I did not want to jump anyone's thread so I created a new one. I would like to give again the perspective that some veterinarians have towards employement working for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (formerly Health of Animals) and why to some of us that are in the beef cattle industry have little or no respect for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency looking at the personnel that end up working for this agency.
When graduating from WCVM in 1976 and going out to try to get your first job there was an attitude back then.
"I want to try to get a job in a good multi-man mixed practice clinic, or try to go on my own and work hard and run a veterinary practice on my own" If that doesn't work I can always go for a cushy job with a pension plan, no evenings no weekends and work for H.Of A.
Over the next 20 years and as you go back to your class reunions or veterinary conferences and touch base H OF A became the attraction for those veterinarians (Large animal) who have done their 20 plus years, Know how to talk to producers, Might be physically injured now and want a relaxed with pension plan job and they filled a very good positive role working for Health of Animals.
During the 80s and 90s and now 2000s the veterinary job markets have shrunk in large animal practice emensely. Contrary to many on agrivilles opinion alot of veterinarians need "a Job", cannot or will not work the hard hours of practice, don't want the risky investment of trying to establish their own practice so they filter to jobs with the now Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I see and meet them at veterinary conferences along with vets in practice. A high percentage of these employed in CFIA do not have a strong self esteme of themselves, They need a job, and this is all what they could find. Some are on "suicide watch", some are now "language barrier people" without Canadian Rural culture knowledge, some I know were terminated from any employement they had in a mixed established practice---this is where they ended up.
In my class of 70 graduates those that went to CFIA were the "weaker" ones in the class, didn't like work, wanted weekends to start on WEd at Noon and still draw salaries and pension plan.
I asked a group of new grads at the last conference in Saskatoon. What would you think of as a career with CFIA. Two spoke up immediately one saying "I would cut my right arm off first before I went to work for those bastards".
Some in CFIA can hardly wait for retirement. Some struggled and got out of there and go ambitious and found another training.
CFIA has a history of making alot of "public Blunders". As a cattleman the key is to challange the situation if you believe in what you stand for and make sure it gets in the "public eye" ----Any governement agency doesn't like to be embarassed in the public eye.
What ever became of the CFIA ANAPLASMOSIS Case in Southern B.C. for example. Lots of media coverage in the Western Producer. How was that scandal finally quieted????
CFIA personnel (Knowing from what colleagues have related to me) do not want to cause waves at their job. Put in the fewest hours possible, get your full pension. To advance in the system you cannot have any thoughts of your own. Like a true "beaurocrat" you do not want to cause "waves on your shift".
As a practicing large animal veterinarian for 20 years I took my clients concerns of his "pens of sick calves" or calving problems or heard health problems home with me on weekends. When you work for CFIA you do not take any responsibility home with you. Private number, hide in cities and don't find me attitude till next Monday.
I agree with Kato comments following C Palletts on another thread. I will not move forward and forget. CFIA I believe like others should undergo a complete review of policy and personnel???
June 15 2010 at the quasi-jurisdical hearing in Saskatoon going toe to toe for 6 hours versus CFIA personnel was really a picnic for me and I would encourage any cattlemen if ever challanged for something he believes in to do the same.
When graduating from WCVM in 1976 and going out to try to get your first job there was an attitude back then.
"I want to try to get a job in a good multi-man mixed practice clinic, or try to go on my own and work hard and run a veterinary practice on my own" If that doesn't work I can always go for a cushy job with a pension plan, no evenings no weekends and work for H.Of A.
Over the next 20 years and as you go back to your class reunions or veterinary conferences and touch base H OF A became the attraction for those veterinarians (Large animal) who have done their 20 plus years, Know how to talk to producers, Might be physically injured now and want a relaxed with pension plan job and they filled a very good positive role working for Health of Animals.
During the 80s and 90s and now 2000s the veterinary job markets have shrunk in large animal practice emensely. Contrary to many on agrivilles opinion alot of veterinarians need "a Job", cannot or will not work the hard hours of practice, don't want the risky investment of trying to establish their own practice so they filter to jobs with the now Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I see and meet them at veterinary conferences along with vets in practice. A high percentage of these employed in CFIA do not have a strong self esteme of themselves, They need a job, and this is all what they could find. Some are on "suicide watch", some are now "language barrier people" without Canadian Rural culture knowledge, some I know were terminated from any employement they had in a mixed established practice---this is where they ended up.
In my class of 70 graduates those that went to CFIA were the "weaker" ones in the class, didn't like work, wanted weekends to start on WEd at Noon and still draw salaries and pension plan.
I asked a group of new grads at the last conference in Saskatoon. What would you think of as a career with CFIA. Two spoke up immediately one saying "I would cut my right arm off first before I went to work for those bastards".
Some in CFIA can hardly wait for retirement. Some struggled and got out of there and go ambitious and found another training.
CFIA has a history of making alot of "public Blunders". As a cattleman the key is to challange the situation if you believe in what you stand for and make sure it gets in the "public eye" ----Any governement agency doesn't like to be embarassed in the public eye.
What ever became of the CFIA ANAPLASMOSIS Case in Southern B.C. for example. Lots of media coverage in the Western Producer. How was that scandal finally quieted????
CFIA personnel (Knowing from what colleagues have related to me) do not want to cause waves at their job. Put in the fewest hours possible, get your full pension. To advance in the system you cannot have any thoughts of your own. Like a true "beaurocrat" you do not want to cause "waves on your shift".
As a practicing large animal veterinarian for 20 years I took my clients concerns of his "pens of sick calves" or calving problems or heard health problems home with me on weekends. When you work for CFIA you do not take any responsibility home with you. Private number, hide in cities and don't find me attitude till next Monday.
I agree with Kato comments following C Palletts on another thread. I will not move forward and forget. CFIA I believe like others should undergo a complete review of policy and personnel???
June 15 2010 at the quasi-jurisdical hearing in Saskatoon going toe to toe for 6 hours versus CFIA personnel was really a picnic for me and I would encourage any cattlemen if ever challanged for something he believes in to do the same.
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