The OFW job search in Manitoba is on. Manitoba, a Canadian province with 110,000 lakes bordered by the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, North Dakota and Minnesota is in need of Filipino workers to meet the labor demands of the province. Because of the aging population of Manitoba and its low birth rate, they are expected to hire an estimate of 20,000 new workers every year by 2016.

The name Manitoba, meaning “strait of the spirit” or “lake of the prairies” has a moderately strong economy based largely on natural resources and its economy relies heavily on agriculture, tourism, energy, oil, mining, and forestry. Manitoba is Canada’s largest producer of sunflower seed and dry beans and one of the leading sources of potatoes.

The provincial government of Manitoba recently signed an agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), an agreement that provides the details of the partnership that would result to the recruitment of skilled OFWs to Manitoba as well as the guidelines to ensure the welfare and protection of skilled OFWs. The MOU was signed by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Manitoba Premier, Greg Selinger at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Baldoz said, “In the next thee years, the number of retirements is expected to increase by 30 percent and the need for more workers, including the transfer of work-based knowledge, will be very critical to Manitoba’s labor force stability.”

Selinger agreed and added that this opens up opportunities all across the board—in the trades like carpentry, plumbing, electricians as well opportunities in the professions—engineers, accountants, medical professionals, nurses and doctors.

Selinger hailed Filipino overseas workers all over Canada for their “tremendous contribution” to the continuing growth and well-being of the Canadian economy. “There are 50,000 to 60,000 Filipinos in Manitoba, many of them workers who have made tremendous contributions to our economy,” Selinger said.

Selinger, in his remarks before the signing, praised the strong culture of the Filipino workers, citing their industry and strong ethical and community values as teachers, healthcare workers, lawyers, and other occupations.

On her part, Secretary Baldoz said, “The renewed RP-Manitoba MOU that we have forged provides a strengthened framework for the partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and Manitoba in the further development of human resources, the recruitment and deployment of skilled OFWs to Manitoba, and their welfare and protection.”

“The effective way to avail of the opportunities is for would-be OFWs to first develop, acquire, or upgrade themselves on the necessary skills which would facilitate matching with overseas vacancies. This offers the best protection and returns in the host economies that need or require such skills.” Baldoz is pointing out that while before, the need in Canada was on caregivers, the trend is now pointed towards more highly skilled workers in agriculture, construction, hotels and restaurants, managerial, administrative, and other sectors.

Baldoz emphasized that the RP-Manitoba accord will strengthen the protection and welfare of OFWs, even as it serves as “proof that we are committed to ensure ethical recruitment in compliance with the legislation of both countries. She also emphasized that any recruitment to Manitoba, or to any part of Canada, is governed by POEA rules requiring valid job orders from employers to licensed, accredited, and in good-standing recruitment agencies.

Selinger is an economist from the London School of Economics. He became Manitoba’s 21st Premier in 2009. Selinger noted that hired skilled OFWs in Manitoba Canada can apply for Canadian citizenship only after six months of working there.

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Born from a Cebuana mother, Mable Elmore was voted as the first Filipino Member of British Columbia’s Legislative Assembly.

She was bron in Langley in 1969 and has been living in Vancouver for the past 20 years. She was a bus driver with the regional transit system for 10 years prior to her election.

Elmore, a New Democrat, was formally sworn in as a Member of Legislative Assembly of British Columbia last June 08 after garnering 9,930 votes against her closest competitor of 7,678 votes in the last May 12 provincial election.

Elmore is well known in the community as lifelong activist for peace and human rights. Her primary focus will be on her constituents’ concerns on affordable housing, class sizes in schools and workplace conditions.

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