What's driving a huge labour shortage in Canada right now? In the second quarter of 2021, Statistics Canada reported record-high job vacancies, especially in industries like food, tourism and retail but no one to fill them. At the same time, workers have described convoluted hiring processes, trouble getting shifts at their jobs and potentially illegal layoffs.

Today on Front Burner, guest host Angela Sterritt speaks with David Macdonald, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, on major changes in the country's workforce. We also hear from Canadians once a part of those key industries, now fighting their way back from pandemic unemployment.