This CP story reports that thousands of pounds of lobster had to be thrown out simply because there was a shortage of staff to process the product. The New Brunswick Fisheries Minister is hoping the Federal Government will make more temporary foreign workers available, as there are some jobs that Canadians just won't do, even with another $5 or $10 an hour being offered.
This CP story reports Norm Hall of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan as saying 'there are just not enough farm boys left'. His and other groups in Canada want the Feds to allow more temporary foreign workers into the country to work on farms. Currently about 20,000 foreign workers can be hired seasonally for up to eight months.
Norm Hall said the same thing as New Brunswick's Fisheries Minister "there are some jobs that Canadians just won't do".
Comment: We can talk all we want about food sustainability, and growing food closer to home, but it does raise the question if we are going to have to import workers from Mexico to pick our food for us? After all, we are all far above menial, manual labour don't you know.
from a recent article in Macleans
ReplyDeleteWhile Canada is ranked second in the world by reputation (for immigration programs), we are 37th by population. Statistics Canada’s newly released report “Population Projections for Canada” shows our growth is now stunted. Our birth rate continues to fall and the 258,000 immigrants we accepted last year are not enough to meet our labour shortages or significantly expand our size. Unhappily, as our growth slows, our aging accelerates. The number of retired Canadians is now predicted to increase from 15 per cent to 25 per cent over the next 15 years. Simultaneously, our working-age population will shrink from 69 per cent to 60 per cent—fewer hands feeding more mouths."
just saying
and from another article this morning re: Asian population problems--
ReplyDeletePopulation problems span Asia
Though Japan is leading this demographic shift, the rest of Asia is following. In South Korea, China and elsewhere in Asia, improved life spans and falling birthrates are raising worries over how to provide for the rapidly expanding ranks of seniors with shrinking labour forces."
in other words, immigration is essential, worldwide, the consequences are pretty dire if we don't bring people in to live and work and 'pay taxes'. And if you still don't see the point, then you are ignorant of the facts.
the current brouhaha re: syrians etc… masks a very real immigration program going on in Canada, that is desperate to replenish our ranks.
We need newcomers !