More bad jobs

In addition to changing some of the rules for employment insurance (which I have already touched on), the Conservative government also plans to fast-track the approval process for temporary foreign workers as past of their massive budget bill. They also will allow employers to pay temporary foreign works 15% less than they'd pay Canadian workers. While I have no problem with businesses bringing in workers from other countries, I completely disagree with paying them less.

Union leaders have accused the Tories of using these things to drive down wages. Businesses, on the other hand, are claiming that they're facing labour shortages, and these changes are necessary to allow them to get the workers they need.

I keep hearing about these labour shortages in the news, and I really wish someone would go into more detail about this. I mean, I'm about to get laid off, and I'm hoping to get assistance from the government to allow me to go back to school so I can get job training. Where are these labour shortages? What fields should I be looking into?

From The Globe and Mail:

Louise Vandenhurk, who owns and runs a Dairy Queen [emphasis mine] in Estevan, Sask., says she would love to hire local workers, but can't find any. She said student applicants are so busy with other activities that their windows of availability are too small to be worthwhile for employers.

Oh.

I think a big factor contributing to a labour shortage in the fast food industry is because the work sucks (and I've worked in the industry, so I'm speaking from experience), but, most importantly, because the work doesn't pay enough. One would be lucky to pay rent and other expenses working a minimum-wage job. You can forget about buying a house. Savings? Good luck with that. Who needs retirement, anyway?

This is the sort of job EI claimants might be forced to accept. These are the jobs temporary foreign workers might be brought in to fill, and earn 15% less for their efforts.

If the government wants people to fill these jobs, then they need to make it possible for one to live off such a meager income. They should not be forcing people into a minimum-wage job until then.