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Permalink Reply by Mark Swartz on May 7, 2008 at 8:50am

Hi Lisa,

Or should I say "bonjour?" It's interesting that you refer to a labour shortage here in Canada. I've written about this extensively (for example, "Is there a war for talent?", If you happen to live in Alberta, parts of BC, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, sure there are some shortages. But try telling that to the folks who live in Moncton, or those at Crocs (not to mention the hapless employees at Quebecor).

Do you see it differently? I would be very interested in your viewpoints. At any rate, c'est un plaisir de fair votre connaissance.

Regards,
Mark Swartz
www.CareerActivst.com Canada's most candid career advice site.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Epstein on May 9, 2008 at 11:03pm

Hi Mark,

let's define the term labour shortage by what it is not....Canadian society is not going to fall apart because we don't have enough people to fill all the jobs in Canada; rather, many sectors will feel the effects while operating understaffed and as a result make special efforts to attract and keep qualified workers. And that's good for workers!

If there is no labour shortage, why are Canadian provinces amending their provincial nomination programs hoping to entice Canadian employers and foreign workers to partner for the future of Canada?

Yes it's true that the Croc plant closed (perhaps this is because there is a saturation point for rubber slip-ons clogs and not necessarily a sign of a downturning economy) and Moncton is not currently rated a job hot spot (status quo, no?), but those who want to find a great job can. And yes, it's possible that one might not able to find the 'right' job close to home, but one can find it in the next city or province or territory.

Maybe we need take a cue from our neighbors to the south. Americans move around more than Canadians. We can also take a lead from the millions of immigrants who chose to create new lives within Canada. The current labour shortage forces us to rethink our values - there are plenty of unfilled positions in this country; the question is, are we willing to relocate for more opportunities?

Sincerely,
Lisa Epstein
Canadian Web Editor
Monster.ca

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Epstein on May 9, 2008 at 11:12pm

For those who are interested in learning more about working in Canada or Canada's Provincial nomination program, here's a link. As well, have a look at David Cohen's comprehensive site Canadavisa.com

Lisa Epstein
Canadian Web Editor
Monster.ca

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Permalink Reply by Mark Swartz on May 13, 2008 at 9:43am

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my message so thoughtfully. I can see that you have strong convictions about this whole labour shortage topic.

You are absolutely right about the provincial nomination programs being an important development here in Canada. About time, too. It surely makes sense to try and match the demand for specific skills to the supply of qualified labour. For too long we've been heavily promoting Canada as a Destination Of Choice for highly educated or specially trained immigrants, only to stand idly by as 50% of each year's 1/4 million or so "allowed-in" quota head straight for the Greater Toronto Area, where their education and credentials are subsequently dismissed as not being Canadian enough.

Fortunately for property prices here in the city, the federal government makes sure that it lets in people who have enough money to buy a home. Too bad for these same folks a year or two later when many of them are earning maybe half of what they made abroad, and this only after a long, brutally demeaning job hunt. But by then another 250,000 of their peers have settled here too, and so the cycle goes.

Controversially, it would make sense to assign newcomers to a particular geographic area, e.g. if you want in to our country, you must have "x" type of skills and can only live in a certain city or town. You must live there for at least five years and use your skills there, or else "no soup for you" (e.g. no landed status, no access to government benefits). Sounds rather harsh. And useless unless our government expedites the recognition of pre-existing credentials, and provides more supported "Canadian experience" programs so that employers will hire these newcomers.

I do agree with your assertion that labour mobility is a key to higher employment rates, especially for those living in the eastern provinces. However, it can be a wrenching experience for families to uproot and move to a strange new place. The kids have to make all new friends, and the parents may be leaving behind generations of relatives and heritage. Do it again a few years later because market demand has shifted, and again several years after that. You begin to risk emotional trauma for those who must constantly migrate like a pack of nomads. Sure they do this far more often in the U.S. than here. Yet they also have higher rates of crime, truancy, and other social ills. Not that I'm in any way implying a correlation. I am simply saying that just because one country behaves a certain way does not necessarily mean it's a good thing.

So is there a labour shortage here? As always, yes - in selected sectors or geographical regions. This is a perpetual condition as, once again, it is impossible to balance the demand for labour with the number of qualified workers close by, absent laws that force people to move where the jobs are.

And when labour does migrate to where the work is plentiful, guess what eventually happens to the local infrastructure? It drowns in a sea of unpreparedness. To wit, have you tried finding a house or rental within a reasonable commute of Calgary recently? Fah-get about it. How about Saskatoon or Regina? Here's a direct quote from CMHC: "Last year, house prices in Saskatchewan went up 32 per cent from the year before. This year, the projected increase is lower — 26 per cent — but still high by historical standards."

In other words, overpopulation leads to problems in securing decent living space, not to mention resentments among the locals when all sorts of newcomers with different accents, customs, religions and skin colours come traipsing in. In my opinion I think it's fantastic when a region becomes diversified (Toronto is among the most diverse cities in the entire world, and it's a terrific place to live. Montreal has strong representation too). But in smaller towns overrun by "outsiders," there is a definite adjustment period for all involved, which ain't always easy.

Well Lisa, would that economics adjusted itself to human realities, rather than the opposite being necessary. In the meantime looks like Canadians in the provinces east of Saskatchewan will have to adapt one way or the other. With Ontario slated to become a supposed "have not" province; with unemployment in Quebec at 7.6% and rising; and with New Brunswick/Nova Scotia up around 8%, things aren't getting any better. Plus private sector job growth screeched to a halt last month in Canada overall.

Labour shortage? Not to the 1.1 million jobless Canucks, nor to the hundreds of thousands who are underemployed, involuntarily self-employed, or who have just given up job hunting altogether. Personally I'm thinking of hauling my kids out to Edomonton where my daughter can earn $14 an hour working the counter at Tim Hortons (assuming they don't fire here for stealing a single TimBit), and I can open up a recruiting firm that woos internationally trained professionals as well as roustabouts from Montreal's very own Town of Mount Royal. :-)

All the best from your new friend,
Mark

By the way, you're doing a great job on Monster with the content. Keep up the good work. And I truly appreciate this exchange of ideas with you.

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