we have announced a $6‑billion investment in our team “Canada Strong” plan, mobilizing skilled trades for the workforce. It builds on youth-focused employment programs, like the Canada summer jobs. Youth in British Columbia see the opportunities ahead.

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Brad Vis

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government let in over 170,000 foreign workers in the last year. These jobs were supposed to be temporary, but the program is now out of control. When will the government rein it in?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, young Canadians do appreciate the Canada summer jobs, but it does not omit the fact that this government let in over 170,000 foreign workers in the last four quarters. These programs were meant to be temporary, but under this government, they have become permanent and unchecked. The Globe and Mail calls it an “enduring problem” created by Ottawa’s overreliance on foreign workers. Why has this government let the temporary foreign worker program spiral out of control, and when will it finally rein it in?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“We are balancing the need for workers with the temporary foreign worker program. This balance is working in rural areas and in Quebec. The member's colleagues from Quebec say they need more temporary foreign workers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I think there is a balance to be struck, and we are striking that balance between labour needs and the temporary foreign worker program. I would simply urge my colleague to repeat his question in French, because what I am hearing from his Quebec colleagues is that more temporary foreign workers are needed. That balance is being struck specifically in rural areas and in Quebec to meet labour needs across the country.

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Michelle Rempel Garner

Conservative
“Canadian tech workers cannot find jobs, so we should not bring in more temporary foreign workers. We want to end the temporary foreign worker program, keep it only for farm jobs that are truly hard to fill, and help unemployed Canadians move to where jobs are. I want the government to do the same.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Signal 40 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like that minister to tell Ethan Miranda, a young unemployed tech worker who poured his heart out to the immigration committee because he put out 500 résumés, is highly educated, yet did not get a single call back, that we need more temporary foreign workers. Conservatives would abolish the temporary foreign worker program and replace it with a targeted program for genuinely hard-to-fill agricultural jobs, and match unemployed Canadians to regions with severe labour shortages. Why will the Liberals not follow suit?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“The opposition is being hypocritical about temporary foreign workers. Small businesses in rural Quebec tell us they need more of these workers. Meanwhile, opposition members blame these workers for our problems. The opposition needs to make up its mind.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 23 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 27 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thought what my hon. colleague was pointing out was the utter abject hypocrisy coming from that side of the House. We receive multiple interventions, legitimate interventions, on the part of small and medium-sized businesses in rural Quebec that seek to have more temporary foreign workers. The words of that member and another colleague from British Columbia try to demagogue this issue and blame situations on temporary foreign workers. These guys are going to have to come to some form of agreement on temporary foreign workers.

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Michelle Rempel Garner

Conservative
“Too many young Canadians do not have jobs, especially in big cities. The government should end the temporary foreign worker program and help unemployed Canadians get those jobs instead.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, yes, there are regions in Canada with ultralow unemployment. However, in major urban centres across the country, unemployment is out of control. There are over 400,000 young Canadians who are out of work. Instead of flooding the labour market with more temporary foreign workers, the government should be trying to match available Canadians with those jobs. This is where the policy discussion should be, not with the interests of lobbyists. Why will the government not abolish the TFW program and match available Canadians with available jobs?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“The number of temporary foreign workers has dropped by over half, but we still have more work to do. Small businesses in rural areas still need workers. The opposition is being hypocritical by saying one thing in English and another in French.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the number of temporary foreign workers in this country is down by over 50%. That does not mean we have reached equilibrium. There are legitimate issues in rural and other parts of this country, including in small businesses in rural Quebec, and members from that side of the House quite accurately reflect it. I thought we had put a stop to the highly duplicitous practice of saying one thing in English and something else in French in the House 20 years ago. We are fed up with the hypocrisy.

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