Yellowknife, NWT – The Executive Director of the NWT Chamber of Commerce says there doesn’t appear to be the problems with the Temporary Foreign Workers program here in the territory like there is elsewhere in Canada.
Mike Bradshaw says the chamber fully supports the program because he says there just aren’t enough qualified northern workers to fill some positions here.
He says the program is not a way for employers to hire foreign workers on the cheap.
“You have to advertise nationally and prove that you can’t find anyone in Canada. Secondly, you have to pay people within a range of employment guidelines which are the average rates for any particular region for any particular job, and if you violate those wage rates by trying to pay less then you’re subject to punishment.”
Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington says there have been inquiries in Yellowknife into the program, but no complaints to him.
“I’ve had people come in and ask for clarification on the rules that are involved with doing that type of thing. We have companies in our office in Yellowknife looking for clarification on different aspects of how the program works.”
At least two Yellowknife restaurant owners are reportedly upset that the food services sector has been barred from the program.
That’s occurring, at least until an investigation is complete into the alleged abuses into the program at some McDonald’s franchises in BC and at least one restaurant in Saskatchewan.
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