3 charged in temporary foreign worker case
Three Edmonton business people face immigration charges for the alleged mistreatment of two temporary foreign workers from Israel.
The workers were brought to Edmonton in 2010 to work at an unidentified coffee shop.
When they arrived, police allege the workers were told they could work at lower-paying jobs at a local Marble Slab Creamery because there was nothing available for them at the coffee shop.
RCMP Const. Neal Jespersen from the RCMP Immigration and Passport Section said a dispute soon arose over hours and pay.
“There was a bit of a discrepancy and the workers were threatened with deportation if they went and spoke to the government. Once that happened they were fired and upon them being fired, they went to the Edmonton Police Service and made a complaint with them.”
Yassin Hamdom, 45, and Wendy Sawa, 40, the directors of the Marble Slab Creamery outlet and Ahmed Baalbaki, the owner/operator of the coffee shop, each face four charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including unauthorized employment of a foreign national, misrepresentation and counselling misrepresentation.
The three accused are scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 19th.
