Latest news with #SocialSharingP.E.I.
CBC
15-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Temporary foreign workers will still be at risk after new P.E.I. safeguards take effect, advocate says
Social Sharing P.E.I.'s Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act, which was passed nearly three years ago, will finally take effect next month, but advocates say the legislation doesn't go far enough to address the systemic injustices faced by this vulnerable population. Starting April 1, the first phase of the act will introduce new regulations for people who recruit foreign workers, requiring them to be licensed. The act will also prohibit recruiters from charging foreign workers fees for recruitment services and ban practices such as providing false or misleading information or withholding workers' official documents, including passports. The province's website says the second phase of the act will introduce an employer registry and administrative penalties, though the site does not mention a timeline for when this phase will be implemented. Joe Byrne, who runs the Migrant Workers Resource Centre at the Charlottetown-based Cooper Institute, said the act does not address one of the biggest vulnerabilities temporary foreign workers face — the closed work-permit system, which ties them to a single employer. He said this system creates an environment where workers are more susceptible to abuse and mistreatment. "We've heard about harassment and actually sexual assault. Why people are scared to report it is because if they report it, they can lose their job. Once they lose their job, they lose their pathway to permanent residency and everything. Their dreams are shot," he told CBC's Island Morning. "That is still the same kind of indentureship that we need to address. I don't think the act is designed to even begin to address that, because it's a systemic thing." Temporary foreign workers face major barriers in P.E.I. 1 month ago Duration 1:56 A panel discussion in Charlottetown focused on the challenges temporary foreign workers deal with on the Island, especially the issue of sexual violence in the workplace. Many workers don't report incidents out of fear that they may lose their status. CBC's Connor Lamont has more. Addressing systemic issues The federal government issues closed work permits to people who come to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. However, a report last year from the United Nations' special rapporteur said the program is a "breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery" due to the widespread mistreatment, exploitation and abuse of workers. Byrne said that while the new provincial act may provide some protections, it does not address the core issue and requires action from the federal government. For years, he and other advocates for temporary foreign workers across Canada have been calling on Ottawa to give all temporary foreign workers open work permits, allowing them to leave abusive situations without risking their ability to remain in the country. "We have to start addressing these injustices, and that means open work permits," he said. Reliance on temporary foreign workers Temporary foreign workers make up an estimated 40 per cent of P.E.I.'s agricultural workforce. When you add in employees in seafood processing, the trucking industry and other jobs, the number of temporary foreign workers arriving on the Island every year has grown from about 400 in 2015 to nearly 1,500 in 2024. "If they're not here, that means the fish plants don't work and the grocery stores don't stay open," O'Leary Mayor Eric Gavin told CBC News recently. "That is a very big concern." Given the province's significant reliance on these workers, Byrne said protections should have been in place much sooner, rather than not coming into force until nearly three years after the act was passed in the provincial legislature. "Why does it have to take so long if something's going to be a priority? And we see when government puts a priority on things, they can actually get things done efficiently and quickly. This cannot be considered quick." Byrne said he looks forward to seeing how well the act can protect temporary foreign workers after April 1. One of his biggest concerns is how the act will be enforced.
CBC
04-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Opposition wants update on how province plans to help Islanders who are homeless
Social Sharing P.E.I.'s Official Opposition is demanding details about how the provincial government plans to improve services for Islanders who don't have a secure and affordable place to live. About eight months ago, the government published a report called Enhancing the System of Care, produced by Carlene Donnelly. She had been brought on as a special adviser to former premier Dennis King to help develop a "client-centred" model of care for those facing homelessness. "The report had a lot of timelines in it that had six months to implement them and we don't know, we have no idea where the province is. There has been very little communication with the public," Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly said in an interview. "I know some things have been put in place, which would be positive, but the lack of communication… [on] where the province is going, is anybody's guess at this point." Some of the recommendations in the report included: Improving access to appropriate primary care, mental health care and addictions help. Adopting a prevention philosophy. Building a model of care for people with complex needs. Improving the co-ordination of services. Developing more options for housing. Among other things, the report highlighted a need for a better plan to help people during extreme weather events: "A contingency plan should be developed for these situations with the caveat that warming centres are not a solution to address homelessness." The report suggests establishing a "Complex Care Centre" to offer both physical and mental health support to people without housing, asking the government to establish a "possible permanent location" for such a complex this year. McNeilly questioned whether a report was even needed to understand the issues facing Islanders who are experiencing homelessness or struggling with mental health or addictions issues. "A standing committee went on the road, did four different sessions across the province, gave recommendations to this government and they were ignored," he said. "The report says nothing new at all." An emergency overnight shelter and Community Outreach Centre are operating on a provincial site on Charlottetown's Park Street, but McNeilly argues that isn't the right location. "They've built what appears to be a compound, you know, voluntary or not. It's in one location, it's blocked off, it's saying: 'You aren't worthy enough of our society; here's where you are going to be.' "That's no way to live," the MLA said, adding that services should be available 24 hours a day, for one thing. The province has applied to the City of Charlottetown to keep the shelter and outreach services in the Park Street area, though provincial officials have consistently said the location is temporary. If the application is approved, the services would be allowed to remain in the area indefinitely, without the province having to reapply. At a January public meeting, many who live in the area said they believe the presence of the Community Outreach Centre and shelter are contributing to loitering, property damage, theft and open drug use, among other issues. In February, Charlottetown's planning board accepted a recommendation by city staff that outreach and shelter services shouldn't continue at the Park Street location. That led Minister of Housing, Land and Communities Steven Myers to write to Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown. "We have asked the city to work with us — to offer suggested locations, to adequately address the needs of those experiencing insecure housing conditions through your official plan and zoning and development bylaw — and have been met with silence," Myers wrote. You need to get this out of one central location into various parts so people are supported when they need the services the most. — MLA Gordon McNeilly Council is expected to make its final decision on the provincial application later this month. However, Myers said in the legislature last year that the outreach centre isn't moving regardless of city council's decision. McNeilly said that wasn't appropriate or respectful. "The standing committee recommendations are clear: You need to decentralize this. You need to get this out of one central location into various parts so people are supported when they need the services the most." CBC News has asked for an interview about how the province is responding to the report, and what if anything has been implemented. Officials with the Department of Housing, Land and Communities haven't made anyone available for an interview. When the report was released, some changes had already been made. For example, the intake process improved when the Community Outreach Centre moved from Euston Street to Park Street. "The COC has a new intake process, which will give them better data as to what the root issues are of each person. Using this data, we can address these issues with programs and services throughout the city," the report reads. Last year, an area was set up at the outreach centre specifically for a new 11-week life management program. As well, the centre has been providing access to a physician, with a primary-care clinic at the outreach centre since May 2024. There is also regular nursing care at the centre. Another recommendation around access to health care focuses on people not getting into detox programs quickly enough. How patients are discharged after they receive treatment could also be improved, according to the report. McNeilly sees struggles when it comes to getting into detox programs, he said. "We do not have the space or the capacity to help people — and especially when they are dealing with more severe things, they have to go off Island. There is no support there, is what people are telling me," the MLA said, adding he knows staff delivering detox programs are doing the best they can. As for housing, the report suggests the government dive deeper into developing a housing strategy and give more support helping Islanders with complex needs transition to stable homes. On a related note, the city has received an application for an affordable housing project between Miltonvale Community Park and the Provincial Correctional Centre just off Sleepy Hollow Road. That land is owned by the province but within the boundaries of Charlottetown. Right now, buildings that used to sit on the premises of Royalty Maples Motel and Cottages have been placed on the land, with a public meeting about the application scheduled for March 18. CBC News has been asking the province for an interview about that project for months, but no one has been made available.
CBC
31-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
P.E.I.'s top doctor wants more Islanders eligible for free RSV vaccine
Social Sharing P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer is working towards expanding eligibility for RSV vaccines as the province experiences high levels of respiratory illnesses this season. Dr. Heather Morrison said with three months still left in the respiratory season, the province is currently seeing significant levels of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19, which are putting a strain on the system. "That combination certainly has an impact on the community, and it has an impact on our healthcare services as well," she told CBC's Island Morning. "Looking at these numbers, knowing what is happening across the country as well as in certain jurisdictions, I think we are working certainly towards broader eligibility coverage for RSV vaccine programs, both for infants and older adults," she said. RSV season on the Island began slightly earlier than last year, Morrison said, with 262 lab-confirmed cases of RSV and 36 hospitalizations reported to date. That compares to just over 400 total cases last season. The most affected age groups are young children aged 0-4 and adults over 65, Morrison noted. High-risk infants on P.E.I. have been offered a passive immunizing agent, while those 60 and above in long-term and community care facilities have access to an RSV vaccine. While she would like to see RSV vaccine eligibility expanded to babies up to two years old and Islanders 75 years and older, Morrison said that will require an approval and funding process. Flu and COVID-19 As for influenza, Morrison said the peak is arriving later than in previous years, and cases have yet to reach their highest point. Flu seasons naturally vary from year to year, she said, as there can be different strains circulating, and their timing can shift. Morrison noted, however, that most of the individuals hospitalized for both COVID-19 and influenza have not been up to date with their vaccinations. "In this respiratory season, we've had 57 hospitalizations for COVID. Only six of those have been up to date with their COVID vaccine. And of the influenza hospitalizations to date, none of them have had their vaccine," Morrison said. "So I want to emphasize that to just demonstrate some of the importance of reducing your risk of hospitalization if you are vaccinated." "We'll be certainly evaluating the whole RSV season and RSV immunization at the end of the season. I do think we will see some lowering of the RSV numbers over the next number of weeks."
CBC
27-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
Island hospitals still under strain, but conditions improving, says Health P.E.I.
Social Sharing P.E.I. hospitals continue to experience "significant capacity issues," the provincial health agency says. Health P.E.I.'s said in a written statement that its emergency plan remains activated, but the situation is slowly improving. "There are fewer over-capacity beds and spaces in use than last week. The number of admitted patients held in Emergency Departments without an inpatient bed is also down," the statement reads. On Jan. 9, Health P.E.I. established an emergency response aimed at improving patient flow. At the time, it said all ERs across the province were over capacity. In Charlottetown, one Health P.E.I. official said occupancy was "the highest number that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has really ever had admitted." The agency also implemented a policy, which began Monday, requiring all patients and staff to wear a mask in facilities where care is provided. "Other jurisdictions have been seeing a surge in influenza activity in the last few weeks, and Health PEI is monitoring and preparing for the same to happen here," the agency said in its statement. "We ask Islanders to do their part to stay healthy through vaccination, handwashing, staying home when sick, and masking where it is encouraged." Health P.E.I. said it continues to work to improve patient flow and bed availability in its health-care facilities. Islanders who need to access health care outside of a hospital or clinic are advised to call 811 to speak to a registered nurse or see their local pharmacist for assessment and treatment for common ailments.
CBC
27-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
P.E.I. PCs 'trying to hide behind' FOIPP Act, as opposition parties flex their power to compel documents
Social Sharing P.E.I.'s opposition parties are using their combined majority on legislative standing committees to compel government records and information that otherwise might never see the light of day, flexing privileges they've had since committee rules changed in 2019. In response, the governing Progressive Conservatives are citing the province's freedom of information laws — which don't apply to committees or the legislature. And last week, PC MLA Brad Trivers was taken to task by the clerk of the legislature for exceeding his authority as chair of the standing committee on education and economic growth in an effort to prevent records related to the government's NHL sponsorship deal from becoming public. All this comes after the education committee issued a rare parliamentary subpoena last year, forcing Tourism Minister Zack Bell to provide an unredacted copy of the sponsorship contract. Copies obtained by the Liberals and Greens through freedom of information had the dollar amounts blacked out. Committees are now asking for more NHL records and for contracts between government and private long-term care providers. The PCs are trying to delay the requests, but with the threat of more subpoenas hanging over them. Trivers had the committee clerk alter a letter the economic growth committee had voted to send to Bell demanding more records of the NHL deal. Last Thursday, he told the committee he did that to have the documents come directly to him — rather than to the clerk, who is obligated to distribute them to all committee members — so he could decide whether the information should be made available to the public. "This is information that should not become public," Trivers said during the meeting. "I'm going to look at it before I let it become public. That's my role as chair and that's my right as chair." When the non-partisan committee clerk at the meeting, Samantha Lilley, told Trivers the change he was making unilaterally required a majority vote of the committee, Trivers replied "That's your opinion clerk, and I don't know where you're getting that opinion from." That led to an at-times fractious rules debate that lasted more than an hour, and to an unscheduled and largely unprecedented appearance by Joseph Jeffrey, the senior clerk of the legislature, as a witness to set the record straight. "The chair's authority is scheduling meetings and setting the agenda. And that's it," Jeffrey told Trivers. "Your job is to facilitate the will of the committee… I just wanted to make sure that that was very clear. You don't have authority to change what the committee has decided." FOIPP doesn't apply here Jeffrey also made it clear, as did P.E.I.'s privacy commissioner at a committee appearance the following day, that members of the legislative assembly are not bound by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, or FOIPP, and that committees are within their rights to demand documents without redactions. "That's to protect the ability of you as private members… to have scrutiny on decisions that government is making," said Jeffrey. But there are multiple examples from the past few weeks where the PCs are suggesting the FOIPP Act should limit what committees members are allowed to see. WATCH | How P.E.I.'s freedom of information system works — and doesn't work How P.E.I.'s freedom of information system works — and doesn't work 2 months ago Duration 2:52 Requests for government information by a Prince Edward Island citizen or media agency can take years to fulfill — especially if the province has redacted so much information that the document doesn't reveal what the applicant wants to know. The privacy commissioner's office says the workload from handling appeals is overwhelming. Can a planned review by MLAs fix anything? Health Minister Mark McLane cited FOIPP in a letter to the standing committee on health and social development on Jan. 21, saying his department would delay a request from the committee for copies of contracts between government and private long-term care operators. McLane said he was giving operators 30 days to respond on how their "third-party business interests" could be affected by the disclosure. Members of the committee have said they want to see how conditions the government said it was putting on additional funds for private care operators — for example, that a set percentage be used to increase employee wages — are being enforced through the contracts. PC MLA Robin Croucher equated making the contracts public to "opening up [the] books" of private long-term care providers. But the Greens and Liberals pushed back, saying that letting Islanders see the contracts would not encroach on private business interests. "If the private sector is prepared to take public money, then it must be prepared to endure public scrutiny," said interim Liberal Leader Hal Perry, who accused government of "trying to hide behind" the FOIPP Act. Requests 'undermine' spirit of FOIPP, says Lantz Education Minister Rob Lantz also cited the act after the education committee demanded a copy of a consultant's report on the province's plan for a universal after-school care program. Lantz provided the full report, but wrote to the committee saying the recommendations were considered protected under FOIPP. "Using a standing committee to bypass the legislation in this province appears to undermine the spirit and intent of the legislation," he wrote. Records to go to closed meetings first In the case of the long-term care contracts and the NHL records, the PCs won a small victory in each committee by passing amendments to require those records to first be examined in closed meetings before being made public. But as long as Liberal and Green MLAs are prepared to vote together they will retain the power to request documents, make them public and issue subpoenas if they feel government isn't co-operating. The rules for standing committees were changed after Dennis King's PCs came to power in 2019 to have two voting members from each party in the house on each committee. You don't have authority to change what the committee has decided. While the change was made by the legislature itself, it reflected a commitment made by the PCs in the 2019 election campaign — part of a promise to give opposition and backbench MLAs more power, and have less power concentrated in the premier's office. "The premier, he brags about the fact that the committees are set up the way they are," said Liberal MLA Robert Henderson Thursday, addressing Trivers.
