Citizenship and Immigration Committee on April 1st, 2008

[Trevor Mahl]

Yes.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Do you know if the employees you're getting are also paying the recruiters?

[Trevor Mahl]

Yes. They don't pay a fee. That's why we--

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Do you ask them?

[Trevor Mahl]

Oh yes, absolutely. We've gone through this process. We've gone through it--

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

So you've done due diligence on every person you're getting.

[Trevor Mahl]

Absolutely.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Can I ask what fees you're paying your recruiters? What is the percentage?

[Trevor Mahl]

I'd prefer not to discuss the dollars here in front of a group, but I would say close to 50% of our fee goes to that.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Fifty percent of your fee goes to the recruiting agent.

[Trevor Mahl]

Yes.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Are other companies paying that much or are they paying this?

[Trevor Mahl]

No, absolutely not.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

They're paying this.

[Trevor Mahl]

I can tell you other companies are using people who charge fees to the workers.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

So they get it from both ends. There you go.

[Trevor Mahl]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Let's bring this to a close. Thank you.

Mr. Carrier.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have a brief question for Mr. Mahl. Earlier Ms. Byl spoke to us about the exploitation of temporary workers with regard to salaries, housing, and a lack of control in working conditions. Are you aware of the same kind of information? Given that you are an important stakeholder in that area, by whom are you made aware of the laxness? It is probably not by workers who do not necessarily know you as a stakeholder. Or is the information given to you by the Alberta labour association? When you are made aware of such information, how do you react and how do you deal with the employer with whom you've provided employees? Do you tell them you will no longer provide them with employees if you face such situations?

[Trevor Mahl]

We would tell them if we were faced with that situation, absolutely.

We have been fortunate enough to steer away from those companies. The companies that we have chosen to work with, and that obviously have chosen our company to help them find people, do provide accommodations. In Edmonton there is something called living allowance for the worker to pay for their hotel costs, and in Fort McMurray they have camps, so their accommodations are all paid for.

So we haven't seen it, but I certainly know it's out there. You read it in the news. We've been fortunate enough, again being in the skilled sector and the construction industry, that we haven't faced those companies.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

So are you satisfied when you have to go back to those companies to correct those situations? Would you recommend that the Alberta government provide greater checks and controls of employers or that the federal government pick up the slack with regard to the monitoring of the working conditions? What kind of recommendation could you make to us?

[Trevor Mahl]

The Alberta government has a responsibility, because they're working in Alberta. They're on Alberta soil, I guess you'd say. But they're obviously in Canada, so it's a combination of both. I know Yessy is definitely and obviously an advocate, and she gets a lot of phone calls; she's the first line of contact for the worker when something like this has occurred, when they've been mistreated.

I'm sure Yessy would say that she could probably use more of her to handle the volume of complaints, but I think the Alberta government has a responsibility, and I think there is a responsibility also with the Canadian government to ensure that these workers are taken care of and that they are handled properly.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Merci.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Thank you.

I wish we had more time to give you. It's very interesting.

We will be making recommendations to government, and your submissions will certainly be taken into account and placed in our recommendations to government.

Thank you. We appreciate it.

[Trevor Mahl]

All right.