OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program and stop issuing visas under the program, arguing it has caused an employment crisis among young Canadians.
"The Liberals have to answer why is it that they're shutting our own youth out of jobs and replacing them with low-wage, temporary foreign workers from poor countries who are ultimately being exploited," Poilievre told a news conference Wednesday morning in Mississauga, Ont.
"We want Canadian workers to have Canadian jobs. We want to bring back high wages."
Poilievre called out fast-food chains he claims are hiring foreigners over locals. He cited Tim Hortons' use of the TFW program and took aim at Booster Juice over a job posting he said calls specifically for temporary foreign workers. The Canadian Press has asked both companies for comment.
The Conservative leader said his party will be showcasing "the most egregious cases of corporate elites profiting by shutting Canadians out of jobs in favour of low-wage, temporary foreign workers."
He accused the government of creating conditions that frustrate the efforts of young people to start their working lives.
"The time has come for decisive action, to stop the Liberals from using our immigration system to pad the pockets of corporate elites and other insiders, at the expense of Canadian jobs," he said.
Poilievre also said Prime Minister Mark Carney has not lived up to his promise to launch major infrastructure projects, adding the government has been calling meetings instead of getting things built.
He also predicted that Carney will have a much higher deficit than his predecessor Justin Trudeau in the budget his government is expected to table next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2025.
Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
