Posted on 03/28/2006 11:59:32 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
Mexican President Vincente Fox wants Canada to consider opening its doors to more unskilled Mexican workers to deal with a looming labour shortage.
Fox told The Globe and Mail in an exclusive interview that Canada should greatly expand its current temporary work program for agricultural workers from Mexico.
Canadian farms are allowed to recruit foreign workers under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, as long as they can't find Canadians to harvest their crops.
Fox said he wants that agreement expanded to include plant nurseries, construction, restaurants services and golf courses to deal with labour shortages from Canada's aging population.
He said Mexican workers should be able to sign up with Canadian employers for specific time periods. It's not clear how long he is suggesting, but presumably it would be longer than for migrant farm workers.
About 7,000 Mexican workers came to farms in Ontario last year. Many of them worked in Leamington, Ont., where the Mexican government has now set up a consulate.
Fox granted the interview to The Globe ahead of a summit this week in Cancun with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President George Bush.
The Mexican president is already backing a large-scale "guest worker" program in the United States, where the immigrant issue has heated up over the past few days.
On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that clears the way for illegal aliens in the country to apply for U.S. citizenship without first having to return home.
It also approved a new temporary program allowing entry for 1.5 million workers seeking jobs in the agriculture industry
As well, the committee voted down proposed criminal penalties on immigrants to be found illegally in the country.
Over the weekend and on Monday, hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities demanding Congress abandon legislation passed in the House that would make being an undocumented immigrant a felony.
Mexican President Vincente Fox wants Canada to consider opening its doors to more unskilled Mexican workers to deal with a looming labour shortage.
Now that's an idea I haven't thought of......send them all to Canada.
The who is left in Mexico ? Fox wants to dump his problems on everyone else . Him and his 3rd world toilet of a country can go to hell.
Vicente is crazy like a fox. He plays the race card like Jesse Jackson and the US political establishment reacts like a vampire to a cross. He should expect the same reaction from our good hearted and unarmed neighbors to the north.
Yep, then it's 4 hours to Thunder Bay...although an I-35 extension would only serve the purpose of economic development in northwestern Ontario, which is one of the most ignored regions in all of Canada...
I don't think Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa or any other states plan to do such...
We won't take them. Our Prime Minister is already cracking down on the illegal immigrants we have now...only God knows how many illegals we really have!
Sorry Fox, but Mr. Dithers and his Liberals are gone...there won't be any amnesty now!
Arrogant, the man is really running the show.
Yeah right!
Oh, Canada! Didn't you know that Vicente is your Presidente too? You didn't think he was going to settle for less than all of Norte America did you?
Once there are enough Mexicans on the voting rolls they can vote it all to Vicente. How much more do the Dems need to make an unbeatable majority here?
I guess he figures he's won the U.S. over thanks to our idiot Senators, so he's heading farther north.
Yes, it seems he has achieved a political victory here even before an electoral majority has been installed.
Sorry I do not see Fox like Arnold. Fox is the problem and not the solution.
Punt ?
Someone needs to ask Vicente Fox why mexicans are in such a hurry to leave Mexico.
both!!
"I don't think Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa or any other states plan to do such..."
They've got the "SuperSlab" plan here in Colorado. 200 miles long and 21 mile wide corridor. They want to use an old mining law to grab the land. Some of the investors are from Yemen a state that supports terrorism.
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