Printer MPP Joe Dickson says Ontario's workforce needs foreign professionals

Although yesterday's post discusses immigration from the federal government's perspective, Joe Dickson, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament representing the riding of Ajax-Pickering and President of Dickson Printing Ltd., says that integrating foreign professionals into the workforce is a priority for his provincial government as well.

When we spoke at length about a year ago, Mr. Dickson (shown at left) said Ontario needs to place more qualified foreign professionals in sectors of the economy that are experiencing chronic vacancies for skilled positions.  His fear is that, if the government does not take steps to alleviate the situation, "companies here will have a manpower shortfall or even lose the work to other parts of the world."

For details, see the third- and second-last paragraphs on page 33 of my article "Popular MPP Printer" in the December-2011 issue of Printaction.   
https://www.box.net/s/ndbitjxxd9l2au5e6y7b

Canada attracts the brightest immigrants according to Maclean's report

To mark Canada's 144th anniversary on July 1st, Maclean's Magazine published a list of 10 reasons why it's the best time ever to be Canadian.  Reasons include that Canada leads the way in medical research, is more peaceful than Switzerland and Australia, and has the world's highest golf participation.  Also according to the Maclean's report, we're more entrepreneurial than the U.S.A., have the roomiest homes on earth, and (not surprisingly, given the previous reasons) attract the brightest immigrants.  
http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/07/01/ten-reasons-why-there-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-canadian/ 

New polar mosque helps attract qualified professionals to Canada’s arctic

My May/June-2011 article with Edward Atkinson for "Above & Beyond:  Canada's Arctic Journal" explains the complicated logistics recently undertaken by Northern Canada's growing Muslim community to build their first mosque above the Arctic Circle.  From a human-resources standpoint, what I find especially interesting about their achievement is that Denny Rodgers, mayor of Inuvik, the community where they established the mosque, credits the new building with the ability "to help us attract quality professionals to move here, bring their families, and become part of the community."  You can find a condensed version of the full article at:  http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Earcticjournal%2Eca%2Findex%2Ephp%2F2011%2F05%2Fnew-polar-mosque%2F&urlhash=JhHS&_t=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-lnk&trk=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-lnk.