UN Report Slams Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Program Breeding Ground for Contemporary Slavery, Says Expert
UN Special Rapporteur Calls for Urgent Action
The United Nations has issued a scathing report on Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), calling it a "breeding ground for contemporary slavery." The report, authored by UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata, concludes that the program is creating a system of exploitation and abuse that violates human rights.
Obokata's report is based on a comprehensive investigation that included interviews with temporary foreign workers, employers, and government officials. He found that workers in the program face a wide range of abuses, including excessive work hours, low pay, unsafe working conditions, and lack of access to basic rights.
In one particularly disturbing case, Obokata interviewed a worker who had been forced to work 16-hour days for less than minimum wage. The worker was living in fear of being deported if he complained about the abuse.
Obokata's report is a wake-up call for Canada. It is clear that the TFWP is not working as it should be. The program is supposed to help Canadian businesses fill labour shortages, but it is instead being used to exploit vulnerable workers.
The UN expert has called on Canada to take urgent action to address the problems with the TFWP. He has recommended that the government increase inspections of workplaces, strengthen penalties for employers who violate labour laws, and provide more support to workers who are experiencing abuse.
The Canadian government has said it is committed to addressing the concerns raised in Obokata's report. However, it remains to be seen whether the government will take the necessary steps to ensure that the TFWP is a fair and just program.
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