The Canadian Job Market: When Citizens Are Left Behind

🇨🇦 The Canadian Job Market: When Citizens Are Left Behind

As I rode past the construction site the other day, I couldn’t help but notice a young man, a flagger, glued to his phone. I teased him about it, and a conversation started that I won’t forget. 👀

👷‍♂️ A Life in the Workforce

He’s 36, originally from Somalia, now a Canadian citizen, and came to Canada in 2013. His story was eye-opening.

He first worked in Edmonton as a baker at Canada Bread, making $25 an hour. But then the company was sold to new owners, and suddenly people without papers were hired for $10 an hour. According to him, the company eventually went bankrupt. 💸

He moved out west and took a security job at Molson’s. One day, he confronted someone who wasn’t supposed to be on his shift. He called his boss. The result? They told him to go home. He got nothing for the four hours he had worked. 😡

⏰ Long Hours, Unfair Work

Now, he works in front of Senakw. On the day I spoke with him, he had already been at Patulla Bridge for 12 hours the day before and started his shift at 6 a.m., even though trucks didn’t arrive until 10:30. He explained why he was on his phone — sometimes the work just isn’t constant. 📱

🇨🇦 Citizenship Doesn’t Guarantee Work

Our conversation turned to my own struggles. I am 63, born and raised in Canada, yet I cannot find work. Many jobs asked for Punjabi or Farsi speakers. I spoke to him about the abuse of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program and the irony of seeing students managing two jobs while attending school. 🎓💼

I also shared my experience: I was replaced by a TFW, even though I won a Human Rights case. The compensation I received was a pittance compared to what I lost. And that’s the point — you can only win if you take the case to court, which costs as much or more than the value of the win. ⚖️

In other words, the system is rigged against regular workers. We are royally screwed by a system that prioritizes profits and loopholes over fairness. 😞

📢 The Call for Action

This conversation left me thinking about the job market in Canada. Citizenship doesn’t always mean opportunity. Experience doesn’t guarantee fairness. Workers, whether immigrants or Canadians, face barriers — low wages, unpaid hours, systemic bias — while some companies exploit loopholes in the labor system. 💔

If we want a workforce that truly values people, we need to hold companies accountable. We need transparency. And perhaps most importantly, we need policies that protect all workers — regardless of age, citizenship, or language. 🌟

📝 Who Can Make a Change?

People in power who could help change this include:

• Federal Government: Minister of Labour (currently Seamus O’Regan, as of 2025) — responsible for labor standards and enforcement.
• Provincial Government: BC Minister of Labour (currently Hon. Katrine Conroy, as of 2025) — handles workplace laws in BC.
• Members of Parliament (MPs): Local MPs in Surrey, Vancouver, and other affected areas — can advocate for fair labor practices and legislative changes.
• Labour Boards & Human Rights Commissions: They can investigate complaints, enforce penalties, and create systemic change.

Canada prides itself on being fair and equal, but stories like this reveal the cracks. Maybe it’s time we start talking about them — loudly. 🔊💪