I swear I'm not making this up. It's real. Got a problem employer in the Temporary Foreign Worker program where they can send you home tomorrow? Having trouble with English? The Alberta Government wants you to ask your boss to help translate a complaint against him/her. Isn't that wonderful? Problem solved, now go back to bed you idiots!
I really, really wish I *were* making this up.
-- M
Foreign workers should ask boss for language help: minister
April 22, 2008 // Edmonton Sun
Temporary foreign workers with complaints who are stumped by an English-only help line should turn to their boss for help, Alberta's employment and immigration minister suggested yesterday.
Hector Goudreau was responding to questions from Alberta Liberal critic Hugh MacDonald, who noted that when two workers died in an accident at the Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. Horizon project in Fort McMurray last year, they had 120 colleagues with no English skills.
MacDonald suggested the government's 1-800 line for foreign workers, set up after complaints of mistreatment last year, isn't much help.
"Given that on that site, at that time, there was about 120 temporary foreign workers from China who did not have English language skills, how do you know that they now have the ability to phone that toll-free number and know what their rights are in this country?" MacDonald asked.
Goudreau said temporary foreign workers have help with the language on site.
"Those people that are working with them, there's usually people that can do interpretation, with a group there has to be a communications method with temporary foreign workers," said Goudreau.
"And, through the boss, some of that information is available.
"We are serious about the protection we are giving our temporary foreign workers and we want to make sure that their rights are protected," said Goudreau.
The province has been under fire from opposition politicians and some labour groups for the rapid expansion of the foreign worker base as it tries to cope with shortages across the labour market.
As of last year, Alberta was hosting about 23,000.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/04/22/5355026-sun.html
