I heard this guy on the CBC this morning.

They has him on after the interview with someone from the union. All he gave was government bafflegab. He came across as not having a clue about what was going on and certainly did not give a hint that the previous union spokesman could expect an investigation.

I can't wait to get rid of these morons.

These miners are supposed to

These miners are supposed to be brought in for 6 months, but have to pay $7,700 to the recruiters in 20 months. Good accounting.

Then the company that uses recruiters may be fined $10,000.

What is $10,000 for such a company ?

This whole deal, like just about all of the "foreign investment" rackets, otherwise known as the sale of the country, are all the same fraudulent schemes to set up a worldwide dictatorship by and between capitalists and communist bosses.

Ed Deak

Amazing

If this happened in any other country you would literally have pitchforks and torches in the street heading for The capital, somehow in Canada everyone is so intoxicated on big trucks, Timmies bad coffee and the lack of hockey they don't even seem to notice. They will notice when they watch a bus load of Chinese making more then they are.

Miners ???

I can see a shortage of miners, (? maybe) but how about the thousands of foriegn workers in Tim's and Subway and Denny's who's only job skill is serving coffee.
I live in an area that has over a 50% unemployment rate in just the first nations population.
You know we just paid Billions for sending first nations kids to residentual schools to teach them english and white man ways,
yet we import people that can only speak 6 words of english,
yet we pay more Billions in welfare payments,
all the while our foriegn coffee servers are sending canadian dollars out of canada.
Ever seen a homeless foriegn worker?
To me hiring non canadians is paramont to Treason!
My mother was raised in England during WWII she said the unemployment rate was 0% every person was trained to work.
Lets have a War on poverty and train everyone, even a disabled person like me, I'll send the Chinese the bills for our resourses, dug up by canadians, ship on canadian boats and unloaded by Canadians in China. We can start shiping finished lumber again while we are at it.
Cristy Clark and Harper should be fired for high treason !!!

The underbelly is very ugly.

The underbelly is very ugly. There are AB petro companies recruiting ex US military for pipeline jobs.

http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2012-Articles/CANADA-WANTS-U-S-VETERANS-FOR-PIPELINE-WORK/

So why wouldn't some of these mining jobs go to these same sorts of guys over in China as a sort of internal security force within the camps and offices?

Neither of these scenarios will be possible if we stand up against it and demand that Canada's future be shaped by the citizens of the country, not the lunatic fringe in government with a 25% share of the vote!

We must stop it now - or we will be getting a red hot poker in the eye and ass simultaneously, repeatedly.

So we are still mining coal.

So we are still mining coal.

At the same time the BC Govt takes $millions of taxpayer money out of the Public Sector to purchase carbon offsets.

This is so it can proclaim itself "carbon-neutral".

Normal practice

Anyone with experience in the recruitment of "foreign Workers" to BC or Canada from any one of a number of countries knows that this is normal practice, in spite of Canadian law and agreements in place with such countries which prohitbit such practices. Rules are not enforced from what I have seen and the level of wilfull ignorance on the part of government officials in Canada and BC is truly astounding.
The story is simple, bring in foreign miners to work in this mines, pay them somewhat better than they would be paid at home, have them work under foreign conditions (Worksafe does not have jurisdiction in mines). Send them home when they are done. Do they have rights, can they complain, of course not. They have to return to their home country at the end of four years. In the case of Chinese workers, under these conditions, they better not complain or the ramifications on their return will not be positive

This whole thing is a tavesty, a total affront to Canadian values!!!!

BC Gov't Investigates??

Like the Libs didn't know what's happening...?

Head tax

They even privatized the head tax to their buddies. No official apology will be coming forward for this one 100 years from now!

"According to the ministry, a

"According to the ministry, a company can be fined up to $10,000 if found guilty of breaching the act"

So, if 200 workers are brought over, and each worker has to pay 12,000 dollars for the privilege of being hired, the fine is covered by one employee. Where is the deterrent in that? As usual, with a lot of criminal activity, penalties and fines are merely the cost of doing business and is part of overhead. The profit margin from the other 199 abused workers guarantees that the practice will not stop any time soon. Any claim to the contrary is merely political rhetoric.

Bob Watts

I share your frustration, but 0% unemployement only happens during world wars,
Our industrialization has eliminated millions of jobs, and those robots fill our every need.
The only solution is some form of guaranteed income to all!
Seeing where industry has scuttled so many high paying jobs and reaped the financial benefit, it is only fair they pay for the chaos they have created!

I agree that not many canadians would like to work as miners, but the basic question is: why do we mine the stuff?

Is it so that China can pollute some more, or is strictly because someone makes a fortune catering to China's demands?

How long??

How long would it take to get BC or Canadian workers trained to do those JOBS?? I often wonder why we are subjected to the sheety ideas our (so called)leaders pull on us.
OH BC Families First right!!

Stop it Now ?

Firstly , thanks to the Tyee for keeping this on the front line. Someone told me the other day that this is a done deal. How can this be allowed to happen ? This deal goes against everything we stand for as Canadians. Do we have to take to the streets ?
The whole thing from the Deal to the importation of scab labour is the beginning of The End. Cut it loose.

Even if we had a shortage of miners...

...who benefits from being in a rush to access our resources? I know, a bunch of corporate interests and the Harper government. The government gets to tell us how great they are at running the country by selling off the "family jewels" and corporations make a great profit for themselves and foreign investors. It makes no sense.

Why don't we just leave the stuff alone until we have enough of our own workers trained? It is better than money in the bank. It isn't going anywhere and will be worth more when some time passes and the shortages begin.

These politicians who think they are so brilliant, like Harper and Flaherty and Clements are as dumb as posts and they just think all the rest of us are.

Imported Chinese Miners

Lie, cheat and steal. This is what can be expected from China.

In Africa, the Chinese laborers are imported from Chinese prisons.

In Canada ???

Who knows what our naive leaders are accepting in the search for cheap labor from other parts of the world.

This whole thing is about a mine that does not want to pay what Canadian miners get paid.

Simple as that.

HUH?

Oh wow, so nice of this man making multi-millions from this country to provide 100 jobs for Canadians and 2,000 for his own people.

Pull his permits, he has clear contempt for this nation and wishes only to exploit it without giving anything back.

Come on guys, ask any

Come on guys, ask any economist and conservative, and they can tell you that this is all part of "wealth creating foreign investment" and "prosperity by globalization".

Ed Deak.

Party Time

What Crusty and Harper are doing is having a First Nations "Potlatch" using the wealth of Canada as gifts.
A potlatch is a gift-giving festival and primary economic system practiced by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and United States.
Yes non of us want $34 per hour, we all want welfare at $610 per month.
I think our leaders fear a well educated population, what would happen if we all figured out that we are being butt #&*@, it's the conservative way!
Hey Sinclair how about a general strike to protest this treason by our leaders.

foreign takeover

Years ago I remember watching an interview with a Chinese official, this is before China became a powerhouse. The official said that they can send workers to Canada to work. I dont think the offer was taken seriously at that time. They did bring the work to them through the multinationals now they are coming here to take the rest.

Years ago I recall a Soviet politician saying about America, "We will own you" Well the Communist Soviets never got there but China is sure working on it.

Could this happen in the USA?

Seems unlikely.... if you have ever crossed the border and inadvertenly left your toolbox or perhaps a hammer and bag of nails in the back of the truck, you know what I mean.

Assistant Deputy Ministers

"My boss certainly does not support those types of practices," said (HD Mining) spokesperson Jody Shimkus.

Is this the same Jody Shimkus who was Assistant Deputy Minister To Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources?

The same Jody Shimkus who was Assistant Deputy Minister, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources?

John Cavanagh, chief executive of Canadian Dehua International Mines Group was also Assistant Deputy Minister, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources?

This is rotten to the core.

You can find Shimkus and Cavanagh listed here: http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/11/18/HeadsRoll/print.html

EU will be here also guys! Who will stand for Canada?

The secret deal is in the works and CC has already sign on. we are going to get it from all fronts.Oh!Canada we will stand on guard for thee?only if we are born here? Only those with passports of convenience,come on! tell me who?do not start the racist card,crap! I am Canadian with no other flag in my house other than Canada and I am with native blood,the family(white) came here in 1625 but I am curious why no one fights this crap!unless we are long in family history in Canada?I will stand up for Canada as my Father ww2 and Grandfather ww1 for Canada.Some people here can't with out having fear for their loved ones back in their home country. So it will have to be born Canadians that fight the good fight for Canada. Cons master plan eh!

Ken....We came to Canada in

Ken....We came to Canada in April 1955, crossed the country by motorbike,because we wanted to see its incredible beauty and meet the people,
http://www.britcycle.com/Bikes/AccrossCanada/Douglas.htm,

We have no other flag in the house other than Canadian, never again visited Europe, our children never learned any other language and we only speak English in our home.

I think I have as long, or much longer, record in fighting for Canadian rights and independence, as anybody, incl. some 7 years on this list, have 301 columns in the Gold River Record, to prove it.

Ed Deak.

Until the neoliberals are turfed, let's just call our province

BANANA COLUMBIA

Thanks Ed, for sharing that photo essay

That trip you made was the same year I was born. It's wonderful seeing the country as it was then.

I grew up with 'Ed Deak values' and they have stayed with me all of my life.

You make Canada proud

Fiat lux,Sir I have no doubt that you are true for Canada. It is because of your writing and passion for all of us in BC and Canada.I started to say how I feel also. I love my country with all of it's people that have taken to Canada like your family.The people who came to Canada and have made us all proud to be Canadians. Thank you Mr.Ed Deak Ken

We make assumptions about

We make assumptions about ourselves and those around us all the time. Much of the time these projections are based in theory, prejudice, ignorance and perceived "morality." I do not doubt that many people are well meaning and "patriotic" - ready to stand up for the basic values that we hold dear in Canada.

I don't think any of us should discount any one group or individual whose families have arrived in this country, whether it was in the 17th century or last millennium.

I am first generation CDN, but I'm certain that my father, who grew up under Tito in Yugoslavia, is equally committed to fair society and the ideal of democracy. Many immigrants have lived under oppression that we, the children of good fortune know very little about. Perhaps we will find that leadership and commitment will be exemplified by those that know the taste of hardship and don't wish to chew on it again.

Do not discount anyone - all have the capacity to do good things. And all of of us have the capacity to behave badly when the pressure mounts also. Let's see where we are in 1 year based an what we do this October... the clock is ticking and the door is still open.

David
Victoria VI

I find

it very hard to believe the imported Chinese workers will get $25.00 per hour. How much of that will be clawed back for "room and board", for clothing, tools, the cost of their travel ,etc. Compared to what they make back in China, $25.00 Cdn per hour would seem like a fortune. But I'd bet twenty-five cents the poor guys won't see anywhere near that kind of pay.

This "guest worker" idea is the best reason we have to just leave the filthy stuff in the ground.

I tried, with no success at all, to make my way through the labyrinth and have a large piece of municipally-owned second and old growth forest registered for carbon sequestration. Guess what? That's another pie-in-the-sky lie, I suppose it could be more complicated, although I'm not sure how. I was informed we'd have to go through a "broker" and by the time we'd navigated the confusion it would have cost this Village more than we could afford. Just another way for the friends of the trough snufflers to profit.

Do you really believe the NDP will significantly change the shell game?

and another thing...

If Canada's economy were booming I could see letting workers come here to fill certain positions while attaining at least resident status. Then they could enjoy the same protections as Canadian citizens. But they don't, even tho they pay for it. And Canada's economy is not booming. Sorry Chairman H and Crusty. Your spending millions on ads isn't convincing those who actually know what's going on. The only sector exploding right now is the world's largest carbon bomb. And in a common sense world this would be imploding.
But wait. China's economy is the fastest growing and now second largest in the world. So why are they allowing workers to leave and go all over the world to work elsewhere? Don't they have a worker shortage? Why are they not recruiting workers from other countries? Perhaps one of our illustrious politicos or business tycoons could explain this tidbit to us. Nope, ain't gonna happen.

Dear Anne Cameron

You're very right. Our labour laws, (the real ones, not the exceptions printed by these conspirators) Forbid any deductions from paychecks, except the standard ones. EI, CPP, Union dues, benefits and withholding taxes.

Any others require a court order for garnishment of wages.

To pay for labour to a third party is very rare, the subcontractor to a general contractor contract is an exception, but the subcontractor is bound to the same rules, and subject to the same labour standards. Further, the general contractor is held responsible for his subcontractors to be in compliance with all standards.

These guest workers are not. Their wages are paid to people whose relationship to them is more like an owner than an employer. They can be paid or not paid, and Canadian labour law has nothing to say about it. They can be removed from our jurisdiction by force by their employers, and then only Chinese authority can help them. Essentially, these 'recruiters' have been granted the right to destroy evidence and disappear witnesses to any wrongdoing they care to commit.

These provisions cannot be accidental, they are clear evidence of the intentions of the contracting parties. These people are building a place in our legal structure specifically designed to permit slavery and abuse of workers, paid for by our own tax dollars and negotiated in our names by our own public employees.

If this investigation is even remotely sincere, conspirators will shortly be arrested. If nobody is, and the workers are left so completely outside the protections of law as they are, then I say that fact alone is evidence of criminality by whomever shook hands on this deal. Every Canadian law and regulation violated by this deal is a crime, and the fact that the people who break these laws have the authority and duty to enforce them makes it conspiracy and malfeasance and dereliction of duty for all who are sworn to uphold the laws and constitution of Canada.

And those are also crimes.

"patriotic"

Yes! I did not say this for people to think that they are any less Canadian than I! I am asking where are the people who will stand up for Canada against government that puts money before it's people.Yes I hear from you and Ed and some of the others here.We need a loud scream out to those that have not join us before it's to late and this will take all of us.The workers coming here,I have no fight with,they need to feed their Families also but with the men and women never being asked if they would like training to fill these jobs is criminal.How many foreign workers for the ships building contract?

Carbon Tax Grab.

Ed, nice bike a little more powerfull than my Little Red Honda Ruckus.
I think our flag should be flying upside down at this time, the international sign of distress.
I like the way the USA constitution is written about protecting the people from both Foreign and Domestic Threats. The USA knows that even their own government could turn on its own people and Harper and Christy are giving away the Treasure in the ground and off the land, that belongs to all of us.
That is treason.
Why the Hell are we paying carbon tax while shipping billion of tons of coal that is burned 2,000 kms west of here and blows back over our province.
Carbon tax is for what?
How about put that carbon tax on the coal that is shipped out,