Am I still a Canadian citizen?

[HERMAN-VERDONK]

Dear Reader:

Up until Jan. 25/01, I thought I was a Canadian citizen, born in Owen Sound Sound, Ontario, in this country we call Canada, able to enjoy the rights and freedoms that all canadians are entitled to. I realize this is not true.

On Jan. 4/01 8pm, I was diagnosed with Situational Depression, the cause my workplace. I'm employed as a Senior Breeding Technician, working in a 1200 sow multiplier unit for one of the three biggest Hog/Pig companies in
Manitoba. My last day of work was Dec. 22/00. I have not been fired. I was told by the COO of our corporation, Jan. 2/01, to see a Dr. and when I'm healthy again come back to work. I was also asked to give my employer a chance to resolve this issue that blew up Dec. 19/00, at our workplace. It has been hard to do this, but I'm trying.

To be brief: Jan. 23/01, I was informed by my employer that I owe them for 9 days($1038.47). We have resolved this, we both agree I owe them for 2 days($230.77). Today, Jan. 28/01, I do not know, if I will ever work another day in my life, because of this medical condition. I have applied for E.I.,Sunlife,WCB, sick benefits. There is no guarantee that any of these claims will be accepted. While I'm giving my employer a chance to resolve this issue, there is no money coming in.

I have learned some cold hard truths lately. These are:
1. My employer falls under Agriculture. They are exempt from the minimum standards under the employment act in Manitoba.
2. The Human Rights Commission of Manitoba does not cover my concerns and can do nothing for me. If I can prove discrimination, they may be able to look into it.
3. My employer voluntarily began providing its employees with Workers Compensation Coverage in Manitoba, starting Oct. 1/00. WCB coverage is no fault insurance it protects both the employer and its employees from possible legal action in exchange for coverage.

I have no labour, human, or legal, rights as a Canadian citizen, living in the province of Manitoba, doing a job I love to do.

My only mistake that I made is this: I listened to my Dad. I was told by him
when I was a kid that "We can't all win the lottery, so your going to have to work for a living. Find a job you love to do, this way it won't seem like work.". Boy, he sure was wrong.

After reading this, I hope you are not going to insult my intelligence by telling
me I'm still a Canadian citizen!

Thank you,

Herman Verdonk

[HERMAN-VERDONK]

Dear Reader:

Judging by the lack of responses I received, this is a subject that doesn't matter or concern to the pig industry in Canada.

I want to point my out my concern/beef is with the government of Manitoba and government of Canada. My employer has followed all human, legal, and labour, obligations they have towards me. I only included vague work details, to show what led me to questioning if I'm still a Canadian citizen.
My intent is not to drag my employers name through the mud. The only employees that can connect this posting to my barn are the ones that still work their when this event occurred. They know what this is about. As far as everyone else is concerned, they have no way of knowing if I worked at this barn or for this company at the time of the event. Unless, other people have said so. No one has asked, nor will I even acknowledge that comment.

I have gone to my employer, to the government of Manitoba, and the government of Canada, and asked for a discussion of these issues. I have not received a response that addresses my concerns.

My hope was to start a discussion on employee/employer relations in the pig business specifically in Manitoba. I also hoped to discuss situational depression when it occurs in the workplace. How it affects the individual, co-workers, and the employer.

I do not want your support or sympathy. I do not deserve or welcome it.

Judging by your lack of response, I can see that this is not the appropriate forum to discuss this issue. For this I apologize.

Thank you,

Herman Verdonk

[edbaker]

Herman,

I feel for you, butI don't know what to say. You say that your employer told you that you could have your position reinstated when some issues got straightened out and you haven't indicated that this isn't still true.

As for Situational Depression caused by your workplace, we have no idea whether it may be possible to resolve issues there, or whether the company considers that you are solely responsible, so all the alteration of the former situation has to be on your side. You say that it was suggested that you and the employer work things out and that you are trying (possibly not too successfully).

Regardless, what might be our opinion about the situation wouldn't cut half an inch of ice, as far as resolution of the issue with the employer goes. It may help you within your own sphere.

If you feel that your counsellor wasn't very helpful, maybe you should get a second opinion.

Maybe your company feels it's a case of get your head straightened out, and come back and carry on exactly as before, I don't know.

As for employee and employer playing on an even playing field, anyone who has thought that to be the case must have been dreaming in technicolor. As I've often heard over the years, "Who ever said that life was fair?"

I've also heard that life runs by the Golden Rule: him wot's got the gold makes de rules.

Where there are powerful unions like CAW or Steelworkers, the field can come closer to being levelled, but still not perfectly so. Like I said, "Him wot has the gold ...."

Some years ago my wife and I parted and the church took a dim view of such happening to clergy, so I spent only a few years of the last more or less half of my ordinary career as a practising clergyperson.

I felt that I'd not been treated very fairly - when we were discussing some of the problems that they had with me, when I made some good points, they changed the subject, which usually leads one to think that he won that round.

Unfortunately, sometimes one can win some battles - but lose the war.

What could I do when they told me that they weren't going to agree to me being invited to be minister in another church? Not much. I've been pretty bitter for years and only recently have had much to do with them.

So I've done several other things through the latter part of my career.

I had no doubt of my validity as a person - or as a citizen.

Actually, I never realized how fortunate I was to live in a free, democratic and reasonably prosperous country until I lived for several years, just after a tough war there, in a country, where they had precious little of any of the three. Taught me a few things about life.

Though I can see a lot of faults in my country, I'm very thankful and proud to be a Canadian. But it was an accident of birth that made me such, and I owe much to those who have and are suffering in the world.

Good wishes to you, Herman. I hope that you can get things resolved with your employer. In a way that both of you can feel satisfied with over the long term. Ed Baker eddbaker@yahoo.com

[HERMAN-VERDONK]

Dear Ed:

Thanks for your response. It's nice to receive some feed back from readers of this site.

I posted "Am I still a Canadian citizen?" after I filed my WCB claim. I didn't know if anybody would respond, but I was going to submit my posting anyway. I stand behind what I say and what I have done. No matter what happens in the future, I will not change my values, principles, beliefs, etc. for any person, job, company, material possessions etc.. It's not worth it.

I do realize I'm a Canadian citizen and we do have lots to feel grateful for living in Canada. But, hey, we've got some problems here and they need to be addressed. Employees in the pig/hog industry in Canada are people to. It is my opinion that these employees should be entitled to the same rights and freedoms as all Canadians. I will not back down on this.

Again, I only included vague work details to show the events that led me to my question (Am I still a Canadian citizen?). As an employee in the Hog/Pig industry in Manitoba and for the most part, the rest of Canada, you have only 2 options:
1. Accept your employers decision at all costs, whether you agree or disagree with it
2. Seek employment elsewhere

I think this is easy to understand.

In the future, I hope my employer and myself are able to resolve our differences in an amicable fashion. Regardless of the outcome, it is a private matter. Let's be crystal clear about what this is about. My beef/concern is with the government of Manitoba and the government of Canada.

Right now, at this stage in my life, I'm not at the point where I can tell myself:
1. thats the way it is
2. theirs nothing you can do
3. I've got no choices

Maybe someday, I will be able to tell myself these things. I hope that day never comes. I say this for one reason
only: If nobody ever stood up for what they believed in and never questioned what they believed was wrong in society, everything that we know today, would never have happened! Let me tell ya, that would be one sad day indeed.

You are right, their is nothing anyone can say or do to help me out. I have to figure this one out for myself. As I do with all decisions affecting my life. I do though try to seek input from as many sources as I can. The more viewpoints I receive, in my opinion, allows me to make an informed decision.

Another personal note, from Dec. 19/00 to Feb. 2/01, I have tried to deal with: my employer, WCB, Sunlife, the government of Manitoba, the government of Canada, and the other players, myself. At the same I'm also trying to take care of myself. I realize I can't do this. Their is only 24 hours in the day. So, I decided to retain a law firm to deal with the other parties. This way I can focus in on the big picture: myself! I think this is a good deal. Let me tell ya, I have enough work to do, getting my life in order, without having to deal with these other parties.

So once again, thanks for your response. All the responses I have received, have helped restore my faith in people. As far as the hog/pig industy and my employer is concerned, the jury is still out on that one. I appreciate and welcome your response. You have given me something to think about.

Thank you,


Herman Verdonk

P.S. to the providers of this site, I wasn't going to respond to any postings, but I changed my mind, if my law firm feels it is okay, I will respond to any reader who posts a reply to my question "Am I still a Canadian citizen?" thanks,