Frank Hasenfratz got here to Canada as a Hungarian refugee who was penniless, however wealthy in hope and ambition.

“When my father arrived on this nation, he was given $5 by an immigration official, as was the follow,” stated Linda Hasenfratz, who delivered a transferring eulogy Jan. 15 on the funeral of the founding father of Linamar Corp.

“That was the one cash in his pocket.”

Right this moment, the Guelph, Ont.-based international provider employs 26,000 folks, together with greater than 11,000 in Canada, Hasenfratz stated within the tribute to her father, who died Jan. 8 at age 86.

Linamar employs “many new immigrants” and contributes about $400 million in taxes yearly to the Canadian economic system, she stated.

“That’s not a foul return on the funding” Canada made by welcoming Frank Hasenfratz again in 1957.

And it’s a narrative she tells “each time I hear somebody complaining about refugees and immigration.”

Frank Hasenfratz was among the many postwar wave of newcomers who fled their troubled homelands to construct a greater life in Canada. Alongside the best way, they constructed Canada into a greater nation.

They’re testomony to the continuing want for immigrants to bolster Canada’s inhabitants, drive financial progress, enrich society and ease expert labour shortages which might be at the moment difficult a number of sectors, together with automotive.

The scarcity is so dire that Linamar, for instance, posted an indication final fall in entrance of a Guelph plant, promoting for workers and providing $1,500 signing bonuses, in line with CBC Information. Governments have been responsive. After COVID-19 pressured the closure of worldwide borders for a lot of 2020, the federal authorities in 2021 granted everlasting standing to 401,000 newcomers. It’s a part of the Liberals’ plan to spice up immigration targets over the following three years. For Canada’s auto sector, that comes at a crucial time as the worldwide business shifts towards electrification. It’s going to want all the abilities, drive and innovation our newcomers have to supply.

At a Nov. 17 press convention to unveil Ontario’s plan to ramp up electric-vehicle manufacturing, Premier Doug Ford touted the necessity for immigrants to fill job vacancies within the auto sector.

“I’m listening to it completely in every single place I am going within the province, regardless of small, medium or massive corporations,” Ford stated. “We want folks.”

The Automotive Elements Producers’ Affiliation echoed Ford’s phrases final week when it stated it will instantly discover Ukrainian refugees, displaced by Russia’s invasion of their nation, jobs right here in Canada.

“There’s a proud heritage of Ukrainians in automotive in Canada, so we stated, ‘let’s go,’” APMA Flavio Volpe stated “We’ve bought quite a lot of board members who’ve stated, ‘’f you wish to be lively right here, and invite these folks, we’ll activate our [Human Resources] departments to reply to match-making. We want folks.’”

Extra folks reminiscent of Frank Hasenfratz.