Minister of Human Resources Diane Finley

The problem with doctors driving cabs has been staring this country in the face for decades now. The Conservative government, in conjunction with the provinces, is making a move to speed up the process of certifying foreign trained professionals, and it has been a long time coming.

While I was in university I worked evenings as a security guard and every one of my fellow workers was terribly overqualified. One was an engineer from India, another had fled tyranny in Belarus, with an MBA from Britain. He still had to eke out a living in a low paying job. All across this country there are qualified professionals who are disappointed in the life they have found here in Canada.

Just a couple days ago, Minister of Human Resources Diane Finley introduced a new framework, promising to speed up the process by which foreign workers have their credentials recognized by the ministry. This new system would allow professionals such as engineers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, nurses, architects, lab technitions and occupational therapists to have their credentials evaluated within a year of applying. In some cases, it may allow newly arrived immigrants to know the value of their credentials before they arrive in Canada. In the past it could take up to two years for foreign workers to know where they stand.
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For decades the growth of temporary employment agencies has had a real impact on how rural job markets are taking shape. A 2006 study highlights a consistent rise in part time, low wage jobs over the last several years. It claims that 11 percent of all rural workers hold temporary jobs. These jobs are often found through local temping agencies, which are thriving even in these difficult economic times. A recent piece of legislation, Bill 139, is long overdue. This bill includes new regulations for temping agencies, but it will not prevent all the abuses that take place, especially in rural areas.

I’ve found temping agencies can lend a hand in the short term. Some agencies do provide useful training to unskilled workers. However, abuses can occur with temping agencies that focus on providing unskilled labour to manufacturing facilities in rural areas.
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