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This is an opinion piece by Norm Hamilton.

A recent opinion piece in The Star speaks to the issue of a two-tiered wage system. So, what is that?

Human Resources Minister Diane Finley has changed rules so employers can now pay foreign temporary workers less than the average wage, 15% less.

“‘We are taking action to ensure that the temporary foreign worker program support (sic) our economic recovery and effectively responds to local labour market demands’ she said.”

Balderdash! Poppycock!

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney Kenny has always denied bringing cheap foreign labour into Canada stating that “the prevailing wage” had to be paid. Now he says, “our government will consider additional measures to strengthen and improve the program.” (meaning the Temporary Foreign Worker Program)

What exactly does than mean? Will they be paid even less? Will government change the laws that protect and safeguard workers just because they are foreign temporary workers? The possibilities should concern us all.

I see this as part of a larger plan to bring the people of Canada, literally, to their knees.

Business must focus on the financial bottom line in order to survive. When one business pays their employees 15% less, the other has to do the same in order to compete. What comes across as the obvious intent is to force Canadians to give up their share of the profits that big business enjoys by giving business a cheaper alternative. If Canadians want to work, they will have to accept the wages being offered the temporary foreign workers who will then be offered 15% less than that; and so it spirals downward.

Collateral damage will be that small business and the Mom and Pop proprietors will find it even more difficult to compete against the huge conglomerates taking advantage of this misuse of human need – and that is what it amounts to, greed abusing those in need.

Eventually, perhaps not taking very long, the government will create a situation where the citizens of the country will not have adequate meaningful employment and will be further beholden to, and reliant on, those in power.

At the rate things are changing since the last election, it is possible for the “Harper Government” to erode the laws and rights of Canadians to a point far beyond the imaginings of most of us, perhaps to the point of eradication.

Do we have people in Yukon being paid 15% less than the average? I certainly hope not. The foreign workers that have come into Whitehorse and have taken employment in the service industry are, in my mind, welcome additions to our community. I enjoy interacting with them and being the recipient of some wonderful service. I’d hate to learn that business is treating them unfairly.

If it is proven that a business is treating them as second class, I would encourage our community will boycott whomever is responsible to force a change. We cannot rely on our elected officials to do this for us as they do not truly represent the people. Canadians do not  have the results of an unquestionably democratic election process when choosing who governs us. (23.95% is not a majority, no matter what math is used *)

*61.1% of elegible voters cast ballots in the 2011 election. The Harper Government gained power with only 39.62% of those votes.  That means a false majority was created by only 23.95% of the eligible voters in Canada. This is the best argument for electoral reform there is.

Norm
Norm Hamilton is a freelance writer and photographer based in Whitehorse.