Quote:
Originally Posted by belsarius
The TFW program is just another instance where people are trying to go all or nothing on the Liberals. I am not defending the program, I am actually very much against it, but I also think it is disingenuous to claim the Liberals are ignoring the issues, or that they shouldn't do anything since they caused it. As much as that is called "closing the barn door after the horses have left", I think the issues are also very much "Monday morning Quarterbacking".
I agree the program is out of control right now, and so do the Liberals. Yes there are ugly warts, and the UN is right to point them out, but I can also concede that there are companies that are following the rules properly and treating employees fairly.
But if we want to dig down some context..
1. The Liberals did actually reduce the number of TFWs significantly after taking power. Their rhetoric in 2013/2014 wasn't just talking out the side of their mouth. In 2015 the number of TFW permits dropped by 30% and didn't get back to 2014 levels until 2022, bottoming out in 2017 at 50% the size that Harper's Conservatives had.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit holders in Canada from 2000 to 2022
2. There was a little thing that happened called COVID that disrupted employment across the world, and the reopening boom actually created a lot of jobs, pushing the unemployment rate in Canada to it's lowest level in 20 years. Clearly there was actual data and a real concern in some industries that they were not able to hire enough Canadians to meet demand.
Rate of unemployment in Canada from 2000 to 2023
3. The Liberals overdid it. The relaxed too many regulations, the pure amount of workers also meant the chances of abuse of the system increased and it got out of hand. But there was justifications for the changes, and a lot of push from industries. We have posters saying things like "the Liberals don't care and arn't doing anything", but when I point out they are doing something it is met with "well its their own fault"
It all makes sense why it was done, not some big nefarious scheme or some political blunder. It also makes sense how it is causing other issues now that unemployment is on the rise, and the system needs to be restricted again. How the next few months play out in regards to the TFW program is going to be key.
But honestly, if they did nothing, the discussion today would be how the Liberals allowed inflation to continue to grow by forcing companies to increase wages which increases costs to the consumer. Or how the Liberals hate the prairies and the agriculture industry because they ignored their calls for more workers. Or how they hurt the hospitality industry where they wouldn't have been able to fill all of the positions required post-COVID with the tourism bump. |
A post with actual thought put into it that doesn’t just devolve into frantic handwaving over the Liberals and accusing people of supporting the Liberals because they recognize the issue is deeper than simple partisan politics?
A rarity in this thread. Thanks for that.
Agree with everything you wrote. There are a lot of layers to this that people want to conveniently ignore. It’s not a good program and easily abused (despite the majority - 94% - being compliant). This is highlighted in the UN report, which has little to do with immigration and the number of TFW but, as iggy astutely pointed out, everything to do with workers rights (which is both a problem specific to the program and one that impacts all workers).
In fact, those that read the report know that it specifically states that reducing the number of TFW will not solve the problems outlined by the report. It also states that they were encouraged by proposed policies to address these issues, however warning the government not to fall into the same pitfalls created by previous policy changes.
Like chemgear noted, this program is effectively subsidizing some industries. I would add that this program, and immigration in general, is also subsidizing pensions and the Canadian economy in general.
Sure, some typical posters (we’ll call them “the usuals”) see these issues solely as excuses to further criticize the Liberals without critical thought. But any conversation around these issues are incomplete without frank discussion about our unsustainably low tax rates, low minimum wage, and the looming disaster of Canadian pensions.
The Canada people expect cannot be had for free. Hell, it can’t even be had for what we’re paying now. People complain about affordability, but go ahead and halt immigration and the TFW and see what happens without major increases and wages across the board. I don’t agree that what we have now is sustainable or the way to solve this, but the same people fighting against these things are the same people fighting against every other solution, and first in line to complain about having to pay for what they expect.
Canada is the ultimate “have our cake and eat it too” nation. It’s a bipartisan, multi-decade issue that needs to be addressed. And anyone trying to make it about one party is not a serious person.