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Letter to the editor

Harper negotiates to bring in more Mexican workers

By JIM FOX, Times Correspondent
Published August 19, 2007

Taking a stance again directly opposite that of its U.S. neighbor, Canada wants to admit even more Mexican workers.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will hold talks Wednesday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon about expanding an already successful program that brings in thousands of Mexican agricultural workers every year.

The two leaders plan to establish a working group to arrange the details. Harper, Calderon and President Bush will meet at a North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, on Monday and Tuesday. Calderon will stay an extra day to meet with Harper.

Canada admits 12,000 Mexican workers through its Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program and is looking at how to increase that number to fill low- and semi-skilled jobs.

Also of interest is more labor mobility for workers needed in the energy industry, especially in Alberta.

In contrast, the U.S. Senate in June rejected a bill that would have allowed more Mexican workers to legally enter the country and to grant citizenship to some of the millions already there illegally.

Traditional media drop

Canadians are spending less time listening to the radio and watching television as the Internet makes further inroads.

A study by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission found that new media is becoming even more integral.

The study found 70 percent of Canadian households had Internet access, 60 percent of them with high-speed connections.

Average TV viewing time each week was 27.6 hours, down from 28.1 hours, while radio was 18.6 hours weekly compared with 19.1 hours a year earlier.

The number of radio stations grew to 1,252 from 1,223 while there are 662 TV services available.

Increasing numbers of Canadians said they listen to the radio and watch TV online and used a cellphone, MP3 player, BlackBerry or other electronic device to access the Internet.

In brief

- Prime Minister Harper has put a new look on his Cabinet team, making Peter MacKay the minister of Defense, replacing Gordon O'Connor. Maxime Bernier moves from industry to foreign affairs and Jim Prentice becomes industry minister leaving Indian affairs. Harper acknowledged Afghanistan was an important factor in the shuffle as the mission "remains Canada's most important military and foreign affairs commitment in the world."

- Canada's first armed border guards are being deployed across the country to enhance safety and security. There are plans for 100 officers with weapons initially along with the hiring of 400 additional border agency workers to eliminate "work-alone situations." About 4,800 officers are to be trained with firearms and how to respond to various levels of threats and risks.

- Four "aggressive panhandlers" from the United States are facing murder charges after the death of Ross Hammond, 32, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Police said Hammond was beaten and stabbed after being approached on the street in Toronto by people asking for money and he refused.

- A $17-million construction project to shorten wait times and improve working conditions is planned at the QE II Health Sciences Center in Halifax. Premier Rodney MacDonald said the province's busiest hospital will rebuild and expand its emergency department. The hospital handles 60,000 patients a year.

Facts and figures

Canada's stock markets have been hammered by deep losses sparked by global credit fears.

The Toronto Stock Exchange erased a 14 percent gain this year but regained slightly to 13,006 points on Friday. The TSX Venture Exchange was 2,525 points, down about 10 percent.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said this doesn't signal a weakening of the economy that remains the "strongest in a generation."

The dollar slumped on concerns there won't be another central bank interest rate hike next month but rose as the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to cut its discount rate.

The dollar was 94.28 cents U.S. on Friday while the U.S. dollar returned $1.0607 Canadian.

The Bank of Canada's key interest rate remains at 4.5 percent while the prime lending rate is 6.25 percent.

Lotto 6-49: Wednesday 3, 16, 22, 27, 28 and 32; bonus 5. (Aug. 11) 1, 17, 23, 34, 37 and 49; bonus 13.

Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com.

[Last modified August 19, 2007, 02:09:28]