Over the last year I had the need to have motors worked on by qualified technicians.
I have encountered problems, the biggest one being lack of qualified personnel. Over the last half century, we have lost many Canadian jobs through downsizing. Canadian companies at that time spent many dollars in training or helping their employees get extra training.
These Canadian companies were gobbled up by international companies.
Many post-secondary bursaries were lost when these companies ceased to exists. Organized labour during this time period were telling the federal governments that a shortage of skilled labour was coming.
When Paul Martin, finance minister for the ruling Liberal Party, finally got a surplus budget, the for-profit media, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and the Small Business Council lobby groups all called for reductions in taxation.
We then changed ruling government parties.
Enter the Conservatives. They in their wisdom cut transfers and grants to post-secondary institutions and reduced taxes to big business and the ordinary taxpayer.
That brings me to the reason for this letter. One job that took 14 days for two hours work, one 10 days for about two hours work, another seven days, and the final one I had an appointment for 10 a.m. I went away to do some errands. I returned three hours later they had not looked at the item.
When I have asked owners why each time I hear they cannot find qualified employees or in two cases they said they could not afford to pay the going rate though they charge a shop rate of $129 per hour.
The centre and right side of the political spectrum have pushed tax reduction as a way of Canadian recovery.
There needs to be more emphasis on post-secondary education.
Stan New
Prince George
