I thank the member from Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock for this very important question, but most of all for her leadership when it comes to anti-human trafficking in the province of Ontario.

On behalf of all MPPs, thank you for all the work that you’ve done.

Speaker, our government stands in support of workers, whether you are a Canadian citizen or a temporary foreign worker. We will not tolerate actions by employers who abuse workers. That is why our government introduced the Working for Workers Act, 2023, which would, if passed, continue to lead the country in providing groundbreaking protections for our workers. Part of the legislation identifies changes that are necessary to strengthen protections for vulnerable workers by establishing the highest maximum fines in Canada. Our message to dishonest and unethical employers is, “If you’re going to deny someone’s basic human rights by withholding their passport or essential work documents, you will face very serious consequences.”

Speaker, for employers who abuse workers, our government holds them to account for their actions. The consequences will be swift and severe. Currently, labour inspectors can levy penalties of only $250 for each passport or work permit that is withheld, but with the proposed changes, that will rise to $200,000. If an individual employer is convicted by the courts of such an offence, they would also be subject to a fine of up to $500,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both. Additionally, corporations could be fined up to $1 million.

Through these measures, all workers in Ontario can be assured that their safety is our number one priority and that we have their backs.