BCFGA president says foreign workers needed

Sweeping changes announced last week with the federal government’s temporary foreign workers program will not affect the agricultural industry, which relies heavily on foreign workers, across the South Okanagan, says the president of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA).

Admitting his “phone rang off the hook” with calls from concerns from orchardists and fruit farmers across the region, Jeet Dhukia said while the changes to the temporary foreign workers program will affect many other industries in Canada, it will not result in any kind of significant changes to the agricultural industry in the South Okanagan.

“We have been assured there will not be any changes to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP), which is the program that has allowed us to bring in the workers we need in our industry,” said Dhukia, who was named BCFGA president in December.

“Our program is safe and sound and will not be affected by the changes to the temporary foreign workers program, which is a great relief to many farmers in our area.”

While there are still hundreds of transient workers who come to the South Okanagan to pick cherries, apples and other fruit, the reality is very few other Canadians are willing to do this work and that’s why farmers have been so reliant on the SAWP program to bring in workers from Mexico, El Salvador and the West Indies over the past several years, Dhukia pointed out.

“Getting rid of this program would be devastating to our industry,” he said. “We depend heavily on foreign workers and would not be able to operate without them … that’s the reality. Our industry would collapse without them.”

The vast majority of transient workers from Quebec come to the South Okanagan only during cherry picking season and many of them return home or spend the rest of the summer enjoying the beautiful weather offered in the South Okanagan, he said.

Under new regulations introduced to the temporary foreign workers program, companies would have to pay temporary works the same wages as domestic workers and increase the government’s ability to suspend and revoke permits if the program is misused.
Companies would also have to provide more evidence about why they did not hire Canadian workers and demonstrate plants to eventually hire Canadians to fills the role before being granted permission to hire a temporary foreign worker.

Dhukia said the fruit industry in B.C. has clearly proven it would not be able to function without foreign workers and that’s why he believes the SAWP was formed in the first place and he’s relieved and pleased there shouldn’t be any changes.

“Our industry is being left alone and it’s a big relief because we need these workers in order for us to survive,” he said.

With a provincial election looming, Dhukia said the BCFGA and farmers across the province are urging all parties to dramatically increase funding to this sector.

“The provincial Ministry of Agriculture budget has dropped to $68 million when a recent study clearly indicated it should be between $130 to $140 million.” he said. “It is shameful. We believe the agricultural sector is crucial to the economy of this province and adequate funding is crucial.”

Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko said while the agricultural sector won’t be affected by the sweeping changes to the temporary foreign workers program, many other businesses will.

The program was initially designed to allow businesses that could not attract sufficient Canadian employees in the skilled trades sector to fill those holes, but has been allowed to spiral out of control, he said.

When hundreds of thousands of Canadians can’t find work, the federal Conservatives had to start clamping down on allowing foreign workers to take the jobs that could easily be filled by Canadians and the NDP doesn’t oppose most of the proposed changes to the temporary foreign workers program, he said.

“There are surely many industries – mining comes to my mind – that should and could be employing Canadians rather than bringing in foreign workers,” he said.

There are businesses that have proven through the years that they can’t find Canadians willing to do these jobs and they have to rely on foreign workers, but in many cases these jobs could and should be filled by Canadians, he said.

“In the long run, it’s up to government to implement a program to ensure the system isn’t being abused and Canadians are given every opportunity to take these jobs,” he said.

Atamanenko said he was pleased the SAWP won’t be altered and the fruit industry in the South Okanagan won’t be harmed by any changes in government policy.

Keith Lacey
Special to the Chronicle