Moncton Forum

Immigrants key to N.B. labour shortage: CEO

Times & Transcript

A major Moncton food manufacturer suggests doing an end run around the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to attract immigrants eager to work in New Brunswick's labour-starved manufacturing plants.

Mike Timani, founder of Fancy Pokket and an immigrant himself, says some plants have to cut production due to a lack of workers, while a large pool of immigrant workers would love the chance to live and work here. He believes imposing conditions on immigrants such as compelling them to stay in the community where they are needed for a certain number of years, would be no barrier to immigration.

GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

Mike Timani, president and CEO of Fancy Pokket in Moncton, yesterday addresses members of the New Brunswick Food and Beverage Processors Association at the Future Inns on Mapleton Road.

In fact, Timani says, thousands would jump at the chance.

"We're not killing those people," Timani says. "They'll stay here 10 years. Because they want to work."

The charter of rights, however, doesn't allow the imposition of such conditions. Timani thinks that should change - for the benefit of immigrants and N.B. alike.

Timani made his remarks during an address to the New Brunswick Food & Beverage Processors Association that will draw more than 100 delegates for meetings in Moncton that end Friday.

Timani said high transportation costs have always made corporations like his - a major maker and exporter of pita bread, bagels, tortilla wraps and pizza crusts for the retail and food-service markets - less competitive than companies to the west and south of us.

Now a severe labour shortage is adding to their woes.

"Our plants are being forced to shut down some production lines because they do not have enough labour," Timani said. "In my opinion, we need to find more than one solution."

Efforts geared to attracting white collar immigrants work to a degree to attract new people here, he said, but those aren't the kinds of workers likely to end up on his production floor. More emphasis on attracting less-skilled foreign workers is one solution of many, he said.

"It has become a problem. It's a big problem. It needs to be addressed, and full force."

Timani found it odd that there is a good level of government support for some service industries when it is the manufacturing industry that is the far greater economic engines. He compared call centres that receive government money to set up in leased premises with leased equipment and then disappear after their contracts expire to manufacturing plants trying to create thriving businesses that will grow locally for many generations.

Places like Alberta, where the labour shortage is even more severe, offers extra credits for students who also work part time, which is another innovative approach, he said.

The conference, dubbed New Directions for the Food Industry, includes the group's annual general meeting and will tackle issues of importance to the industry, from transportation to new markets to exporting and more.

===My advice to Mike Timani is to offer decent wages, and then there will be no shortage of workers..

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