x Ase S
= Will Canfor export lumber or
our jobs to China? norman carcia

China is a target for baled
future investment strategy
As one of the ‘ie nae
softwood “framework
agreements” biggest sup-
porters, Canadian Forest
Products can’t wait to get its
hands on refunded tariff
monies. Just what it would do
with the bread is anybody’s

guess. But investing that
and other re in Canada
could is au last thing on
Canfor’

Be ie access to vast

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7

ining strategies to ship BC
wood to China. President
Rick Jeffrey notes that pro-
ducers in China “have access

es and it's a very moti-
vated workforce."

BC CARPENTERS

EMPLOYERS SEEK TO FLOOD LABOUR MARKETS

It’s a lack of trades training

SOME CANADIENS INDUSTRIES are

f tradespersons. And with an
aging skilled apace tines; the ei ae will be
worsenin t's happen-
ing all over cae In BC a an indus-
we study gauns the construction industry

Lh it’s half way through 2006 alr eady.
In conventional Steelworkers indtuetiaies,
like minin: g

vas skilled trades are being wooed

ship Hage oe
Canadian:
top of that in Batish

mi
(the Ind raining
and nae cid
Steve Hunt cae ion) in
and replaced it with a setup calle a ke
cae Training Authority, located in

by#
slorewes and signing bonus:

Unfortunately, rather than = an even-
keeled approach to trades shortages,
employer aed want to open the
floodgates to immigration as the primary
solution — ike some sort of guest worker
program.

“Immigrant workers are welcome in
Canada,” says District 3 Director Steve
Hunt. “At one time or another most our

“The TTAC, set up under the NDP govern-
ment, had regional offices, and worked with
labour and industry to offer full-fledged
apprenticeship programs. It actively assisted
etting workers into the trades for four. “year

Ba

grams.

Today, employers aie allowed to inetin o uy

employees to a standard that the employer

wants. Full trades certifications can be

denied as a result. Tuition costs have often
4 4 ee Se ea

1,
workers,

Ww ise
their families, and make a peter life. ‘The
same must be allowed to happen

But Huntalso said that industry has beer
slack on creating training and apprentice-

“Many of our workplaces require more
and more skilled trades as technolo
changes and that means proper aoe
programs must be set up,” adds Hi

THE ALLIED WORKER JUNE 2006 | a5