News Release
Poll Reveals Canadian “Obligation” to Ensure Jobs for our Veterans
Commissionaires survey sheds light on “new Canadian veteran”
November 10, 2008, Ottawa ON - Nearly 90 per cent of Canadians (89 per cent) believe we have an obligation to ensure our veterans find meaningful employment after they’ve finished their service in the Canadian Forces, according to a poll conducted for Commissionaires by Nanos Research. The survey also revealed that 88 per cent of Canadians believe that reservists serving their country should have their civilian jobs protected while they are on duty with the Canadian Forces. Currently, a patchwork of provincial policies means that only some reservists’ civilian jobs are protected.
“Some Canadians hold the dated view of veterans as aging heroes from the Second World War. But in reality, we have thousands of “new veterans” in their twenties and thirties who have served with distinction here and abroad, and have retired from the Canadian Forces (CF). They deserve a place in the workforce,” noted Paul Guindon, the Chairman of Commissionaires National Business Management Committee. “True to Commissionaires’ mandate, we’re recruiting many new veterans and non-veterans to fill jobs we have available right now.”
Commissionaires, an organization established in 1925 to provide meaningful employment for Canadian veterans returning from war, released the survey on Remembrance Day to focus public attention not just on our soldiers’ past sacrifices, but also on our national obligation to help veterans make the transition to civilian life. For more than 80 years, Commissionaires has been employing veterans in a broad range of civilian roles. “Commissionaires is currently recruiting for a number of open positions across the country in security, digital fingerprinting services, bylaw enforcement, security consulting and training,” states Doug Briscoe, Executive Director, Commissionaires. “As well, Commissionaires not only provides employment for veterans of the CF and RCMP but also the members of the CF Reserves. It has been our standing policy to keep reservists’ jobs open when they are away serving their country. In fact, Commissionaires will also work to the greatest extent possible to hire any reservist who returns without the security of a job.”
The poll also showed that slightly more than 66 per cent of Canadians imagine someone over 40 when they think of the term “war veteran” while less than 25 per cent think of someone in their twenties or thirties. With the Canadian Forces now active in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, it is timely to begin to reorient Canadians’ perceptions of veterans.
See regional survey results for Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
The national random telephone survey of 1,000 Canadians was conducted by Nanos Research between August 20th and August 27th, 2008. A sample of 1,000 Canadians has a margin of accuracy of plus or minus 3.1 percent, 19 times out of 20.
“Canadians clearly feel strongly about the need to support our troops when their service in the forces draws to a close,” commented Nik Nanos, founder of Nanos Research.
About Commissionaires
Commissionaires was founded to provide meaningful employment for former Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel. The organization has long been recognized as Canada’s premier security provider, protecting people and property for public and private sector clients from coast to coast. While employing leading-edge technology in delivering security services, Commissionaires has remained true to its roots by providing employment to those making the transition to civilian life after active service in the military and police forces. Commissionaires’ services and security solutions include: security guarding, enforcement, identification services, training and security consulting. The integrity, strong work ethic, proven skills and discipline of Commissionaires give clients confidence and security everyday, everywhere.
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For more information, please contact:
Doug Briscoe
Commissionaires
T 613 688 0711
C 613 240 4735
executivedirector@commissionaires.ca
Donna D’Arcy
Commissionaires
T 416 364 4496 E444
C 416 458 0276
ddarcy@commissionaires.ca
Terry Fallis
Thornley Fallis Communications
T 416 515 7517 E222
C 416 414 6630
fallis@thornleyfallis.com
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