Electoral Reform committee  Thank you for this opportunity to speak before the committee. My name is Jessica Smith. I'm here today on behalf of myself and Unifor Local 4606, where I represent 1,300 members predominantly in long-term care here in the HRM and the surrounding area. We feel very strongly abo

International Trade committee  Do you think we should lessen qualifications? Is that what you're saying?

International Trade committee  Yes. As I said, I think that's really important. I think that's why we have the labour market impact assessment, to show the industries that do need that workforce, so that's why it's so important that we hold the TPP countries to that same standard, to ensure that Canadians who

International Trade committee  I read the report that came out last week about the temporary foreign workers specifically. Within our country, they did discuss trying to set up some different systems, because most people won't call the telephone line that they could call because there's a risk of retribution f

International Trade committee  It actually has to do with the side papers of the chapters where they talk about the temporary foreign workers. We were able to opt out of some industries versus others with most of them, but with Japan and Australia specifically, they're very open. It's not really part of the re

International Trade committee  How the TPP is going to affect them is if they're trying to extend their work permits and switch to another employer or something like that. As I said, it makes them more beholden to that employer. As well, it makes it harder for them to get more employment if they have people br

International Trade committee  Yes. The labour chapter specifically has very vague language and there's no way to truly enforce it. It talks very much—

International Trade committee  You do to a point, but if there's no enforceable way to enforce it when it talks about that they'll endeavour or that countries will consult with each other to make sure something happens. There's no system in place to actually ensure it's going to happen. That's the issue with

International Trade committee  I'm sorry, what's the question?

International Trade committee  There are many different sections within it. There are four different ways they could be brought into the country. Some of them require more standards and more education, but some of them are vague. They say things like “specialist”, but it doesn't go on to define what that means

International Trade committee  Yes, not a problem. Under the chapter, and I'm not sure, are you talking about chapter 12 or the other chapter that specifically talks about the labour language?

International Trade committee  My name is Jessica Smith. I'm here before you as a member of Unifor Local 4606, where I represent 1,300 members in the health care sector, predominantly in long-term care. Unifor also represents 30,000 members in Atlantic Canada and 310,000 across the country. I came to Canada a

International Trade committee  It's eight and a half years ago now.