Thank you, Chair.
Like Mr. Brison, I come from an agricultural area as well. We have 5,000 foreign workers. I agree they serve a valuable service to the agriculture community. They also were able to export, I think, some of our Canadian values. It's good for the folks back home. It's a good program, I don't disagree with that. What I do take issue with—and I think this is what most Canadians take issue with—in my riding, in Chatham-Kent-—Essex, the unemployment is right around 12% and we have 5,000 foreign workers. We want to make sure that Canadians, and especially those that aren't employed, know that there are some.... And it's not just those jobs. It's the spin-off jobs, too. I always say that just because I think we need a little bit clarification.
When I speak to the foreign workers, by and large they are very satisfied. Most of these people have been coming for 20 years, some longer. There are generations. It's a great program. But there is a group that seems to be coming out of countries like, I think it was Laos, or Thailand, Thai workers, who get work visas, and we've heard some complaints about that. For the most part, what happens is that these workers are contract. A picker has to get his stuff picked, so he'll call a contractor and say, “Listen, I need 10 workers right now”, and they'll provide them.
Are you monitoring that? Have you heard of some problems in that group? Are we seeing some improvement there that can alleviate some of those concerns?