Brian Storseth, MP for Westlock – St. Paul, will be hosting Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Multiculturalism, on a tour of the Lakeland next week, giving the minister a chance to interact with local residents and learn about the effects of a labour shortage in the area.
After a review of the pre-budget consultation, Storseth said one of the most prevalent concerns had to do with immigration and temporary foreign worker programs. Labour shortages have become a problem in the area and improvements to those programs could provide a solution to that problem.
“We have significant labour shortages in this area and I think its good for Jason to be on the ground talking to (the) people that it's affecting and hearing how it's affecting them,” said Storseth. “Hopefully (he can) bring that message as part of a communications package back to the government and be able to find some solution for it.”
Kenney and Storseth will start their day on July 17 at the St. Paul Senior Citizen's Centre between 12-1 p.m. for coffee and light refreshments. From there they will tour a farm in the Mallaig area before reaching Imperial Oil Cold Lake for a visit to the oilsands facility.
“I wanted Jason to be able to talk with (local business owners) the same way I talk to them on a daily basis,” explained Storseth when asked about the chosen locations for the tour. “It's good for Jason to hear about the issues that are going on from the people they're affecting.”
Following the visits to Imperial Oil and the family farm, Kenney will be joining Storseth for a barbeque hosted by the Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce at the Shaw House in Bonnyville at 6:30 p.m.
Following a speech from the minister, participants will get a chance to ask any questions they might have regarding the future of the immigration and temporary foreign worker programs as well as the labour shortage issue.
