Citizenship and Immigration committee  To give you an order of magnitude, temporary immigrant workers earn minimum wage. Our association conducted a study, and they should be paid between $13 and $17 an hour for the duties they perform. We see that they are totally exploited. Even when it is stated in the contract that they must do a particular type of work, that is virtually not complied with because there is always additional work.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I wouldn't want us to get involved in partisan debates. The government has signed international human rights conventions. All these programs contravene conventions that Canada has previously ratified. Like our colleagues this morning, we also ask that Canada sign the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights and Welfare of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Structurally speaking, the program is discriminatory to the extent that it restricts their rights and freedoms. Under the Quebec and Canadian charters, everyone must respect their rights, such as the right to dignity. For example, a live-in caregiver may live at the home of an employer who does not close doors.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  We've recommended that they be admitted as independent workers. In the same way as all other independent workers, it is the workers' responsibility to house themselves.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'm going to answer the question concerning jobs; I'll let my colleague talk about the rest. As regards the fictitious jobs, a study was conducted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. It was done in Manila in 2005: the individuals who come here come mostly from the Philippines, but others come from other countries.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  In our seventh recommendation, we propose that services be increased for these live-in caregivers. We think it is imperative that the government legislate in this area to establish a clear code of ethics with immigration consultants, as well as regulations for live-in caregiver recruitment agencies, which are the cause of their condition.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you for welcoming us today. We've submitted a brief to the clerk. Unfortunately, it is not translated, but we suppose it will be. It consists of notes we're using to make our presentation. The Association des aides familiales du Québec has been in existence for 32 years. Its vision is to advocate the rights of live-in caregivers through representation and cooperation activities in particular.