Evidence of meeting #14 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was worker.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
What do you feel are the other impediments to getting a labour market impact assessment when you are having problems?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
One of the big problems is the lack of consistency across Canada.
President, Hotel Association of Canada
When you want to go through an LMIA process, it makes no sense to me whatsoever that if we're looking for people in Atlantic Canada...and Janet Goulding will be here shortly to give you the numbers on it. It's much faster to engage somebody in one part of the country than it is in the other. That just doesn't make sense. I understand that we're five-and-a-half time zones wide but—
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
What type of suggestion would you give to make improvements on a regional basis?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
I would like to be able to see consistency right across the board. If you're looking for somebody, let's say, in Mont-Tremblant, which probably isn't a good example, because Quebec is a bit different here.
I come from Quebec
and I'm allowed to say that, I guess.
If you're looking for somebody, let's say, in the Muskoka area, it takes, say, six or seven months to go through the process. But if you're looking for somebody on the south shore of Nova Scotia, it's much faster. For the life of me, I don't understand why the bureaucracy takes longer in one part of the country than the other.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Do you provide your temporary foreign workers with boarding and other lodging facilities?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
We provide the lodging, again, subject to what the labour regulations are and so forth. We provide the lodging and the airfare; bring the people in, fly them in. I often get asked the question, why don't we hire more Canadians? As a businessman, if I have access to something that's going to cost me $100 versus something that's going to cost me $5,000, which one are you going to go with? Obviously, you're going to go with the least expensive; but when there's nobody there, and we have floors of hotels that you can't open, we need something.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Do you want your temporary foreign workers to have a permit or open type of employment restrictions for two years or one year, or should it be open for three or four years?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
I would suggest anything to make it open for a longer period.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Do you think that will help in transitioning temporary foreign workers to being permanent residents?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
A longer term will. Maybe I didn't interpret your question properly.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
No, you are okay. You're telling me the correct thing. What I mean is will a longer term give more opportunity to the temporary foreign worker to integrate into Canadian society, or is a short term okay? What do you suggest?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
I think both.
I'm sorry, maybe I'm being very anal and pedantic here, but I don't understand the line of questioning.
Are you saying to integrate the people, is it better to do it over a short period or a long period?
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Do you suggest that a long period or a short period is good?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
I don't know. I think I'm answering both to the same question now. I'm sorry. I'm confused.
Are you asking whether to integrate people it is better to try to integrate them into Canada over a short period versus a long period? Is that the question?
President, Hotel Association of Canada
I think the shorter period would be better in being able to make them become part of Canada, but if it takes longer to do it, and they become employees, I think that's great too.
I'm sorry. I'm not trying to talk out of both sides of my mouth.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Having a short period with better integration and a better system to provide them permanent residence is better. That's good for you.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mesdames, sir, welcome to the House of Commons.
My first question will be for Mr. Vander Ploeg. First of all, welcome. I liked what you said a few minutes ago about High River. As far as I'm concerned, High River is the birthplace of the Right Honourable Joe Clark. I'm here today thanks to him.
