Evidence of meeting #18 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was worker.
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We're going to stop there.
Mr. Fairey, did you want to say something else?
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
We're not talking about domestic workers; we're talking about temporary farm workers who are vulnerable and whose rights are not being enforced.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
If I'm getting it right, sir, you're saying there should be a tracking system for the foreign workers.
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
Yes.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
And they should be treated differently from Canadian domestic workers.
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
They are being treated differently from domestic workers. They're not—
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
Yes, so that the enforcement authorities can inspect their places of work to ensure they're properly protected.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Do you want to answer the question, Mr. Doyle, or—
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
No. I'm simply saying that what Mr. Fairey is saying, that it would help the worker, seems to make sense to me. You're looking at helping the worker so that his place of work is fit for him, so that the employer is not taking advantage of him, and what have you.
Isn't that what you're...?
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
That's precisely my point.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Thank you.
I do have a problem when we treat foreign workers any differently from domestic workers. I do have a problem when people are asked to register. It brings back some memories that are not welcome.
March 31st, 2008 / 3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
Well, I think you misunderstand. Their names are already known by Service Canada and by the Customs and Immigration authorities, the border services. Their names are known, because they entered into a contract—
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Fairey, are you listening to yourself, sir? Are you listening to yourself, to how you're sounding?
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
Yes.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Their names are known. It's like these people.... I'm sorry, maybe I got confused in your tone, but it certainly sounds as if we're not welcoming them. This is the sense I'm getting from you.
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
That we're not welcoming them?
3:05 p.m.
Researcher, Trade Union Research Bureau, British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council
Yes. I'm saying that the enforcement authorities don't have their names. The provincial enforcement authorities, such as workers' compensation, such as employment standards, don't have their names, and those are the authorities that are enforcing their rights. How can they enforce their rights if they don't know where they are? How can their conditions of employment be enforced if the location of their jobs is not known?
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Should they be any different from domestic workers? Yes or no.
3:05 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I urge you to put on your earphones to hear the fantastic work being done by the interpreters here with us.
I'm going to ask you a number of questions. You need not feel stressed. If you don't have a complete answer, I won't hold it against you; I won't get angry. We're happy that you're here to answer our questions.
Mr. Fairey, I understood from your remarks that there is already a registry of caregivers, of people who stay at home and who help parents with children. Did I understand correctly?