About 15,000 workers from foreign countries toil in Ontario’s fields

[Guest Peeves]

Why? ""No one wants this type of work. Canadians don't want to do manual labour," says one farmer...

DUNNVILLE - Farmers may soon have to fill empty jobs with Canadians before turning to temporary workers from overseas under changes coming to the Employment Insurance program, says a government official.

Ottawa wants to ensure “Canadians who are available and qualified are contacted and made aware of jobs that are available in their area before farmers bring in temporary farm workers,” said Alyson Queen, spokesperson for Diane Finley, Haldimand-Norfolk MP and Canada’s minister of human resources and skills development.

“We are ramping up our efforts to make sure they are made aware of opportunities.”

Details of the changes, first announced in last week’s federal budget, will apply to all sectors of the Canadian economy and will be rolled out in the coming weeks, Queen said.

“In areas of high unemployment we will do what we can to connect Canadians with opportunities,” she added.

About 15,000 workers from foreign countries toil in Ontario’s fields every year, about a third of which are in Finley’s Haldimand-Norfolk riding. Close to 30,000 are brought in countrywide.

Ken Forth, president of the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services — which helps connect Ontario farmers with labour from overseas — said he expects the upcoming announcement to have little impact on the seasonal worker program because it’s already “Canadians first.”

Farmers in need of help, he explained, must get a “labour market opinion” from a Service Canada office to prove no Canadians are available before turning to his organization. “We’ve been doing that” for the 46 years the program has been running, Forth said.

Ontario farmers find it difficult to fill some positions with local help because Canadians are often looking for permanent rather than seasonal work, he said.

About 100,000 people work in agriculture in the province, which means foreign help accounts for about 15% of the jobs, Forth pointed out.

Foreign workers, he said, stay for an average of 22 weeks.

Mike Konkle, owner of Dunnville's Konkle Greenhouses on Robinson Road, said he employs about 25 seasonal workers from Mexico thanks to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, but that's only because he hasn't seen much interest from those around the Dunnville area looking for work.

"With Bick's closing, you think more people would be eager for a seasonal job," he said on Thursday, mentioning he hires more than 50 seasonal employees beginning each spring.

Right now, Canada brings in 150,000 immigrants a year to fill positions Canadians can’t or won’t do, including professional jobs as well as labour.

Konkle said the work isn't easy and that's maybe why it deters people.

"No one wants this type of work. Canadians don't want to do manual labour," he said, mentioning he's hired and has some dedicated Canadians on staff, but that some of them will show up for two days and then "disappear".

Although the work requires heavy lifting, carrying and requires long hours spent at the greenhouse, he said the Mexicans are more than willing to spend time in Dunnville for a season as the job, for them, is their main source of income.

"If the jobs weren't available to [the Mexicans] it would be devastating to them," said Konkle.

Manuel Briones agreed.

The seasonal worker comes to Dunnville each year because of the opportunity it presents to him and his family.

"I absolutely need this job; Mexico is a lot different than here. It's hard for us when we go back to Mexico because we make very little money."

Konkle said he "always tries to hire Canadians first," but is also proud of the success stories that come from immigrant workers he employs.

"I had a woman who told me the job helped per her daughter through college, so it's a two-way street. I do like helping them out."

*With files from Sarah Doktor

[Boges]

Why? ""No one wants this type of work. Canadians don't want to do manual labour," says one farmer...

Canadian kids are lazy? Who knew!

[Topaz]

First of all, there is a different in money value. Canadians dollars goes further in those countries the workers are from. I'm not sure if working 22 weeks get you on EI after either, for Canadians. yes, this is backing breaking work, mostly on one's back and would these Canadians who not used to manual labour get hurt, is the farmer going to pay for disability, when the worker can't work? I don't think so. These kind of jobs are met more for the young or people in very good shape. The biggest hang up over these kind of jobs is the money. Also , there is a difference between working in the fields and work in a greenhouse. The working condition in greenhouses can have the temperature soaring and very hard to work in. People from the tropics may be more suit to the temp. How many here have work in either?

[Tilter]

First of all, there is a different in money value. Canadians dollars goes further in those countries the workers are from. I'm not sure if working 22 weeks get you on EI after either, for Canadians. yes, this is backing breaking work, mostly on one's back and would these Canadians who not used to manual labour get hurt, is the farmer going to pay for disability, when the worker can't work? I don't think so. These kind of jobs are met more for the young or people in very good shape. The biggest hang up over these kind of jobs is the money. Also , there is a difference between working in the fields and work in a greenhouse. The working condition in greenhouses can have the temperature soaring and very hard to work in. People from the tropics may be more suit to the temp. How many here have work in either?

I guess the only downside is the millions of buttersoft obese kids who have never done a lick of work--- which leads to a batch of new hischool grads applying for jobs & expect to start at 40-50,000 /year. Reality comes at a price

Edited April 6, 2012 by Tilter

[Topaz]

When it comes to landing a job,the best way is to KNOW someone who can put you in one and not everyone does. As far as the the young people who are over weight, that caused by the crap in our process food and lack of execise, which asks the question how much exercise do kids get while at school and seating in front of a computer playing games. Many of the farmer's also don't want inexperience young people because they cause more damages to crops then good.

[Battletoads]

What do these jobs pay? Minimum wage?

[Boges]

I guess the only downside is the millions of buttersoft obese kids who have never done a lick of work--- which leads to a batch of new hischool grads applying for jobs & expect to start at 40-50,000 /year. Reality comes at a price

This millenial generation seem to have this whole "The world owes me something" attitude.

[stopstaaron]

They don't hire foreigners to detassle corn.. how do I know?! I've done corn detasseling in the summer for 8 years

They mostly hire kids aged 13-mid 20s and sometimes a few adults in their 40s

Just wanted to straighten the misconception out that kids won't work in the fields