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BC - The Marijuana party's Shuswap candidate believes he lost his job because of his election attempt.
But the company president vehemently denied that accusation.
Chris Emery says he was shocked when he received a letter from the president of Nexterra Energy Corp. on the day before the May 17 provincial vote, informing him he was terminated.
"It's the only negative thing in the election campaign, but it's a huge negative thing," said the part-time musician and father of two kids aged eight and 11.
On May 16, Emery went to work at Nexterra's Kamloops operation, where he had been the lead operator since the plant opened a year-and-a-half ago.
"We had an unexpected visit from our chief engineer. He's my boss. When the first opportunity we had to be alone, he called me aside and said he wanted to talk to the Marijuana Guy," Emery said from his Blind Bay home.
"He didn't really say much. He handed me a letter from the president of the company."
That letter from Jonathan Rhone at Vancouver head office informed Emery he no longer worked for the energy company.
"My employment was being terminated without cause," he said. "As of the ink drying on that page, I no longer was employed. I no longer had benefits. My medical coverage ceased at noon that day. I didn't think they'd do something like that."
Emery said Nexterra officials gave him no warnings or any kind of negative response about his decision to run for the Marijuana Party.
"Just over two weeks before that, I got a letter of praise from the president of the company and a very generous gift," he said.
"My performance at work wasn't an issue. My performance in the campaign wasn't an issue until the last day."
Company president Jonathan Rhone said in retrospect, the timing was bad. He was adamant that Emery's job loss had nothing to do with politics.
"It's nothing to do with his candidacy whatsoever," he said. "This is really a non-issue. We've made some changes in the company and he's been terminated without cause."
Emery said he checked with his chief engineer before making his political leap.
"There was an opportunity there if that was going to be a conflict or there was a problem with it. I was completely transparent. I gave them full disclosure of my intention to run before legally entering the election," he said.
"I never used the company name or caused them embarrassment. And there was only one abbreviated work day with the senior engineer's approval," he said, referring to a half day he took off to attend an all-candidates' forum at a seniors' home in Salmon Arm.
"Never did I use pot or allow it to be used by anyone while I was managing the pilot plant in Kamloops."
As B.C. residents were casting their ballots on May 17, Emery was drafting a letter to Rhone raising those points. He sent it via registered mail the following day.
"It's all fun and games until somebody loses a job," quipped Emery, who became known as the quick-witted comic relief during the Shuswap campaign.
"My whim here in the campaign was to make my case to the public and to the candidates for ending prohibition."
Emery said he's had no response yet from the company, though Rhone said a reply was sent via registered mail.
The Nexterra president said Emery has been told his politics were not the reason behind his dismissal.
"Absolutely not. We've indicated. He's asked us that and we've indicated that. It's nothing whatsoever to do with his candidacy," said Rhone. "It was not an issue at all. I am emphatic about that, because it's not an issue."
Emery has a lawyer through the party and is looking at suing Nexterra.
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Kamloops Daily News
Contact: kamloopsnews@telus.net
Website: Kamloops Daily News
But the company president vehemently denied that accusation.
Chris Emery says he was shocked when he received a letter from the president of Nexterra Energy Corp. on the day before the May 17 provincial vote, informing him he was terminated.
"It's the only negative thing in the election campaign, but it's a huge negative thing," said the part-time musician and father of two kids aged eight and 11.
On May 16, Emery went to work at Nexterra's Kamloops operation, where he had been the lead operator since the plant opened a year-and-a-half ago.
"We had an unexpected visit from our chief engineer. He's my boss. When the first opportunity we had to be alone, he called me aside and said he wanted to talk to the Marijuana Guy," Emery said from his Blind Bay home.
"He didn't really say much. He handed me a letter from the president of the company."
That letter from Jonathan Rhone at Vancouver head office informed Emery he no longer worked for the energy company.
"My employment was being terminated without cause," he said. "As of the ink drying on that page, I no longer was employed. I no longer had benefits. My medical coverage ceased at noon that day. I didn't think they'd do something like that."
Emery said Nexterra officials gave him no warnings or any kind of negative response about his decision to run for the Marijuana Party.
"Just over two weeks before that, I got a letter of praise from the president of the company and a very generous gift," he said.
"My performance at work wasn't an issue. My performance in the campaign wasn't an issue until the last day."
Company president Jonathan Rhone said in retrospect, the timing was bad. He was adamant that Emery's job loss had nothing to do with politics.
"It's nothing to do with his candidacy whatsoever," he said. "This is really a non-issue. We've made some changes in the company and he's been terminated without cause."
Emery said he checked with his chief engineer before making his political leap.
"There was an opportunity there if that was going to be a conflict or there was a problem with it. I was completely transparent. I gave them full disclosure of my intention to run before legally entering the election," he said.
"I never used the company name or caused them embarrassment. And there was only one abbreviated work day with the senior engineer's approval," he said, referring to a half day he took off to attend an all-candidates' forum at a seniors' home in Salmon Arm.
"Never did I use pot or allow it to be used by anyone while I was managing the pilot plant in Kamloops."
As B.C. residents were casting their ballots on May 17, Emery was drafting a letter to Rhone raising those points. He sent it via registered mail the following day.
"It's all fun and games until somebody loses a job," quipped Emery, who became known as the quick-witted comic relief during the Shuswap campaign.
"My whim here in the campaign was to make my case to the public and to the candidates for ending prohibition."
Emery said he's had no response yet from the company, though Rhone said a reply was sent via registered mail.
The Nexterra president said Emery has been told his politics were not the reason behind his dismissal.
"Absolutely not. We've indicated. He's asked us that and we've indicated that. It's nothing whatsoever to do with his candidacy," said Rhone. "It was not an issue at all. I am emphatic about that, because it's not an issue."
Emery has a lawyer through the party and is looking at suing Nexterra.
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Kamloops Daily News
Contact: kamloopsnews@telus.net
Website: Kamloops Daily News
