Charts to watch in 2015: Armine Yalnizyan on temporary foreign workers

Maclean's recently asked dozens of economists, analysts and investors what they consider to be the most important charts for Canada as we head into 2015. CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan contributed her analysis to the project, and suggested we keep a close eye on this country's shift to temporary foreign workers:

"Every passing year creates more pressure to articulate a national strategy that will deal with replacing an aging labour force. It seems one has snuck up on us, with the de facto preference of temporary foreign workers over permanent economic immigrants. Growing public concern over how this program is being used (and abused, in some cases) is appropriate. Migrant workers can plug labour shortages and help the economy grow, but distribution of the gains from growth will become ever more lopsided. This is a radically new policy thrust in Canada, one that dramatically shifts bargaining power away from workers, reduces opportunity, and increases inequality by design. It redefines the future of Canada, a nation built by immigrants who had a stake in how their families helped define communities, markets and politics. It cheapens us all to view migrant labour as the fix to growing labour shortages: good enough to work here, but not good enough to stay and build their lives....and ours."

Read the full piece from Maclean's: The charts every Canadian should watch in 2015.

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