You have to have a system in place to take a look at local labour market conditions before issuing a work permit. We don't have a problem with temporary foreign workers to fill skills gaps or shortages for employers. That's why employers use the TFW program: the oops, the band-aids; we need 35 welders or 35 electricians or 125 welders in Kitimat, or 2,000 in Kitimat as is going to be the case.
What needs to be fixed or what needs to come out, depending on how you look at it, is we need the ability to take a look at your home ridings and say that there's high unemployment in your riding. Workers are available in Canada to do this work. Give them the first shot, and if there's still a shortage, fine. That system exists within the TFW program. ESDC and CIC do this every day. They examine local labour markets and look at applications that have come in from employers and determine whether or not they will impact the local workers.
The TPP says that this cannot happen under law, nor can it ever be changed. Some sort of system needs to be put in place. We don't understand why a trade agreement wouldn't take a look at the local labour markets in that way.