Monday, July 7, 2025
ADVT 
National

Ironworkers Local 97 calls for 'immediate end' to Temporary Foreign Worker program

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Mar, 2025 10:09 AM
  • Ironworkers Local 97 calls for 'immediate end' to Temporary Foreign Worker program

Uncertainty and the threat of looming tariffs against Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump is putting Canadian jobs at risk, and the federal government should shelve its Temporary Foreign Worker program in favour of investing in Canadian skilled workers, a B.C. construction union says. 

Ironworkers Local 97 business manager Doug Parton said the union has been lobbying the federal government for years about shoring up the domestic skilled trades workforce. 

Parton said the union believes companies have been allowed to bring in temporary foreign workers as a "business model" that undercuts "wages for everyday Canadians." 

"Every time we go out there, we think that they finally heard us and that they're actually going to invest in Canadian workers," he said. "But as soon as we leave there, it seems the program gets worse." 

The union local says the federal government should put an "immediate end" to Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker program in the face of U.S. tariffs and "uncertainty" caused by the Trump administration. 

In a statement Friday, Parton said the trade war with the U.S. means that jobs should go to "qualified Canadians" rather than foreign workers brought in to "fill gaps in the labour market." 

It said the federal government needs to "curb the misuse" of the program and prioritize investing in training Canadian workers, and that the program "undermines worker safety and fairness" to the detriment of temporary foreign workers and Canadian employees. 

Parton said in an interview Saturday that the problems with the program specifically in the construction industry have been long-standing, and "now is the time" to invest in Canadian skilled trades workers. 

He said the prospect of thousands of job losses presents an opportunity to train more Canadians for well-paid positions, rather than allowing companies to fill jobs with low-wage foreign labour. 

The union local is calling for a "temporary pause" on the program, claiming it's needed for the construction industry in order to "review and strengthen standards" for safety and sustainability of the workforce. 

Parton said the union wants to work with lawmakers to reform the program to shore up support for those in the skilled trade sector. 

"We should be investing in Canadians, taking every opportunity we can to ensure that if there is mass layoffs in all sectors, that Canadians have that first right," he said. 

Parton said it makes sense for companies to seek out cheaper labour in the name of "corporate profits," but at a time when many Canadian jobs are at risk due to U.S. tariffs, bringing in foreign workers comes at a cost.

"Is that the right thing to do when Canadians are sitting at home?," Parton said. "I'm not anti-(temporary foreign worker.) I can give you 1,000 reasons why somebody would want to come to Canada, but when they come to Canada, ought not they be treated like a Canadian and given fair wages as well?" 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

As Trump's trade war begins, his team links his tariff agenda to drug trafficking

As Trump's trade war begins, his team links his tariff agenda to drug trafficking
As market turbulence rattled some Washington lawmakers, U.S. President Donald Trump's closest advisers fanned out to TV news programs Tuesday to claim a link between economywide tariffs on Canada and Mexico and fentanyl trafficking. The president's executive order hitting Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, took effect Tuesday.

As Trump's trade war begins, his team links his tariff agenda to drug trafficking

Trudeau says he and the new Liberal leader will decide on his last day in office

Trudeau says he and the new Liberal leader will decide on his last day in office
With the Liberal party set to announce its new leader within days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his last day in office will be determined by himself and his replacement. Responding to questions about U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs at a press conference today, Trudeau says a conversation will take place to decide how long of a transition the government needs.

Trudeau says he and the new Liberal leader will decide on his last day in office

Trudeau says the U.S. launched a 'very dumb' trade war and Canada is fighting back

Trudeau says the U.S. launched a 'very dumb' trade war and Canada is fighting back
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the U.S. has launched a "dumb" continental trade war and Canada is fighting back. He said Canada is immediately introducing 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American products, and will expand them to cover another $125 billion in U.S. goods in 21 days.

Trudeau says the U.S. launched a 'very dumb' trade war and Canada is fighting back

Canadian recession looms this year if U.S. tariffs stay in place: economists

Canadian recession looms this year if U.S. tariffs stay in place: economists
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada's response will include retaliatory tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods. That will include tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion worth of American products 21 days later.

Canadian recession looms this year if U.S. tariffs stay in place: economists

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA
Canada's building industry says a trade war with the United States will slow down the pace of home construction. Canadian Home Builders' Association CEO Kevin Lee says the U.S. tariffs levied against Canada today will have a "muted" impact on the industry on their own.

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA

Canada and U.S. stock markets plunge for a second day after trade war launched

Canada and U.S. stock markets plunge for a second day after trade war launched
North American stock markets plunged for a second day as the U.S. imposed broad tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, triggering a continental trade war. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 547.26 points at 24,454.31, after U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order implementing the tariffs took effect at just after midnight.

Canada and U.S. stock markets plunge for a second day after trade war launched