Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister, for taking your time today to be with us and to the other individuals who are in support of your being here.
I have a question about prevailing wages. But before I get into that question, I'd really like to give you a good example because I know you know my riding really well, being in the neighbouring riding, and some of the challenges my community has faced over the long term.
I had an experience recently with a contractor, who's a friend, who came to my office and told me about the fact that they had taken on a lot of restoration work. They needed 21 new workers, unskilled, who they were going to train in pointing masonry joints on older buildings, and they were trying to connect to the resources of those individuals who would be willing to take those positions. Their frustration was with just that. It was with the fact that all the methods they had undertaken to that point before coming to see me had been frustrating and had been unsuccessful in filling those jobs.
So there are two points I want to reinforce with the direction you're taking and compliment your ministry on taking these directions. One is removing disincentives from the system, so that people actually say, “That's a good paying job,” which it is, and “I can learn at least a skill out of doing it.” But the matching part of it is so important and I compliment you on addressing that.
The question I'd really like to pose, though, is about prevailing wages, because as both you and I know, there are a lot of temporary foreign workers who come into your riding and my riding, especially through the spring, summer, and fall seasons. I have noticed lately that there's a lot of misinformation circulating on the issue of temporary foreign workers, and in particular, how prevailing wages are calculated and how this new wage schedule will be applied.
Can you please clarify our government's new method for determining prevailing wages for temporary foreign workers and how these measures will help Canadian businesses ensure that labour and skills shortages do not stop Canada's economic recovery?