Will Pierre Poilievre 'name and shame' businesses abusing the immigration system?
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to put young Canadians first over temporary foreign workers.
At a press conference in Mississauga, I asked Pierre Poilievre a simple question: would he “name and shame” companies that are abusing the temporary foreign worker program — especially businesses like Tim Hortons that seem addicted to cheap foreign labour, while young Canadians are struggling to find work?
There is no downside for Tim Hortons when it hires cheap foreign workers instead of Canadians.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) September 3, 2025
But a consumer rebellion -- like the backlash against Bud Light -- could change that.
I asked Poilievre if he'd name and shame anti-Canadian companies.
He said, "yes". 👇 https://t.co/oMdOPyLFDG
I even suggested a few things he could do — like holding an event outside one of these companies or writing directly to their board — to make sure they can’t just quietly replace Canadian workers with low-wage imports.
“There’s no downside to these companies hiring foreign workers. But if there was a PR downside, if patriotic Canadians said ‘this is enough’ … would you consider naming and shaming in the public domain abusers of the temporary foreign worker program?” I asked.
“Yes,” Poilievre replied, pointing out that Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner has already begun publicizing companies taking advantage of the program.
Meanwhile, job postings like this Tim Hortons manager role in Ontario show how bizarre the system has become — one posting at $36/hour, another for the same job at $25.10/hour. Since May, Tim Hortons has posted ten of these low-wage jobs on the government’s site.
All of this is happening while Canada is losing jobs. In July alone, 40,000 jobs disappeared, and youth unemployment hit 53.6% — the worst since 1998. A recent CIBC report said youth unemployment is now at recessionary levels.
Poilievre put it plainly: “The Liberals have to answer why they are shutting our own youth out of jobs and replacing them with low-wage, temporary foreign workers from poor countries who are ultimately being exploited.”
What do you think?
Should Poilievre name and shame these companies? Should he — or Rebel News — go so far as to protest outside businesses that refuse to hire Canadians?
Let me know in the comments below — but remember, only RebelNews+ subscribers can join the conversation.
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Ezra Levant
Rebel Commander
Ezra Levant is the founder and owner of Rebel News and the host of The Ezra Levant Show. He is the author of multiple best-selling books, including Ethical Oil, The Libranos, China Virus, and most recently, Trudeau's Secret Plan.
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COMMENTS
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Workfor Yourfreedom commented 2025-09-05 13:21:56 -0400To Lida – My point of view is that having the truck there with information is fine, and interviewing people is the point. I agree the Rebels are fair when they do that, even in asking tough questions. Mainstram media being paid by the government only go after conservative points of view, and almost always dishonestly. More direct involvement like leading a protest at a business, being the protester, is detrimental to reaching a wider audience. I assume that is what Rebel news wants, maybe it’s not.
True news reporting is supposed to be an unbiased observer reporting the facts in a fair way. Editorial reporting can express an opinion on things. To be directly involved in a protest and to also be reporting on it is something other than being an unbiased news outlet, that people other than those already in the same camp will trust. I think given the lack of there being many trustworthy news sources that this is very important for the well being of the country and our society, and a wider audience needs to be accessing true information and believing it. -
Lida Kocis commented 2025-09-05 12:50:51 -0400To Workfor Yourfreedom: Hmm, looks like we have a different understanding about what the independent media means,. By my opinion, it is not unprofessional to get involved in fighting for a just cause. My understanding of the term “independent media” is the media, the reporting of which is not dependent on the hand, that feeds it (e.g. the government). Nothing wrong about an involvement, such as: providing a jumbotron truck, getting involved by interwieving a protest participants. BTW, the Rebels always make an effort to interview both sides. However, maybe I have missed something in the video, I have to admit I was multitasking, when watching it…
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Workfor Yourfreedom commented 2025-09-05 10:02:34 -0400To Joe Harris – Those wages are a ruse. I own a business, and you can’t afford to pay entry level people that, and no business would when unemployment is high, there is no need to. What I’ve read is that a business doing that would want a kick back from the employee, and most probably it would not be reported, it would be under the table so not taxable. Foreign people would be far less likely to care than poeple raised in what Ezra calls ‘high trust societies’. I was in India and Hong Kong this spring, for people that haven’t been to Asia, it is a completely different world, and I mean completely. I am glad I was able to go there, enjoyed the trip, but there is no way I would willingly emigrate to either place. You wouldn’t believe it unless you’ve experienced it. Chaos, exploitation and authoritarianism.
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Workfor Yourfreedom commented 2025-09-05 09:52:48 -0400To Lida – Ezra asked for a response to whether Rebel (or Poilievre) should protest or demonstrate at a business using TFW. My response was not about reporting on that, just not to be involved in a protest/demonstration directly. That is what would make it biased, by being directly involved. It is critical that independent media does not appear to be unprofessional or fixated on certain causes if they want to extend their reach beyond people who are already predisposed to that point of view. That is different than standing up for themsleves if challenged in courts, etc. Start out as you mean to go.
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Joe Harris commented 2025-09-04 21:25:32 -0400How is a 26.00/hr job low wages or 35/hr. minimum wage job is low wage. Why not train and teach the kids starting out or needing money for school from Canada first. This is a way for the liberals to create division and a problem, to bring down Canada and help put us in the globalists hands.
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Lida Kocis commented 2025-09-04 19:55:36 -0400To “Workfor Yourfreedom”, who posted bere: can you explain how the Rebel News honest and unbiased reporting from “protests and demonstrations would call into question its objectivity, …”?
I want to be enlightened. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-09-04 19:34:52 -0400Ezra’s idea makes too much sense. But what if Tim’s sues? Can a business claim defamation? Conspiring minds need to know. ☺
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Roman Kierzek commented 2025-09-04 18:16:17 -0400There’s more to this than meets the eye. It’s complicated. Add to this, remember a good number of these students are Woke. -
Marilyn Hagerman commented 2025-09-04 17:29:30 -0400Comment below should read, “all young folks are definitely NOT what you’ve described here!
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Marilyn Hagerman commented 2025-09-04 17:27:11 -0400In response to Bill Ripley’s comment ……all young folks are definitely what you’ve described here! All should not suffer the brand of a few! Melissa Lantsman, Conservative MP for Thornhill says what majority of Canadians feel and think. Please take a read of her comments in this link.
https://open.substack.com/pub/melissalantsman/p/why-are-we-paying-foreigners-40-an?r=15itu6&utm_medium=ios -
Céline King commented 2025-09-04 17:02:57 -0400We need to get the liberals OUT OF PARLIAMENT AND OUT OF POWER!!!!!!
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Bill Ripley commented 2025-09-04 16:06:06 -0400While I agree that hiring temporary foreign workers is a problem for our youth and our economy, there are other considerations.
1. Do our youth even WANT to work in low wage service industry/retail jobs? Many of the folks entering the workforce just out of school have the attitude that sort of work is beneath them. I’ve run into this countless times formerly as an employer in the hospitality industry. When you hire them, they have no work skills (as expected) but they don’t want to be shown proper work ethics, like being on time, not calling in sick because they had too much to drink the night before, asking what they can do when the current task is finished rather than resorting to pulling out their phones and texting their friends.
2. Many companies are already over-burdened by excessive government regulations that make being in business very expensive. When beneficial government programs become available, many organizations are left with little choice but to take advantage of them, otherwise they can’t remain competitive.
3. If the Conservatives want to ‘shame’ such companies, they might want to consider that there may be extenuating circumstances that are not immediately apparent. Remember Liberal policies have created an expensive, bureaucratic environment in which businesses must struggle to compete. Why WOULDN’T such employers take advantage of the token offering tossed in their direction? -
Marilyn Hagerman commented 2025-09-04 13:48:19 -0400A reader’s comment below is of VITAL IMPORTANCE Ezra….given how Ottawa hates and persecutes the independent media…..and I quote her comment, “ Rebel News should NOT be active in protests and demonstrations because it would call into question it’s objectivity as an unbiased news source, which these days is far more important.”
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Brian Herrmann commented 2025-09-04 13:47:22 -0400I agree 100% with the naming and shaming that Ezra suggested, excellent idea. I always though Tim Horton’s was so overrated but when they refused to “allow” Enbridge to advertise in their stores, is when I made the decision to not only never support them again but I will not consume their product even if purchased for me by an acquaintance.
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Jackie Hayward followed this page 2025-09-04 13:45:36 -0400
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Marilyn Hagerman commented 2025-09-04 13:44:24 -0400Carney is a corrupt corporate globalist elite! His one and only interest in Canada is climate control, the millions in taxes it can rake in to help line coffers like Brookfield. Helping Canadians never crosses his mind, he consistently lies like a rug – that’s his daily normal corrupt lifestyle…with likeminded social friends like Epstein, Soros, Gates, Schwab! Temporary Foreign Workers are here to win brownie points for his corporate friends!!!
So definitely YES! Boycott every GD one of them! I, and everyone I know are fed up to the gills with these people who can’t speak or understand a word of English! Customer service is non-existent while consumer prices continue to increase! We all have kids who could not find a summer job to help with their post-secondary costs, while we suffer the faces of every third world country! Purolator needs also to be severely boycotted. They are “home-delivering” on-line orders for many companies…it’s a holy nightmare on my street!! -
Russ Sochan followed this page 2025-09-04 13:37:57 -0400
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Duane Pedersen commented 2025-09-04 13:07:15 -0400Pierre is right on the money shut down the immigration program for work Visas Our Canadian children should be working first before the Liberals bring in Foreigners And for the Record to all you brain washed Liberals we are not Racist The no good Liberals made Canadians Racist this has been there Agenda for years to divide people The Liberals are the cause for Canada to be a terrible country
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Caroline Davidson commented 2025-09-04 12:57:12 -0400We should definitely be winding down this programme. It has cost our young people way too much. As PP said, the first generation not to be able to afford a home and the highest youth unemployment rate in over 25 years. It’s outrageous!
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Workfor Yourfreedom commented 2025-09-04 12:28:24 -0400I think that if enough Canadians, and especially youth, are interested in getting the government’s attention they should protest businesses that over use foreign workers. Perhaps even be helped to organize something. But I don’t think Rebel News should be active in protests and demonstrations because it would call into question it’s objectivity as an unbiased news source, which these days is far more important. Also for Poilievre, it would diminish his appearance as a serious figure that can compete with the elitist globalist PM’s image, which Canadians apparently see as having gravity and in a positive light still. Which is very hard to fathom.
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Joe Jensen commented 2025-09-04 12:13:42 -0400Companies should be named and shamed for preferring foreign workers over citizens.
This has the potential of mimicking Trump’s success in the US. -
Pryce Apedaile followed this page 2025-09-04 11:51:51 -0400
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Maxine Bennett commented 2025-09-04 11:48:38 -0400I am against getting rid of the Foreign Workers because most of the Canadians supposedly looking for jobs don’t actually want to work. I live in the Okanagon Valley and for years our farmers and orchardists hired Canadian workers, who mostly wanted to party and quite often didn’t show up for work because they were hungover. The land owners have been very happy with the Workers they have now ( mostly from Mexico) because they do the job.
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Eitan Gilboord commented 2025-09-04 11:36:36 -0400I think we should bring back the ‘Boycott Tim Hortons’ petition!
