Last Updated On 3 September 2025, 7:47 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
In a bold move to address Canada’s growing economic challenges, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has demands the complete elimination of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Piolievre accused the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney of sidelining Canadian workers in favor of corporate interests.
Speaking at a press conference in Mississauga, Ontario, Poilievre painted a grim picture of the nation’s job market, particularly for young Canadians, and outlined a “Canada First” plan to restore economic opportunity.
Poilievre highlighted the dire state of youth unemployment, noting that the rate for Canadians aged 15-24 hit 14.6% in July 2025, the highest since 2010 outside the COVID-19 pandemic.
He cited statistics showing 1.6 million Canadians are unemployed, with nearly 400,000 facing long-term unemployment for over two years—the highest share since 1998.
“Young people today are generation screwed,” Poilievre declared, attributing the crisis to a decade of Liberal policies that have doubled housing costs, unleashed crime, and driven investment out of Canada.
He pointed to Ontario’s job losses, which exceed those seen during the Great Recession, as evidence of economic mismanagement.
Central to Poilievre’s critique is the TFW program, which he claims is flooding the labor market with low-wage workers who compete with young and working-class Canadians.
In the first half of 2025, the Liberals issued 105,000 TFW permits, surpassing their own cap of 82,000.
Poilievre noted that nearly 75% of these workers fill low-wage positions, driving down wages and displacing Canadians.
He singled out corporations like Tim Hortons, which increased TFW hiring by 1,131% over four years, and cited examples of companies offering high wages, such as $36 per hour at Booster Juice, exclusively to foreign workers.
“The Liberals are shutting our own youth out of jobs and replacing them with low-wage temporary foreign workers,” he said, stressing that the workers themselves are not to blame but are being exploited by “liberal corporate elites.”
Poilievre’s announcement September 3, 2025 👇
Poilievre’s solution is to scrap the TFW program entirely, allowing existing permits to expire while redirecting jobs to Canadians.
He proposed a standalone program for agriculture to address genuine labor shortages but emphasized that “Canadian jobs must go to Canadian workers first.”
His broader economic vision includes lowering taxes, repealing restrictive legislation like Bill C-69, and boosting resource production to reduce reliance on foreign markets.
Poilievre also criticized Carney for failing to deliver on promises to double home construction and launch major national projects, noting a projected 13% drop in housing starts and no progress on pipelines, mines, or port expansions.
The Conservative leader further accused Carney of mishandling trade relations, particularly with the U.S. and China, whose tariffs are hurting Canadian farmers and workers.
He criticized Carney’s unfulfilled promise to secure a trade deal with the U.S. by July 2025 and accused him of weakness on the global stage.
“Mark Carney is failing abroad, and Canadians are paying the price at home,” Poilievre said, pointing to $62 billion in net investment leaving Canada since Carney took office.
He also slammed Liberal policies like the industrial carbon tax, which he claims burdens exporters and contributes to economic decline.
Poilievre’s announcement has ignited a heated debate. Critics argue that the TFW program is vital for industries like agriculture and food service, where labor shortages persist.
The Liberal government, through Immigration Minister Lena Diab, countered that TFW arrivals dropped to 119,000 in 2025 from 245,000 in 2024, with only 33,722 of the 105,000 permits issued for new arrivals.
They defend the program as a necessary tool to support businesses while maintaining that they are addressing abuses.
Supporters of Poilievre’s plan, however, see it as a necessary step to prioritize Canadian workers amid rising unemployment and a housing crisis that has left homeownership out of reach for many.
Poilievre also addressed concerns about immigration broadly, clarifying that his critique targets the TFW program, not immigrants who come to Canada to build lives, pay taxes, and integrate.
“The Canadian promise is about opportunity for all who contribute,” he said, contrasting this with a system he claims benefits corporate elites at the expense of ordinary Canadians.
As Canada faces economic headwinds, including trade tensions and a shrinking economy, Poilievre’s “Canada First” message is gaining traction among voters frustrated with the status quo.
With the federal election on the horizon, his call for stronger take-home pay, safer streets, secure borders, and a self-reliant Canada aims to rally support.
He urged the Liberals to adopt his ideas, declaring them “open source” for the benefit of all Canadians.
“We want every Canadian to have a chance at a great job, a beautiful life, and a home on a safe street,” Poilievre concluded.
What do you think of Poilievre’s plan to end the Temporary Foreign Worker program?
Should Canada prioritize local workers, or is the program essential for the economy?
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