Saskatchewan restaurant under investigation after dismissing Canadian servers

OTTAWA – The federal government says it is investigating a Saskatchewan restaurant where two waitresses say they lost their jobs to temporary foreign workers.

A spokeswoman for Employment Minister Jason Kenney says the minister has asked his department to investigate the Brothers Classic Grill in Weyburn, Sask.

A CBC report says Sandy Nelson and Shaunna Jennison-Yung were among several servers who were fired last month and replaced by government-approved temporary help from outside Canada.

Nelson, who is 58, had been employed by the restaurant for 28 years.

She tells the CBC all staff members received discharge letters in March and some were offered their jobs back, including two temporary foreign workers.

The restaurant’s owners did not immediately return phone calls, but provided CBC with a statement defending their position and maintaining they were acting within the rules of the temporary foreign workers program.

Nelson says she doesn’t understand how it’s possible she’s out looking for a job while foreigners are still employed at the establishment.

Kenney spokeswoman Alexandra Fortier says any allegations of abuse of the temporary foreign workers program will be investigated.

“We’ve asked Employment and Social Development Canada to investigate this case,” Fortier said in an email.

Dozens of people have lashed out at the establishment on its Facebook page, many of them calling for a boycott.