Commissionaires, CF Announce "Return To Work Program For Wounded CF Personnel"

[The Bread Guy]

Commissionaires and the Canadian Forces (CF) today announced a new partnership designed to provide meaningful employment to CF personnel who were injured in the line of duty. The Return to Work Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Ottawa by Paul Guindon, Chairman of Commissionaires and Rear Admiral Andrew Smith, Chief Military Personnel.

“This is an excellent opportunity for our CF personnel,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. “This new initiative will provide our men and women in uniform recovering from injuries another avenue to ensure a smooth transition back to active military service or civilian life.”

The CommissionairesReturn to Work program for CF personnel is designed to assist the recovery of CF members who are ill or injured as a result of their military service. The outcome of the program is either reintegration back to their military duties in the CF, or a successful transition to a post-military career. This program equally applies to the spouses of deceased CF or Reserve personnel.

“The rehabilitation and recovery of our CF personnel is extremely important to us,” said Rear Admiral Smith. “This initiative will help give our injured CF members the opportunity to reintegrate to an active work environment and help them move forward.”

“Commissionaires is uniquely positioned to help injured military members and modern veterans get back on their feet, as it directly aligns with our social mandate,” said Paul Guindon, Chairman of Commissionaires. “Our mission is to provide fulfilling employment opportunities to CF personnel and veterans within a nurturing environment.” ....

More in news release here.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Huh.  I put an application in two years ago and heard two things:  diddley, and squat.

 

[Greymatters]

Now, now, Im sure they can find a few spots for our guys.

From my viewpoint, the problem is that to really get a person on their feet, especially a wounded CF member, it means presenting them with a physical and mental challenge for them to overcome.  A job they can be proud of where they feel they are contributing again. 

I think the sedentary and static pace of a Commisionaires job isnt quite what CF members are likely looking for - but I gues its better than nothing.  Its just a shame they have a make a big newspaper announcement about something they should have been doing all along.

 

[dogger1936]

Now, now, Im sure they can find a few spots for our guys.

From my viewpoint, the problem is that to really get a person on their feet, especially a wounded CF member, it means presenting them with a physical and mental challenge for them to overcome.  A job they can be proud of where they feel they are contributing again. 

I think the sedentary and static pace of a Commisionaires job isnt quite what CF members are likely looking for - but I gues its better than nothing.  Its just a shame they have a make a big newspaper announcement about something they should have been doing all along.

i think it's a great initative. Wha tthis will provide is positions around the country for soldiers to be close to family during the recovery peroid. I know plenty of people who were injured who can only do sedentary jobs, and many more who want a nice qiet job with little responsabilities.


All I hope is it doesnt turn into a dumping ground.

 

[MPwannabe]

I work with the Corps right now, and I'm the youngest person there by at least 15 years. I can't begin to explain how much I've learned from each of the retired CF members I work with, and it's great that a program like this is finally being implemented. However, the people with an OSI of a serious nature can't work effectively given any type of job. This program appeals to those who are still mostly okay, but need a challenge to work on and feel like they're still contributing to society.

I agree with what this program represents and I hope it helps those in need, but of all the retired CF members I work with, none of them have any problems that I've observed. That being said, the soldiers coming back from overseas now seem to be much more likely to obtain these injuries then those who served in places like Bosnia, Egypt. (Rwanda being the exception, that was a shit-show on the UN's part.)

I'm not trying to downplay those experiences in any way, it's just that I'm some 25 year old kid who has had to help his cousin try to piece his life back together after four tours, three of which were in Afghanistan. I had no idea what an OSI could do to a person until I experienced that.

 

[OldSolduer]

I'll be watching this. First I heard of it was on here.

 

[Turner]

I've been in a back to work program for a few months now. It's run from the JPSU in Winnipeg. What does this big announcement mean? Hasn't it already started?

 

[OldSolduer]

I've been in a back to work program for a few months now. It's run from the JPSU in Winnipeg. What does this big announcement mean? Hasn't it already started?

All it means is that the Corps of Commissionaires are on board with DND, offering soldiers a place to work.

 

[krustyrl]

...as it should be. !

 

[OldSolduer]

...as it should be. !

I agree. The original intent of the Corps was to put soldiers  - veterans - back to work as productive members of society.

 

[MPwannabe]

I know many members of the Corps in Kingston, Ontario and they're all retired CF and cops. I'm the only one without full-time experience, and the only reason I was hired was because I was in the Army Reserves.

 

[57Chevy]

The Commissionnaires first mandate since 1925 has always been to find meaningful employment for ex military personnel.
More information can be found here:
Commissionnaires Mandate

 

[xena]

I know many members of the Corps in Kingston, Ontario and they're all retired CF and cops.

I know many members of the Corps in British Columbia, and many (or most!) have no military or police experience at all.  Quite sad really.

It was the quality of personnel that came from military and policing backgrounds that gave the Corps it's advantage above it's competitors.  Now we're just one among many organizations employing people that don't know how to wear a uniform, shine a pair of shoes, or get a haircut...

 

[MPwannabe]

I wouldn't go as far as the shoes or haircut :S

 

[Greymatters]

The Commissionnaires first mandate since 1925 has always been to find meaningful employment for ex military personnel.
More information can be found here:
Commissionnaires Mandate

I think their mandate and hiring practices are out of synch...

 

[garb811]

The reason the Corps has had to open its doors and hire "civies" is because enough retired service pers weren't, and still aren't, applying in many locations.  Their prefered source is still retired service pers when and where available but failure to fill the positions they are contracted for would cause them to lose the contract, so they have little choice.

 

[Blind Dog]

Hahahaha...what a load of crap.  Boy did I regret the day I went the Commissionaires way.  A friend in Corp management invited me to join knowing that the highest paid positions of Peace Officer x6, was being filled.  As a Sr NCO from the combat Arms I thought this could be a fine job, $25 - $30 after a year, $17 to start.  HR offered me a position of TOW TRUCK operator.  When I pointed out their Mandate and that I knew these positions were open,  HR bent and gave me the position reluctantly.  >>mod edit to remove allegations not proven in court<<  The Commissionaires are first and foremost Client favoring.  The contract allows for the Client to have any Cmre removed from the Post for any reason.  The Commissionaires from my and others that served in this post have reported the same.  In all cases the CMRE was removed for discovering this and going to management.  I stood up as a Professional person with Integrity etc. etc.  Others working there were beaten down and oppressed just to keep their $25 job.  When I reported all of my findings they made up the word "suicidal" from a personal email to a Director where I reminded him of having PTSD, No longer in treatment and fit to occupy any job including Police.  But due to the Verbal and Physical abuse and even Sexual harassment I was receiving from NON Veteran supervision I was afraid of it triggering my PTSD.  Well guess what they used this as a way of terminating me.  When they even refused my Doctors clearance of no restrictions I saw how low they would go to protect Commissionaire supervisors and their $400 million contract.  Thankfully I retained top Lawyers who have presented a wrongful dismissal case.  I chose to bring the PTSD issue to the Media as an awareness of Corp of Commissionaire business practice with Veterans.  The response from across Canada was certainly overwhelming.

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/former-soldier-claims-ptsd-diagnosis-cost-him-his-commissionaire-job-1.1898330

 

[The Bread Guy]

Hahahaha...what a load of crap ....
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/former-soldier-claims-ptsd-diagnosis-cost-him-his-commissionaire-job-1.1898330

Blind Dog:
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Milnet.ca Staff

 

[Tibbson]

Althought I'm approaching the point in my career where I am looking for other options I'm not planning on looking at the Corps as an option.  Nothing against it, its just not where I want to go with a second career.

That having been said, I was speaking with the Provincial HR manager for the Corps recently.  He noted to me that the agreement with DND that gives them prefered status for DND contract positions was coming up again in a couple of years and the Corps was fully expecting to lose their prefered status which means we could see Pallidan Security on one Base and Allied Security on another...who ever comes in with the lowest bid for the job.  That would no doubt create a situation where many ex-CF members, PTSD/physically injured and able bkdied alike, out of a job as the Corps loses the lock on DND contracts.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

That having been said, I was speaking with the Provincial HR manager for the Corps recently.  He noted to me that the agreement with DND that gives them prefered status for DND contract positions was coming up again in a couple of years and the Corps was fully expecting to lose their prefered status which means we could see Pallidan Security on one Base and Allied Security on another...who ever comes in with the lowest bid for the job.  That would no doubt create a situation where many ex-CF members, PTSD/physically injured and able bkdied alike, out of a job as the Corps loses the lock on DND contracts.

My understanding is that the Corps contract is not with individual bases, but with DND as a whole. So, if say Paladin should win the contract they would have to provide xxxx number of personal to man ALL the positions in DND that were previously manned by commissionaires. Now, depending on what kind of pay/benefits they were offering you could see commissionaires just switching uniform, but on the other hand they could say screw you and just walk away.

Plus, there is the question of security clearances. Some positions require Secret clearances and other cases even a Top Secret clearance.

So, the question is if Company XX should win the contract, could they fill all the positions at a moments notice with properly cleared personnel?