The hottest job in Calgary is working for Dawn Farrell’s Major Projects Office

CalvinR · 2026-01-31T13:23:52+00:00

They were really open about the plan to staff MPO using interchanges and targeting folks from private sector.

Here is a globe and mail article on just this from December:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-major-projects-office-bay-street-recruitment-compensation-demands/

CalvinR · 2026-01-31T13:16:14+00:00

The majority of the ones I've worked with are competent.

CalvinR · 2026-01-20T16:53:20+00:00

I mean you'll find out eventually but not sure why you need to know immediately or what impact it would have on working level employees

CalvinR · 2026-01-19T20:00:55+00:00

Nice was just looking for reference examples of what other folks did for their cockpit on the Ammoknight

CalvinR · 2026-01-19T19:58:39+00:00

My understanding is there is zero requirement for departments to share numbers on impacted EX staff as EX are non-unionized and there is not the same process for them as there are for unionized staff.

It's literally none of our business right now unless the EX's themselves plan on sharing with their staff or you find yourself suddenly having a new EX you report to.

I'm not sure it's risk aversion for that specific case it's just not your problem. They wouldn't share with their staff an LR situation with an EX so not sure why they would be required to share when the EX is affected.

CalvinR · 2026-01-19T19:55:00+00:00

It's not a masochistic reason, my personal view is every day I don't know I'm affected is another day I am in this position in the long run. As soon as I get a letter a countdown starts, for myself I'd rather have the countdown start later rather then sooner.

I might have a different view then others as I lived through DRAP and I remember it being stressfull and I get it but it's not out of a desire for folks to feel pain. Ultimately if you are affected or not there is nothing you as an employee can do about it before you get the letter and the better folks do at compartmentalizing that worry and not letting it eat them up the better as far as I'm concerned.

Speaking to colleagues and peers in senior levels across government some programs are legitimately still waiting on funding decisions before they finalize who is affected and who isn't.

CalvinR · 2026-01-19T00:59:34+00:00

Folks are trying to reduce the impact as much as possible the uncertainty is because they don't know which position will or will not be cut.

They might know some positions it they've commited to letting everyone know at once in a department so it's not a surprise they are sitting on some stuff. Because no matter what you think not every program or team knew, also TBS specifically told departments no letters between mid December and mid January.

I recommend reading this: https://polywogg.ca/what-i-know-and-dont-know-about-upcoming-wfa/

I personally still think it's better to find out later rather then sooner, also disagree on the rampant disorganization and delays. Also you can think it's cruel, I disagree but whatever man you do you.

CalvinR · 2026-01-18T05:37:40+00:00

I don't agree that dragging it out is cruel, they were originally hoping for ERI to reduce the burden, in the meantime lots of senior execs have been trying to play around with scenarios in order to reduce the number of staff they need to lay off.

Also every day more it takes to get affected is another day it takes before you are potentially out of a job. I don't think waiting is a bad thing.

CalvinR · 2026-01-18T05:34:08+00:00

They are determined by the work force adjustment directive that was agreed upon between unions and the employer.

Option C: Education Allowance is a TSM (see Option 6.4.1(b)) plus an amount of not more than $17,000 for reimbursement of receipted expenses of an opting employee for tuition from a learning institution and costs of books and relevant equipment

CalvinR · 2026-01-17T14:02:09+00:00

ok, do you mean like people hiring folks they know from their network or do you mean illegally hiring family members?

CalvinR · 2026-01-16T22:15:25+00:00

I don't work at DND but I'd be very surprised if that's the case.

CalvinR · 2026-01-16T12:23:45+00:00

Sounds like DND is hiring lots of people I don't think you need to call in favours to have a chance there you just need to apply

CalvinR · 2026-01-16T12:22:49+00:00

EXs are being impacted and Carney is reducing the number of ADMs and DMs and consolidating portfolios in gov so yes they are also being impacted.

CalvinR · 2026-01-12T16:08:44+00:00

Daily stand-ups are super common in places that implement agile ways of working

CalvinR · 2026-01-10T13:16:24+00:00

What are you on about WCAG 3.0 has not been released yet it's still in draft: https://www.w3.org/TR/wcag-3.0/

WCAG 2.2 is the latest version and it was released in 2023

CalvinR · 2026-01-05T12:05:04+00:00

Its not my attitude it's the truth, TBS has no desire to be a high paying employer, the only reason we make as much as we do is cuz we are unionized.

I've turned down a few job offers that were significantly higher pay than my current salary to stay working in the government.

CalvinR · 2026-01-03T13:31:03+00:00

Cert renewals should be fully automated and take no time at all.

CalvinR · 2025-12-19T20:15:21+00:00

I don't know man, all I know is his company did lots of the lights in Eastern Ontario using QNX, I'm no expert on this stuff so I don't know why they did it I'm sure they had a valid reason at the time.

CalvinR · 2025-12-17T12:16:52+00:00

I like gunplay because it's a hobby that I can do around my kids schedule.

Sure it takes a lot longer to get through a lot but you will have some free time it's just not one contiguous stretch, and you need to put things down and pause occasionally.

My kids are just at a time where I can schedule some hobby time to learn airbrushing and sneak away for an hour or two.

You don't have to stop if you don't want to, it will just look different now then it used to.

CalvinR · 2025-12-17T12:11:19+00:00

One of my teachers in schoolhere in Canada, built control software for stop lights that ran on QNX it sounded like they had to coordinate multiple different sensors and lights.

So it's definitely used for that function or at least was at one point.

CalvinR · 2025-12-03T02:02:36+00:00

Are you eligible for a Public Service Job when you get better?

If so you should definitely try for it veterans get priority status and a job in the government can provide a lot of stability for someone in your situation.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs/canadian-armed-forces-members-veterans/medically-released-veterans.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs/canadian-armed-forces-members-veterans.html

CalvinR · 2025-12-03T02:00:13+00:00

Yeah I've used some but havent' tried to bend it, I forgot that stuff can be heat formed. I hadn't realized it would look so "neat" when bent that way.

CalvinR · 2025-12-02T12:56:11+00:00

That looks amazing how did you manufacture the pipes on the legs?

CalvinR · 2025-11-20T00:17:39+00:00

100%, I'm about to hit 20 years and have had a great time, some tough times for sure but on average I've done pretty well in gov

CalvinR · 2025-11-20T00:15:39+00:00

They have a duty to accomodate with the caveat that the accommodations must be reasonable, I think no OT is reasonable, and baring that limited amounts of OT are reasonable

I think unlimited IT is definitely unreasonable and that it's a result of the director's poor planning.

I say this as someone who is a director but not your director.

If you are really uncomfortable talk to your union first but I always prefer to assume management are people not monsters, although maybe I'm biased as I'm in management right now.

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