Dear Editor:
Recently, some of the Directors of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce engaged in a telephone conversation with Mr. Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton - Melville and delivered to him a letter outlining the concerns and suggestions of the Chamber about the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.
The conversation and letter urged Mr. Breitkreuz to inform Minster Jason Kenney that the Temporary Foreign Workers Program is vital to the continued growth and success of many of the businesses in the region.
The Directors pointed out that as applying for foreign workers is costly and takes much time, employers use the program as a last and limited resource when no Canadian employees are available.
The Directors further suggested that the timeliness for processing foreign worker applications must be speeded up so that businesses know they have an adequate labour force.
The Directors pointed out that highly skilled workers are also in demand in this region and that applicants for those jobs must also be processed more quickly.
The Directors urge the Government of Canada to impose the rule of the law on those few employers who abuse the program. However, creating even greater roadblocks to accessing temporary foreign workers or eliminating the program will be a disservice to the many employers who are fair and equitable to all their employees. A dynamic program that assists businesses in keeping their doors open benefits the entire community as businesses grow and remain competitive.
Don Rae, President
Yorkton Chamber of Commerce
