Hey Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- Here's What's Wrong with Canada's Economy -- And I've Even Given You The Solution -- Thank Me Later!

Canada -- as is much of the world -- continues to spin out of control as the economy spirals towards new lows.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper smiles, standing in front of his "Economic Action Plan" backdrops, looking very encouraging, claims his government has the answer.

He's been standing in front of those backdrops, singing the same song for several years now, yet Canada's economy isn't any better -- in fact it is worse.

Hey Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- here's what's wrong with Canada's economy -- and I'll even give you the solution:

Temp Agencies

Kelly Girl jokes aside, though Kelly Temporary Services, along with AppleOne, Addecco, Robert Half Technology, Eagle, The Dean Group, The Bagg Group, Altis Human Resources, Quantum Management Services, Manpower and many others throughout the country are directly responsible for the lack of jobs in this country.

See, the problem isn't that there aren't any jobs in Canada anymore -- there are. Just they are all temporary, contract gigs, which offer no benefits, absolutely no upwards mobility, promotion nor security. And these temporary "gigs" force hard-working dedicated Canadians to act like secure stable staffers, minus of course all the secure stable benefits of real employment.

Companies which "hire" contractors expect them to do all the same things the staffers once did. From attending on-boarding presentations about the history of the company, to taking dull dreary online regulatory and compliance courses, even to sitting in on meetings about the company pension and benefits plan -- of which they aren't entitled to because they are just temps.

In fact, temporary contract jobs have been growing in Canada faster than permanent staff jobs.

Looking for Work in Canada

Temporary staffing agencies do place full-time people into permanent positions -- for outrageous finder's fees.

See, it's NOT in the staffing firm's best interest to fill permanent vacancies -- their whole business model is designed around earning residual income off of the backs of temporary contractors.

So why would they encourage real employment, when they make more money off of temporary "staffing" solutions?

I worked on contract for these vulturistic temp firms before. And I've been forced to go through all the crazy training, invoicing, and even "the talk."

Got to love "the talk."

Just before your contract ends, you get "the talk" from the recruiter that placed you -- because the company you work for has absolutely nothing to do with you -- about how wonderful you are, and they don't want to lose you, but they can't afford your current rates. So, you are "offered" a choice. Either accept a LOWER hourly rate for your next six-month contract, or leave.

Great way to retain "employees." Tell them they are so good, that they should be willing to take a pay cut to keep their temporary employment for another six-months, at which point they'll be asked to cut their wages yet again.

I've also been in a hiring position, ironically while I was on contract, and witnessed numerous presentations from staffing firms espousing the benefits of hiring contractors on a per project basis, as opposed to hiring someone as a Full-Time Employee.

When I worked on contract for American Express, the guy that hired me told me he too was on contract, he'd been on contract at AMEX at that point in time for over 11 years. 

More Layoffs Occur in Canada as Companies Contract Out Their Work

Eleven YEARS.

Eleven years without being offered any benefits, or even better, a sense of place in an uncertain world.

And that's what real job security is all about.

If you don't know from one contract to the next whether or not you'll be earning money, you don't have a sense of place. So you can't plan for the future.

This means you won't go out and buy a new home, get that new car you need, or even purchase that new washing machine and dryer.

Every penny goes into savings, because the second your contract ends, that's what you'll be living off of until you get another gig.

And "gig" is the best word for it -- thanks to these temporary staffing firms, most of the big companies that do hire people, don't.

They just bring in people on temporary contracts.

The New Face of Canadian Offices?

Because the staffing firms don't staff companies anymore. They don't want a one-time finder's fee, they want recurring revenues generated by temporary contractors.

That's the problem with our economy Mr. Prime Minister.

So put away that slick backdrop, and go after the staffing firms. 

Create laws that prohibit them from using the unemployed as chattel. 

Enforce the laws which prohibit companies from keeping people on contracts forever. 

Hey, here's an idea, instead of funding the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, which encourages companies to import cheap temporary contractors taking contracted temp gigs away from Canadians, why not fund programs which encourages big business to hire full-time, permanent Canadians?

So the next time Canada's biggest bank -- The Royal Bank Financial Group -- needs bodies to do work, instead of getting a government grant to import people from India or China to do those jobs, they get a government grant to HIRE A CANADIAN right here in CANADA?

Doesn't that sound like a better solution?

Do the right thing for your country Prime Minister Harper.

Please -- and thanks!