Mr. Speaker, I remind the House of the government's strong commitment to job creation for Canadians and ensuring that Canadians get first crack at opportunities.
A case in point is the Nordic Challenger , a shuttle tanker which moves oil from offshore Nova Scotia to Canadian and foreign ports. It is operated by Lasmo Nova Scotia Limited. In past years the crew aboard this vessel consisted solely of foreign workers. In April of this year the exemption for the use of foreign workers aboard the vessel came up for renewal.
In spite of Lasmo's attempts to justify the hiring of only 12 Canadians, the government stood firm and refused to extend the exemption. The previous government routinely renewed the exemption, claiming it was acting for the benefit of the economy.
The government's major priority is jobs for Canadians. That is why the Minister of Human Resources Development and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration stood up for Canadian workers and refused to allow foreign interest to carry the day.