VANCOUVER – Another company promoted by the B.C. Liberals plans to overlook B.C. workers in favour of temporary foreign workers, say New Democrats.

“When the Microsoft Canada Excellence Centre was announced in May, the B.C. Liberals claimed it was evidence of their jobs plan at work. But now it’s clear that this centre was never meant to create jobs for British Columbians. With the exception of an internship program, it appears trainees will be brought in from other countries, trained, then placed elsewhere,” said New Democrat spokesperson on immigration Bruce Ralston.

“Just as they are doing with LNG, the B.C. Liberals are failing to stand up for workers in this province, and rolling out the red carpet for companies that make no commitment to create jobs here. In order to receive federal approval to bring in temporary foreign workers without even considering Canadians, the company needed approval from our province – clearly, despite promising to create jobs for British Columbians, the B.C. Liberals approved this plan.”

When the centre was announced, the company claimed it would create 400 jobs, and Minister of Technology Andrew Wilkinson said it would “shine a spotlight on British Columbia as a world-class place to invest and do business.”

“The B.C. Liberals have promoted our growing tech sector as a key pillar of their so-called jobs plan. But when this company asked to bring in unspecified numbers of temporary foreign workers, rather than give opportunities to British Columbians, the B.C. Liberals agreed,” said New Democrat spokesperson on technology George Heyman.

“Far from showing the success of their jobs plan, or their commitment to skills training, what this really proves is that you can’t take the B.C. Liberals at their word.”