Now that I have written this post and re-read it… I have to apologize to my wife for not letting her know I wrote it.  She hates when I get confrontational because deep down I think she wants me to get into politics.  Not because I would make a necessarily great politician, or because I have some great aptitude for the job, but because I am passionate about the love of my country and I would fight against the seemingly rampant lack of character and integrity in our elected officials.

Well, Stacey, the passion that you fell in love with is the same passion that will ultimately ruin any chance of me being elected.  Sorry.

Today’s Passion is Aimed at My Family

My sister and mother-in-law both shared off this post on Facebook (which has garnered thousands of shares) where Steven Hill makes some interesting points with lazy Canadians being replaced by Temporary Foreign Workers.

Steven, and those that read his post and think that it makes sense, please stop being so naive to say that temporary foreign workers have not taken jobs, and only take low paying work.  I am in IT and like that I know enough about my career choice to make a good enough living to allow my wife to stay home to educate our kidlets.

Has a TFW affected my life?  Not that I have seen.  but I want you to know that I was one.  I worked in the US a decade ago under an H-1B visa as a “scientist”.  Today, there are at least 6 categories in IT that more accurately identify my job but back then there were too many IT people out of work in the US.  Are these new fields in place because there is a huge knowledge gap in the US in the Technology areas encompassed by IT?  I think not.

I did a job down there that would have taken more time and money to train than it was worth so off I go with the Visa and do the job myself.  I worked with a couple different Americans and thoroughly enjoyed my time down there.  It was a real eye-opening experience to spend 50 hours a week with a Democrat from Oregon.  We had much to discuss and there was no shortage of conversation.  It was great fun driving around with Mickey and I will remember it always but then I didn’t displace an American worker.

But now Steven is talking about TFW legislation bring over people to work at Tim Horton’s and I am sure that there are some coming over for those jobs.  Do I mind?  Nope.  When my child can’t get a minimum wage job because a TFW quota is being filled I might have a problem but I have never heard of this.

Crazy, I was Crazy Once…

But maybe I am crazy to think this way… maybe the good old days of the Industrial revolution should come back and we should be giving land to immigrants?  I mean look at all the friends that this guy has saying such great things about his post…

“Kudos to StevenHill’s humane heart. Let’s all follow his lead abd be more compassionate”
~Beth (I can forgive her position because she is Filipino and obviously has a motive to like this Steven’s crazy ideas)

“wow this guy is real intelligent and is genuinely a good person with a good heart! I am now officially a fan of his writing and insights! the world needs more people who thinks like he does. Steven Hill, you rock! 👏 God bless your heart 😊 Surely, Filipinos around the world loves you”
~ Sexy G – or Georgina (now this girl is from the Philipines so I get why she likes this craziness going viral)

“Faith restored in humanity. Thank you, Steven.”
~Karen (Wait, she is Filipino too)

“Thank you so much Steven Hill…”
~Pla Pla (another Filipino)

“This is such a fantastic letter… Steven Hill I hope that amazing post going viral helps those in power realize what a mistake they have made. And thank you for restoring my faith in a Canadian being able to see the bigger picture vs a growing epidemic of anti-immigration.”
~Amanda Grey

I was all excited when i saw Amanda’s post.  Finally, a girl born in Canada was defending this guy’s post about bringing in Foreign workers to displace Canadian jobs.  Then I read further, because I can… and find out that Amanda’s husband is a TFW!  Really?  This poor guy can’t get a break.

But to all you wonderful people, like my sister and my mother-in-law, as much as I love reading the things you share on Facebook, when you “Like” and share something like this, I feel it is my privilege, as your family member, to let you know how I feel…

My Position

I do not hate Foreign workers but I absolutely have a problem with the way this program works.  The law needs to be re-written and the loopholes that huge corporations are using to displace nationals who want their jobs need to be closed.

I have also heard that the TFW program on both sides of our border is designed to fill gaps, and does not displace existing jobs or Canadian/American workers.

What I have also heard, more and more frequently, is stories of companies like iGate in Canada getting contracts to replace whole IT departments with TFW’s from India.  The funny part of these stories is that they all have a common element, the national has to train the TFW to do his/her job.  If these TFW’s are being brought in to do jobs that can’t be filled with local workforce, how can we train them to replace current employees?  Something doesn’t make sense here.

Someone is lying or is it possible that Steven just doesn’t know what he is talking about?  Maybe he only has half the story?

The Other Half of the Story

RBC replaced 50 IT staff with TFWs

Disney Studios just changed its mind to replace 30 IT staff in California

Not before DisneyWorld laid off 250 Americans to bring in TFWs from India last fall

Southern California Edison gets rid of 500 IT jobs with H-1B Visas… the march of TFWs

Companies like infosys in the US are being investigated now and hopefully these laws in both countries will be getting some overhauls.  With the kind of corruption and stupidity in our political system who knows where this will go though.

The fact of the matter is that companies like RBC ($2B profit), Disney theme parks ($2B profit… yes, just in the theme parks) and SC Edison ($1B profit in 2013) can afford to employ me but they would rather bring in a TFW to save 25-50% of my salary.

So for the people like Steven Hill and the people (including my family) who share his propaganda, keep up the great work.  If my job gets taken by a TFW I know that you won’t mind me moving in for 6 months while I find a new job… if I end up taking one of those Tim Horton’s jobs Steve is so fond of talking about, I might be in his basement with my six kidlets for a few extra years… but nobody will call me lazy.