The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
La Presse – La preuve d’une pénurie de main-d’œuvre est mince
Y a-t-il une pénurie de main-d’oeuvre au Canada? Plusieurs employeurs affirment que oui, mais des sondages menés dans le milieu des affaires et des recherches gouvernementales indiquent que la preuve est, au mieux, mince et épisodique. […] Le gouvernement bénéficie du soutien de l’Association des manufacturiers et des exportateurs du Canada, qui a publié un sondage interne auprès de ses membres démontrant la difficulté de trouver des travailleurs qualifiés. L’association s’attend à ce que le problème s’aggrave au cours des cinq prochaines années. Le vice-président de la politique nationale à l’association, de Mathew Wilson, a expliqué que les pénuries sont très répandues, mais plutôt aiguës dans certaines industries et régions, particulièrement en Saskatchewan, au Manitoba et à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.
Les Affaires – Travailleurs étrangers : le pdg de la Royale s’excuse
Dans une lettre ouverte publiée aujourd’hui, le pdg de la Banque Royale (RBC), Gord Nixon, s’excuse auprès de ses employés pour la controverse entourant l’embauche de travailleurs étrangers. M. Nixon reconnaît que l’entreprise a mal géré la situation, même si la banque agissait conformément à la loi. «Bien que nos actions soient conformes à la réglementation, le débat portait sur une autre question. Pour de nombreuses personnes, il ne s’agit pas simplement de respecter la réglementation, mais de répondre aux attentes de nos employés, de nos clients, de nos actionnaires et des Canadiens à l’égard de RBC. Cette question nous tient réellement à cœur», écrit-il dans sa lettre intitulée «Lettre ouverte aux Canadiens».
CBC – Rise in Foreign Temp Workers Questioned by Labour Groups
The Alberta Federation of Labour called for an inquiry Tuesday after it obtained a government list of more than 4,000 companies given approval to hire temporary foreign workers last year, many in the service industry. […] Kelly Leitch, parliamentary secretary for the minister of human resources and skills development, said the government is looking into it. “We have some significant concerns about what’s going on in the temporary foreign workers program and that’s why in (the budget) we’ve committed to fix the challenges that exist so Canadians can be better connected to jobs.”
Toronto Star – RBC iGate Scandal: Ottawa Urged to Publicize Canadian Employers Using Foreign Temps
Ottawa must make Canada’s temporary foreign workers program more transparent and accountable by publicizing the names of employers who bring in migrant workers and the jobs they fill, critics say. Canadian taxpayers have a right to know which employers are benefiting from the $35.5 million a year taxpayers pay to process their applications for a “labour market opinion,” say major labour groups. Potential employers aren’t charged a fee for this service, which is required to justify their claim that they need to bring in foreign workers to fill a need. […]The call came amid an ongoing investigation by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada into the use of foreign workers by oursourcing company iGate to replace 45 Canadian employees in information technology at the Royal Bank of Canada.
BBC – Tens of Thousands at US Immigration Reform Rallies
Tens of thousands of demonstrators have rallied across the US in a mass call for citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. The co-ordinated protests were designed to press Congress to act as senators negotiate an immigration reform bill. In Washington DC cheering crowds gathered outside the Capitol, and more than 1,000 demonstrated in Atlanta. Lawmakers are expected soon to unveil a bill that would grant a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants.
Metro News – CBSA Investigating Alleged Immigration Tax Scam in Vancouver
The Canada Border Services Agency is investigating an alleged immigration scam in Vancouver that involved out-of-country employees paying their own salaries so they could maintain their Canadian residency status and qualify for tax benefits. The alleged scam was revealed in a court ruling released Tuesday. The Canada Revenue Agency went to court seeking documents seized last year by the CBSA during raids of a local immigration consultant, Xun Wang, and two company offices in Vancouver and Richmond.
