Conservatives: Jason Kenney & Stephen Harper aggressively going out of their way to neglect the needs of Canadian Families

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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My name is Tom Hadden; I live in Fort McMurray, Alberta. I am a single father of three children. I work full time and have a live-in caregiver for my three children. Last week I called the agency we used to get some payroll info and was told that the Canadian Government has implemented new changes to the Live-in caregiver program.

The agency encouraged me to write down my story and also contact the Minister responsible for these ridiculous changes, Jason Kenney.

My wife died four years ago. Before my wife became ill, we had a wonderful nanny from the Philippines who we hired through a friend. After she received her Permanent resident status, she left our employment. We decided to hire a new caregiver, a Filipino lady, from Hong Kong. We waited 7 months for her only to find out soon after her arrival that she had no real intention for working for our family in Fort McMurray, we were simply a way for her to come to Canada. By this time, my wife was diagnosed and undergoing treatment for cancer, and through the emotional upheaval of having a young family and a very ill mother we were left scrambling to find childcare.

Fort McMurray, like many rural areas, is under – resourced for childcare options. I had begun searching for someone locally but was unable to find a caregiver who wanted to work for what would soon be a single father with three young children. After the death of my wife there was very little option but to hire another overseas nanny. This time I hired another Filipino lady from Taiwan.

Remy turned out to be a nice caregiver but two month into her employment she informed me she was pregnant, eventually ending the employment after 9 months of arriving. Our current caregiver, whom we hired after Remy, has been with us now for 20 months, and thankfully she is great. However, within the next year the time will come when she will receive her Permanent resident status and I will be forced to hire a new caregiver.

For Jason Kenney and Stephen Harper to change the program and make families pay for all fees, airfare and any and all other fees are not only unfair but also an insult to my family. The nanny in question has no legal obligation to stay with the hiring family. Basically the nanny does not need to have a permanent commitment to stay with my family for the agreed length of the employment and the circumstances here in Fort McMurray make it almost impossible for families to hire again in some cases. Whatever happens families are without reliable childcare.

You don’t know your chosen nanny’s real agenda until you meet her in person and at that time I would have already paid large fees for her to step foot into Canada.

I have friends who have, or have had, nannies, and some work out great but unfortunately some are a disaster. It is crazy for the Canadian Government to ask families to cover all costs for someone they have never met, and when the placement could come to an end at any time for reasons completely out of their control; the caregiver may not be able to work (pregnancy), may use the family to come to Canada or may just be unsuitable for the position.

I work for one of the largest employers in Fort McMurray; most parents who work with me also have live in nannies due to it being shift work. I was mentioning this to them and most had not heard of the rules but were quite shocked.

As one mother eloquently pointed out, “Did Jason Kenney and Stephen Harper have a little pow-wow trying to come with ideas to kick Canadian families in the back?”

At a time when our Government has NO interest in any form of childcare plan, then makes the Live in caregiver plan available, it is puzzling to me and my friends that they then turn around and punish families for using the very same program.

Childcare is of primary importance in this country but the Conservative Government does nothing to ease the struggles families face , now they put a huge burden on me and my family by gambling with my money.

The Government is touting about their $ 100. – per child Universal childcare credit.

I would like to know what Universe a $ 100. – per child will get me childcare ?

Not in Canada.

The agency I used is a small business in Red Deer who says they are very close to shutting down and they feel very strongly that this is exactly Jason Kenney’s intention; to close down domestic agencies.

If that is the case I would like to know where I and other families are supposed to hire an overseas caregiver.

Does the Canadian Government expect me to hire a person to look after my children and live in my house from halfway across the globe off the internet?

If the Governments intention is to eliminate caregiver agencies then the Government should make it easy for families and have a free list with pre-screened applicants available, more importantly, make it mandatory for the caregivers to stay with the family so that we don’t go through a number of financial and emotional up and downs.

I have no problem paying some of the fees if I know I have a caregiver for several years and not worry every day that she might find a more appealing job and takes off.

Otherwise the Government is simply playing monopoly with my money.

I was also told that these changes are politically driven to attract Filipino votes especially out in Ontario . Many of Filipino Caregiver groups have been complaining of abuse and exploitation and the Government decided to take their side into consideration at the expense of Canadian taxpaying families.

I call for Jason Kenney to have a town hall meeting with disgruntled families who have been duped here in Fort McMurray. I think we could fill out a nice big hall; it would really open his eyes.

Why on earth does he think that it is acceptable for families to be victims of caregivers?

He needs to be reminded that he was elected by Canadians and should represent our interests and not use his ethnic pandering to score Filipino votes.

I am appalled at this Government’s complete and utter disregard for its citizens.

I and many other families in Fort McMurray are already dealing with enough stress as it is I do not appreciate the Conservative party putting such costs on me, especially as this party has done nothing to help families with childcare.

I am tempted to say that it really seems to me like that the Government wants to eliminate the Live in caregiver program by adding these extra costs, fully knowing that eventually families won’t want to invest large amounts of money. This would be a non controversial way of shutting down the Live-in caregiver program if it succeeded. If that is the case, I expect this Government to come up with a childcare solution to help families like myself.

Either way, I would like to thank Jason Kenney for his apathetic attitude towards Canadian parents..

I am wondering what other plans this Conservative Government has for us struggling families?

I am literally waiting for the next kick in the back.

To have Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney do their ethnic wooing at the expense of Canadian families is atrocious to say the least.

Tom Hadden
Fort McMurray, AB
Father of three children

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3 Comments

  1. I have caregiver friends who have had a negative experience with their agency so perhaps the Government is trying to shut them down.
    I agree that the motive for the changes is to eliminate the LCP.
    I have friends overseas who can’t find employers in Canada. Not as easy as it used to be.

  2. I agree with some of it.
    Foreign caregivers are needed but the recent changes are not sufficient.
    There needs to be better protection for caregivers AND families.Perhaps the parties could share the expenses.

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