Canada May Aid Boat People Who Turn In Traffickers
Canada may offer landed immigrant status to boat people who agree to testify against the "human trafficking" rings that brought them illegally to the country's shores, according to Canada's immigration minister. The proposal is among a series of changes being considered for the country's immigration laws, which came under fire this summer when a series of smuggling boats packed with migrants from China arrived on Canada's Pacific Coast. Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan floated the proposal in an address to immigration lawyers, and said it might help boat people overcome their fear of turning in traffickers, whom she likened to slave traders. "I want to consider strengthening our case against organized criminals by empowering their victims," Caplan said.
Labor Dispute Closes Canadian Ports
A dispute over the use of nonunion labor and wages that has shut down nearly all shipments through Canada's West Coast ports entered its fourth day last Wednesday, with no sign of a resolution in sight. Most shippers have switched to ports in the U.S. since the lockout of longshore workers began on Sunday. But there was concern over added costs and possible congestion problems at alternative facilities. No negotiations are planned between the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union of Canada, and both sides have rejected calls for the federal government to intervene. "There is no need for Ottawa to become involved," union President Tom Defresne said.
Lockout Ends At Canadian Ports
Maritime employers agreed last week to end a lockout at Canada's West Coast ports that stalled millions of dollars in cargo shipments for eight days in a dispute over wages and the use of nonunion workers. The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA)accepted a government mediator's recommended settlement soon after the leadership caucus of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union also endorsed the proposal. The federal government had threatened to force a settlement on the two sides through back-to-work legislation if they did not end the dispute themselves last Monday. Although the union's general membership did not vote until Tuesday…
