Steve_

A bloody gigantic one! So you prefer your tax money going to provide a relocation package for someone from another continent, do you? I don't. You prefer city employees getting flown around the world to find workers who could be found much closer? I don't.

Gozit

So people from the US won't be getting a relocation package? They need to apply for visas, sell house and find accommodation in Canada, etc, just like British citizens! They don't have a special status here and nor should they.

Dashie

But being that much closer makes them an awful lot cheaper to visit and relocate.

Shard

Why couldn't they go to Halifax and hire them? Even within Alberta there must be unemployed people willing to retrain. That's crazy. You should continue to push it with your alderman, and the mayor, something dodgy going on there.

Dashie

Yep. Agreed. But who would pass up a jolly at someone else's expense? Apparently one of our former mayors had to spend a couple of months fishing in China to further international relations.

Shard

I don't have a big problem with public officials taking an international jolly. I agree that it's probably a waste of taxpayers money, but it keeps them from being too parochial and in theory could lead to something. However, I do think it's irresponsible to seek drivers out of the country when there are plenty of Canadians that would do the work.

Steve_

I did, but eventually they ended up having to fire them and the administration has changed now.

Typical Alberta politics, next to impossible to hold anyone accountable.

Steve_

Anyway:

Gozit

I agree with this. What I don't agree with is preferential treatment of Americans over non-Cdn/US citizens.

Shard

What about NAFTA?

scrubbedexpat091

I'd have done a train driver job for a commuter light rail train. I never recall seeing anything over in BC looking to fill those. I'd certainly have done it, and I am sure other Canadians would as well.

Steve_

There already is and has been preferential treatment of Americans for ages and given they're responsible for 85% of our international trade, there's good reason for it. Just the fact they're physically closer makes it logistically simpler to get people there. (And there is preferential treatment of Canadians in America too for the same reason).

Steve_

Well I was assured on many occasions they couldn't find Canadians to do it, in fact they couldn't find enough Canadians to drive the buses let alone the trains. They "solved" the bus problem with more shifts but apparently that wasn't possible for the C-train. It was a short-term thing back in 2008 as I recall, they did make the point it was a temporary job and they might not be able to stay permanently, but to me that made it all the more sensible to try and find Americans to do it.

As it turned out they weren't able to stay because of the TFW rules, although they did hire a number of heavy-duty mechanics who were able to stay as they qualified for CEC.

Former Lancastrian

So if no one is illegal how come we need passports and sometimes visas to visit other countries? Surely we should just be able to choose which country we want to live in and get a job shouldn't we?
I can just imagine in a few years when I retire I will just hop on a plane say to a country like Bermuda, the Bahamas, or other such temperate climate where they don't have snow and just tell them Im a Canadian/UK citizen and Im now going to be living in your country. I might need a part time job for beer money etc and I will probably rent a property. Im sure they will welcome me with open arms.
I must admit I have no desire to live in Somalia, the Sudan, Yemen etc etc.
It has nothing to do with them being shit hole countries and probably have lousy cheese selections and no Robinsons squash or Bisto gravy granules.

Shard

I think we are moving toward that ideal of a world without borders. Maybe in another century it will happen. Already there are plenty of opportunities for people to study work and retire elsewhere.