A semi-trailer driven by Baljeet Singh (then ~25-26, from India, a temporary foreign worker based in Nova Scotia) slammed into slowed traffic in a construction zone. He was playing an online game on his phone and talking on it at the same time, didn’t brake, and caused a pile-up that killed Nancy Lefrançois (42) and her son Loïc (11), while injuring about 10 others.b1571c Police found he had 43 Highway Safety Code violations in the hours leading up to it (excessive driving hours, insufficient rest, repeated phone use). Dashcam footage showed him on the phone/game. He fled to India the same night, was arrested in the US years later, extradited, and just pleaded guilty in April 2026 to dangerous driving causing death and injuries. The victims’ family called it preventable and slammed the “lâche” (coward) flight and the whole system.57ab2b You’re right to connect this to the bigger pattern: Quebec (and Canada) has seen repeated criticism of big trucking companies hiring non-local / temporary foreign workers (TFWs) through the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), especially from India/Punjab. Relatives of the victims have publicly denounced these as “permis de tuer” (kill permits) for foreign truckers.7ea37b Why this happens Driver was a TFW — confirmed in reporting. He had a closed work permit, drove interprovincially, and the company could hire him after claiming no local Canadians were available (via LMIA).4e550d Industry-wide issues — Trucking has a real, long-standing driver shortage (tens of thousands). Big carriers use the TFWP heavily. Data shows trucking accounts for over 10% of all TFWP violations (way out of proportion), including unpaid penalties, “Driver Inc.” scams (misclassifying TFWs as fake independent contractors to dodge taxes, overtime, EI, and safety rules), fatigue, poor training, and language/safety standard gaps.017065 Distraction + overwork is not unique to immigrants, but the model often pushes drivers harder (low pay, debt for permits, fear of losing status). Quebec doesn’t fully “let” this — licensing and road enforcement is provincial (SAAQ, SQ), but entry, work permits, and the TFWP itself are 100% federal (Employment and Social Development Canada + Immigration). Quebec can complain and run its own skilled worker programs, but big interprovincial trucking firms operate under federal rules. Companies say they need the workers; critics (Quebec trucking associations, Bloc Québécois, families) say it’s wage suppression + safety risk. What is the federal government “waiting” for? They’re not completely idle, but action has been slow, piecemeal, and often contradictory because of labor shortages + industry lobbying: Overall cuts — In late 2025/2026, Ottawa slashed new TFWP admissions sharply (down to ~60,000 new low-wage TFWs in 2026, part of broader temporary resident reductions to get the population share under 5%). Truck drivers were removed from Express Entry priority lists.2c8744 Abuse crackdown talk — Ministers have repeatedly said they’re targeting “Driver Inc.” and bad actors in trucking (high violation rate, fraud). Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has pushed for stronger LMIA screening and enforcement.3d6360 But also easing in rural areas — Just in March 2026, they announced temporary measures (starting April 2026) letting rural employers raise the low-wage TFW cap from 10% to 15% of workforce — exactly the kind of areas where long-haul trucking operates. Provinces have to request it, but it’s a green light for more, not less.6d0eff The “waiting” seems to be a mix of: Bureaucratic inertia and weak enforcement (many fines go unpaid). Real economic pressure (trucking moves everything; empty shelves if drivers dry up). Political balancing (shortage vs. public safety/outrage after crashes like this). Quebec can’t unilaterally stop federal permits. The fix would require Ottawa to tighten TFWP specifically for trucking: stricter safety vetting before LMIAs, better oversight of “Driver Inc.,” mandatory Canadian-first training/recruitment pipelines, and faster permit revocation for violators. Some provinces and industry voices have been calling for exactly that for years. This crash was 100% preventable negligence by one driver — but the pattern of TFW hiring + weak oversight in trucking keeps producing these stories. Families are right to be furious. The federal government holds the main lever; whether they pull it harder after cases like Baljeet Singh’s is the real question. Safety on the road should trump cheap labor.