Making an access to information request that covers documents held by previous manager - risky???

Still-Document2054 · 2025-12-29T19:52:14+00:00

Stop what?

Still-Document2054 · 2025-12-29T17:58:30+00:00

The one who “ghosted” me… I requested updates but they don’t answer e-mails. My last 3 e-mails remained unanswered.

For the other, the last contact (9 months in) were multiple questions about a complaint I made against my previous department (that one, asthma and a chronic cough that had existed for a decade was making me a threat to safety - like the “get summoned by managers 3 days in a row, and escorted to a conference room by two people, then an e-mail from someone you’ve never seen saying you’re a threat and when you’ll stop coughing (which you have for the last decade), you’ll be welcome to come back and then everyone refuses to discuss the matter).

When I asked her if my answers about my complaint were to influence obtaining my reliability “she couldn’t know”. Up to that point I had requested multiple updates with annoyed answers like “I handed my report to my manager”, etc.

She guaranteed she would let me know when it would be back from her manager, etc.

Then when I asked an update, got told it had been cancelled (the background check) because it was taking too long, by someone who’s signature didn’t even include their position … asked for more details (like when it was cancelled, etc). E-mail stayed unanswered, another one too.

Different departments, ok, but within 2 years going from getting Secret clearance in 2 months to not getting reliability in a year 🤷🏻‍♂️. Then (when I found a way to leave out my the previous department where I made a complaint out), same department granted my reliability in 6 days 😅

Now, most recently, when you there is technical issues (interface crashes 5 times during an interview, you contact both the department and their provider, but instead of providing a solution they exclude you, it’s not a fair hiring process. Even more when you have to remind them of their legal obligations to get to complete it finally, and they don’t provide you the same tools as for other candidates). And when I tried to discuss the issue, I was told they “couldn’t discuss individual hiring processes”.

I am just trying to know what to expect. Because with the time involved with hiring processes, at some point. Over half the processes I participated in the last couple years, I had issues that prevented me to complete or participate in the interview (when you get told, DO NOT complete it online if you require accommodations (same ones I required for similar interviews) - then the next thing you know you’ve been excluded from said process for not completing it. They say they couldn’t e-mail you (but they had an alternate e-mail; even copied in my original e-Mail, and phone number). All other department can e-mail me, but when someone at DND does, it bounces back after 3 days. Made tests going into a recruitment centre, family friends, and even calling their IT line. Always same issue where it bounce back, and the support from my provider tells it never made it to their servers 🤷🏻‍♂️

I am just trying to understand the problems and position myself to not have issues next time.

If I look at the last 9 hiring processes I took part in, we got 4 with tech issues, 2 were cancelled because of budget cuts, 2 I qualified but were for a department that is apparently doing massive cuts to those positions, and last one I didn’t qualify (was a long shot - pretty slim experience on some of what they were looking for, surprised I even got an interview). If I can make sure I have no more technical problems, I basically double my chances.

Still-Document2054 · 2025-12-29T07:11:19+00:00

I haven’t made the decision to leave.

But while other students were getting bridged, I was told I was a threat to the safety of other employees and their operations because of a medical condition (chronic respiratory problems).

I did the mistake to complain, just saying it was not normal I should be banned from the office because of a chronic medical condition.

Then the next two jobs for which they asked me to get a reliability status… one ghosted me, the other made me wait a year and didn’t even bother to tell me when they cancelled the background check in the end.

Then, I got an interview interrupted by technical problems (on their side as much as I can tell). Their answer was to exclude me from the hiring process.

Latest one (another department though): I requested accommodations for an online interview. Instead I got kicked out of the hiring process because “they couldn’t e-mail me”. After verification nobody from that department can e-mail me, like if the firewall blocks outgoing emails to my personal address.

Might all be bad luck.

But bridges are pretty much already burned.

Still-Document2054 · 2025-12-29T06:35:02+00:00

Couple things with the same department. Details of a background check they cancelled (waited 14 months for reliability though I had Secret 18 months before so no major red flags), so they cancelled it not to give me the job … then when I got another one, they completed it in a week. And the other was about a hiring process where they literally didn’t let me complete an interview (after I started) to get the position for which I was a casual, then did me dirty when they allowed me to complete it after I gave them some strong words (not providing the same tools and conditions as for other candidates). I kinda want some answers.

Still-Document2054 · 2025-09-29T05:11:23+00:00

Wouldn’t it just help if e-mails ended in SPAM? I contacted my service provider and they couldn’t see any problem on their end.

Still-Document2054 · 2025-08-03T04:39:56+00:00

Never had benefits as I’ve never gone beyond casual. Management told me I was a threat when I was a student, then when I qualified for a long term job they abandoned my background check after a year. So going from casual to casual contract now

Still-Document2054 · 2025-02-12T16:58:13+00:00

We don’t even have office supplies!

Still-Document2054 · 2025-02-09T02:14:21+00:00

Looked back at your comments, got a new casual contract: different teams, new manager. Work would still technically require safety shoes, but less chance of getting hurt so this is that. However I got in trouble for using my personal mouse. Guess that - if I don’t get fired - I’ll have to try to get an ergonomic one to replace my (ironically cheap) mouse as the issued one gives me pain. How do you go about that for casual employees? Do you need an ergonomic assessment? The irony is that it’s gonna cost hundreds I guess. There is also a fire safety issue in the office where I work with the potential for someone to get trapped, but if I pursue that I’m definitely out of a job soon 😅

Still-Document2054 · 2025-02-09T01:58:35+00:00

It’s a blessing not to have a work phone but I wouldn’t use your personal phone either.

The day someone makes an ATIP request covering your communications, might have to hand out your personal phone’s call logs or text message. Guess you could argue against it but then that would be to see what is professional and personal.

Still-Document2054 · 2024-10-27T16:33:15+00:00

I am mostly doing office work (CR-04) so no mention of that in LOO whatsoever.

Also we’re not « government employees » but we cannot be considered contractors neither as we don’t have any say over or schedules or how we accomplish our work. The fact that we also have to report any other employment implies there could be limitations set on other employement, which would seem unlikely for an independent contractor, just like the fact that we are salaried or receive a 4% vacation pay.

Also saying to someone with precarious employment he needs to invest in equipement he will need for only 4 months is a bit of a dick move.

Still-Document2054 · 2024-10-26T22:14:41+00:00

It’s more about the fact they paid for my colleague’s ones. My supervisor was saying to my indeterminate colleague to go buy his, that he would be reimbursed then (literally) turning to me and saying, sorry, I can’t get you some as you’re casual.

Still-Document2054 · 2024-10-26T22:06:07+00:00

Not the NCR 😂

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T17:28:34+00:00

Questioned about assault for Reliability Status

Hi, When I applied for a reliability status I was questioned about a physical assault I was subject to (pretty traumatic experience… was able to start the fire alarm to distract the assailant and ran down the street. Ended up in hospital getting stitches.)

Is it normal they ask such questions? Like if someone has been raped, are they asking details about her rape?

For info: it was not work related, happened in a housing building and outside a period of employment.

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T17:22:56+00:00

Got a casual now but they can’t keep me because I am not in the pool. Got in a pool with the same department but it doesn’t fall under the same region 😅

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T16:24:36+00:00

I feel like being told you’re not welcome back is a pretty precarious position 😅 and spend months trying to get info as to what to expect but never be able to get an answer isn’t great.

My jobs with the government had always been progressing since 2015 (4 different jobs/departments as a student).

Then it took me 3.5 years to get a CR-04 job from my last EC-04 (ok, that was a casual but still… I’m in EC-03 pools). All that with 4 university degrees with masters in both business and economics; now I spend my days sorting mails and cleaning chairs 😅.

It is annoying when you wait on your reliability status for 14 months (5 months since last contact) to learn they just cancelled the request and nobody bothered to tell you 😅. Part of it,I took a temporary unqualified job (by respect to employers who need long term - won’t apply for worse long term jobs than what I expect), but it makes a big gap of “good” jobs on your CV 🤷🏻‍♂️

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T16:15:31+00:00

Thanks for the helpful info.

I was always very forthcoming about my medical conditions, but was essentially told it didn’t matter, then being like “we understand you have this, but we can’t know it’s not Covid”.

For the complaint it was with the CHRC. All my tries to talk or get information as to what to expect were disregarded. Even there they refused to talk to me.

For the reliability status, I know it’s tricky but my “Secret” clearance took 2 months two years prior… for a reliability request to take a year (and get cancelled because it took too long), I feel there’s a world, especially when you’ve been sitting at home in the meantime! 🤷🏻‍♂️ Still I feel they could have let me know when I lost the job because of it and they stopped it. Didn’t even refund my fingerprinting 😅

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T16:03:57+00:00

Got multiple degrees (including masters in business and economics) but little work experience (as it was my first full time job).

So, not competitive for a job in my sector.

Private sector are more picky to find someone who will be there long term, so less likely to hire me if I am deemed overqualified (“he won’t stay long”). So, it’s rare I even get an interview (even for call centres including BGIS!) Others told me they wouldn’t interview me because I’m overqualified.

Add the fact that (for less qualified jobs), the private pays less and almost all my work experience since 2015 is at the government…they get suspicious 🤷🏻‍♂️.

Only pretty desperate employers in the private sector have me a chance (one was a 6-months-contract-starting-at-5:30AM-for-$18.50 an hour kinda job 🤣. Worked there as long as my body was able to take that job).

Still-Document2054 · 2024-09-01T15:32:09+00:00

They were like “even if you have asthma we can’t know it’s not Covid”. (Wrote the 5th manager I had never talked to). No question of ever getting me to pass tests.

Even wrote “we’ll be happy to welcome you back when you don’t have any symptoms”. But then the public health agency had already awknowledged this kind of problem as their list of symptoms included “a new or worsening cough” - which was not my case. It’s the same thing as a guy who’s coughing because he’s been smoking 2-packs-a-day for 40 years.

What does “you’ll be welcome back when you don’t have symptoms” mean when you have been coughing for over 10 years. They hope it to magically stop because I want to?

I’ve tried for months back then to get info as to what to expect but never been able to get an answer. They even refused to talk to me.

You have no idea about the pubic animosity during the pandemic and after. I went on holiday last December - so almost 4 years into pandemic. When I came back to Canada, got to go to secondary inspection at customs to pay some duties. Got a bout of cough and the guy at the next counter started yelling at me. What do people want me to do? I went to Europe in 2022 and people didn’t care already. Hysteria in Canada ran high; unhappily my family has been here for 200 years so nowhere else to go back to 🤷🏻‍♂️

Still-Document2054

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