Danger in the Workplace

Have you ever wondered what happened to the bully who made your life miserable in school? There is just cause to wonder what happens to these young people when they leave the school halls, locker rooms, and play grounds. Do they grow out of it? Do they see the error of their ways? Does Karma catch up with them?

While one is five Canadian youth report being bullied regularly, according to the Canada Safety Council, more than 80 percent of bullies are bosses and at any one time, 25% of the workforce is being subjected to these exhausting spirit-crushing attacks. And they have moved their aim from the weakest kid in the play ground to the most esteemed people in the organization; the ones they identify as a threat.

Those who bully have a different perspective in life and one that will never change. They don't grow out of these despicable behaviors, they find ways to improve their skills. They manipulate, deceive and evade accountability by scapegoating someone else in order to camoflauge their own shortcomings and wrongdoings.

While harassment is discrimination that involves characteristics protected by Canada’s Human Rights Act –ethnicity, religion, age, sex, family status, disability and sexual orientation, bullying is not about any of these.

According to State University of New York and Wayne State University workplace bullying is the repeated mistreatment of someone seen as a threat; using persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior through tactics like verbal, nonverbal, psychological, physical abuse and humiliation . Someone who is being bullied at work is continually criticized and subject to malicious rumors, gossip, and innuendo. Their dignity, integrity is attacked. Their competence is questioned. Their work is undermined, often represented as having been done by someone else. They receive deadlines that set the person up to fail. They are denied time off. Their privacy is invaded. They feel constantly stressed, worried, and off balance. constantly second guessing themselves. Victims of this form of violence hate going to work, gradually get sicker and sicker and often suffer from a whole range of psychological and physical symptoms: from insomnia to exhaustion, from irritability to depression, from concentration difficulties to panic attacks- or even to heart attacks. Most suffer a degree of post traumatic stress disorder. Most end up leaving a job they used to love, some try to endure it until they become gravely ill, and a few end their lives.

It has been thirteen years since the International Labour Organization reported that physical and emotional violence are becoming some of the biggest issues facing employees. 

According to a 2006 report issued by the International Labour Organization, abuse in the workplace has reached epidemic levels in some countries and is taking a major toll on their economies, due to increased absenteeism and sick leave. The I.N.L. reports there is a loss of employment amounting to $19 billion and a drop in productivity of $3 billion due to workplace bullying.

In fact it is such a big issue and one that is not covered under any Human Rights legislation that the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec have passed laws that address workplace harassment. In Ontario, jail time is an option.

And if you thought workplace bullying was bad, the psychological terror of "mobbing" in the workplace is even worse and just as common. Dr. Heinz Leymann, a psychologist and medical scientist, pioneered the research about this workplace issue in Sweden in the early 80ties. He identified the behavior as mobbing and described it as "hostile and unethical communication directed in a systematic way by one or a few individuals mainly towards one individual." Leymann identified some 45 typical mobbing behaviors such as withholding information, isolation, badmouthing, constant criticism, circulation of unfounded rumors, ridicule, yelling, and unfounded disciplinary action backed up by the group of "lieutenants" who are willing to assist the primary bully in these attacks.

Quebec recently became the only jurisdiction in North America to adopt specific anti-mobbing legislation. Where traditional workplace bullying usually involves a dysfunctional relationship between two co-workers, or an employee and the boss, mobbing is the conscious, relentless persecution of one employee by a group. Mobbing starts with one or two perpetrators, then spreads like wildfire through an organization, verbally or electronically.

Mobbing has not only become a household word in Scandinavia and in German-speaking countries but several countries have enacted new proactive and protective occupational safety laws, including emotional well-being on the job, to address the mobbing behavior legally. For example, in 1993 the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health has adopted an Ordinance Concerning Victimization at Work. In addition, new organizations have been created to help victims of mobbing all across Europe, and Australia. Measures have been initiated in a relatively brief time period to deal with mobbing behaviors, help mobbing victims and help prevent further mobbing from occurring. For example, telephone hot lines have been installed and agencies for receiving counseling or advice have been created just for this issue. Why? Because workplace bullying and mobbing costs money in lost time, in health services, and in some cases, loss of life. Just because people leave the situation, the mobbing continues with the bullies destroying reputations, portraying their victims as the ones at fault, and while this could be cause for legal action, the person is too damaged to pursue justice.

Workplace aggression in British Columbia, however, isn’t illegal and victims must fend for themselves. But there is some hope in a provincial organization called Bully Free BC, started by former Liberal MLA Lorne Mayencourt in 2007 and is now supported by many individuals and organizations, including the BC Human Rights Coalition.The organizations’ efforts have so far yielded a $15,000 grant from the Law Foundation of BC, the creation of a draft legislative framework, and a province-wide petition for Workplace Bullying Law Reform to address the problem directly. We will hear more about this in 2012.

It is not just young lives that are bullied to death. Law Reform comes too late though, for mammographer Jodie Zebell, 31, managing editor Kevin Morrisey, 52, military veteran and manager Marlene Braun, 50, Waitress Brodie Panlock, 19, Gym Teacher Mary Thornson, 32, Bus Driver Carl Dessureault 44, Nurse Margaret Gettins, 50, Chef in training Stuart McGregor, 18, Dock Worker Omar Thornton, 30 who took out the five bullies in the mob before taking his own life. 

There is no just cause for such a waste.

Don't you be MY neighbour!

_{There is just cause to suggest that we are not living in Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.}

_{Recently it was reported that prejudice on a fairly significant scale exists in Campbell River against people who rent. This “don’t you be my neighbor” mentality is reportedly supported by council who dropped a rezoning application (but still pocketed the $2700.00 application fee) without exercising due process and flying in the face of their own community plan.}

_{Why does anyone equate a renter with being a sub-standard individual? Why is it assumed that renters will being down the “form and character” of an established neighbourhood as assumed by Councilor Roy Grant? Why would the mistaken belief that is was a duplex application give the public the “wrong impression” Mr. Grant? Why do the residents of South McLean area think that renters are synonymous with noise, traffic, drug dealing and decreased property values?}

_{Of course, in the suburbs of Campbell River, a dealer or a grow-op owner or a meth lab owner would never ever own a home, such people are only renters, right? Everyone knows renters are more inclined to crime, loud parties and shady lifestyles.  Or so our sensitivities dictate.}

_{These people insist that housing values will decrease because renters have no pride or vested interest in where they live. I do agree some people have no pride but that is not a product of being a renter it is a product of not having pride and respect.}

_{This situation does not support the “neighborhood diversity and healthy communities” of our city plan, this is blatant discrimination and constitutes an unfair intervention into the housing market to limit access for one particular group of people.}

_{In our current economy many houses aren’t selling and as more people don’t have the credit to buy houses, more families are renting in neighbourhoods that normally wouldn’t have renters. How are the “renters” are being treated by the neighbours? Do homeowners take the time to get to know them? Do homeowners invite them to the neighbourhood events?  Or do they just shun them; students, young couples starting out, people who have lost jobs, ended marriages, run out of employment insurance, lost their homes, work for minimum wages, or find themselves on income assistance. Is there no “zone” for them in our Official Community Plan except at the back end of the community?}

_{I bet some of these “renters” do everything they can to enhance their income. They probably collect bottles and other recyclables so they can pay their rent and eat, buy prescription medications or pay their hydro bills. It is apparently not such a beautiful day in the neighbourhood when these “scavengers” are lurking around the community recycling bins. Someone complained that she didn’t feel safe getting out of her car and had to go to the landfill instead. She wants them fined. The problem is they wouldn’t be able to pay it unless they had access to bottles! All of these scavengers are poor. They are single disabled people getting up to $375.00 a month to rent and $531.00 a month to pay for everything else. They are single parents with a couple of kids who are collecting up to $660.00 for rent and $376.00 for everything else. They are students trying to work it out on a student loan. They are full time service workers whose minimum wage pay cheques are $640.00 before deductions. They have children who are suffering from the highest poverty rate in Canada and constitute over 50% of food bank use.  Sitting on a pail outside a recycling bin is humiliating as is waiting around with a shopping cart. A sign saying “No Scavenging” is not going to deter someone who needs their diabetic supplies or to feed their children. They are not boogey-men. They are poor men, and women, who would just really appreciate you giving them your bottles and not judging them because they are not like you. What needs to go into the landfill is your bigotry and attitudes, not your recyclables.}

_{In Mister Rogers neighbourhood you don't have to look like everybody else and be like everybody else to be acceptable and to feel acceptable. (Fred Rogers). I wish, we, as neighbours, could live with such authenticity, wisdom and kindness.}

Hypocrisy Task Force?

So here we have it, reported in both papers recently.

There was a great deal of donations to support a dog show, tireless radio coverage of amateur sports, support for blood donor clinics, special Olympics, cops for cancer, money for an environmental project, art appreciation day, heritage day, family fun day, all overshadowed by the total obliteration of hope for the homeless and working poor of Campbell River and a  big slap in the face to the founders of Hope Outreach Society.

This is all thanks to the not-in-my backyard attitudes and the lets-have-another-coalition driven city hall.

There is just cause to suggest that the City of Campbell River and many of the citizens here don’t turn their backs on show dogs, sports, mental handicaps, cancer, the environment or families.

But they certainly have no time for, say, the dogs of homeless people, the environment where people live in tents and under tarps, the poor kid who cannot eat three meals a day so certainly cannot afford sports equipment,  the malnourished anemic minimum wage worker who has to miss work and therefore misses earning his rent money, the high percentage of marginalized people with mental conditions who did not have supportive families or coaches, or the people on welfare or disability pensions who are fighting cancer.

Hope Outreach offered just that; hope beyond conventional limits due to years of failed policies and whacky priorities by “leaders” who make decisions about these issues by chronically appointing task forces that take agency workers out of their offices to attend expensive and endless workshops. Those workers then come up with strategies for problems in this area but don’t want to see it out their windows or near their businesses.

Who are these people? How did they end up homeless?

Why aren’t they staying in a shelter?

How can they be employed and hungry and homeless?

What obstacles are preventing them from getting off the streets and into housing?

These are the questions we really need to learn the answers to and you do that by hanging out with the Hope Outreach Society on site, not sitting in a conference room jacking up an expense account.

Why is the City of Campbell River spending money – a significant amount of money – task forcing and work-shopping the issue to death?

Shame on us for politicizing homelessness, shame on us for not facilitating hope that food, clothing and emotional support can and will be provided out of a van run by two older Christian women from a consistent location while you are all in your workshops talking about it.

The little green van with the yellow cross and the big word “Hope” has been run out of your neighborhood.

Maybe the next workshop for our “Homeless Task Force” should be about the hypocrisy of it all.

Comfy Pants - Uncomfortable in life.

So it appears I disgruntled a loose waisted wedgie-ridden wiggly bitted reader in response to the thorns distributed by the Fashion Police last week in the Courier. (It is posted on my last blog entry.)

 He wrote:

"Dear Ms. Fashion Police for June 17th. Your poor attempt at humor lost most readers. You are right we are not Paris. Never will be. Where do get off telling who to wear what? This town of Campbell River is a laid  back town of country living. I think people wear what they choose out of comfort. I feel sorry that your life is just one big dress rehearsal. For many of us it is not. We use our money to support and raise families. Not on over prices clothing for your viewing pleasure. Vanity is a sin."

Signed Comfy pants in Comfy River

Well now! He told me! Being one who cannot back away when "stercus accidit" I have sent roses to this chunky monkey.

To comfy pants


I think the fashion police were trying to ask people to have more respect for themselves and others and no where did I read that they told you what to wear, but what NOT to wear. I too have witnessed embarrassing attempts by people to be "comfy" and it can be horrifying. The latest was a person using their bum cleavage to hold a cell phone. I don't think it takes the over priced clothing you assumed it would to be decent and respectable and I think your assessment that the humor of the rant was lost on most people is about as wrong as probably your comfy pants are. I think you need some roses to mellow out and not be so defensive. While you use your money to support and raise your family the fashion police just want some proper fitting clothing and the use of underwear to be included in your budget. Vanity might be a sin but so is indecent exposure.

Back up to the Fashion Police


WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?? I read the Roses and Thorns weekly and more and more it is becoming not just an arena for the discontents but a slippery slope into meanness, spitefulness and maliciousness. Aside from the nice roses of thanks to people for doing the right thing (becaus these days we have to praise that as being unusual and unexpected) people are thorning grieving pet owners and turning their tragedy into a rant about leashes and dog poo and training cats to come when they are called!  As for Mister Comfy Pants, go find your horn rimmed glasses (you are probably sitting on them) and re read the initial submission from the Fashion Police, you got in wrong on all counts. You  now have the right to remain silent. Please do!

Roses or Thorns?

Thorns   Crocs full of thorns to the crimes of fashion being committed in our community. Now I realize we are not Paris or London and we don't expect Shoppers Row to be navigated with Gucci stilettos or men in Armani, but seriously Campbell Riverites, one of you almost caused a car accident the other day when your skirt blew up in the wind and your lack of underwear took my mind away from the road. Just what would I have told ICBC? Swerved for full moon? Rear ender caused by rear end? Now this skirt flipping might work for Marilyn Monroe but she doesn't live here! We don't need to see suspender leggings, underwear worn as outerwear, skinny jeans when you are not, sweat pants with writing on the bottom (note to wearer, letters disappear!) and t-shirts with rudery written on them. (Although the "drunk chicks think I'm hot" was probably an honest reflection.) We don't want to see pants that would make a plumber blush, pajamas in the grocery store, flip flops with dirty feet flip flopping, boxers impersonating Bermuda shorts paired with a white t-shirt that makes you look like you are walking down the hall at 3 a.m. to get a glass of milk rather than shopping at a public market. Where is your wife? Keep your tailbone tattoos for family viewing, and speedos for a funny Halloween prank. Men please do not go commando with grey sweats despite how comfortable that might be for YOU, and women don't cut off your jean skirts any further. Finally, please, please PLEASE if you have a belly wear a t-shirt long enough to keep it from peaking out at us. We might be the Salmon Capital of the World but we should refrain from baiting the fashion police with your wiggly bits! Arrests are imminent!

Don't ask Don't Tell!!

My mother babysits for me during the day when I am at work. This morning she called to tell me she was going to be late because she had lost her dentures. She said she doesn't take them out when she sleeps (for the same reason I no longer sleep naked!) but they must have popped out while she was in the land of nod. She sleeps with her husband who is almost 80 years old and a temper to match Genghis Khan. I giggled when I imagined a similar scenario to the infamous cartoon of the fat woman looking for her lost puppy (for those who haven't seen it, go to) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QznghF5j7Yc/TIDx8D5Y0QI/AAAAAAAABvU/F3TYZiONJ6c/s1600/funny-dog-cartoon-lost-puppy.jpg.

For a chuckle, insert dentures in to the bottom of grumpy old man. Worse yet, you don't really want to see her smiling anymore after they have been located!

My mother loses a lot of things in bed. (OK that didn't quite sound right.) When she was first dating Vlad the Impaler ( I enjoy sticking cute little nicknames on curmudegeonly Cliff) she was much younger and on hormone replacement therapy. For those of you not familiar with the medication involved, it comes in sticky patches that are applied to your abdomen or bottom. They produce estrogen through your skin. She woke up one morning to see the patch stuck to Vlad, and momentarily wondered if it might make him nicer, you know, all those women's hormones, but in the end decided to rip it off along with some thigh hair she hadn't counted on, waking him up with a start. My mother did what any sane woman would do. Collapsed onto her pillow and pretended to be asleep the whole time while maintaining a death grip on the feminine product. Mr. Tough, the Man of all Men, the one whose testosterone defines who he is and what his mood is going to be like, was probably only concerned that it had looked like he was trying to shave his upper leg. He would have kept that to himself. Along with a few milograms of estrogen therapy.

In the end my mother showed up to the house to babysit, teeth in place, no mention of where she found them. Since they both sleep au natural, it cannot be good.

Near Death Experiences

I have had a couple of real near death experiences. One when I was in the ICU I actually crashed and Eliza was looking over me as my eyes drifted to the ceiling. What she didn't know was that I was looking at my parents, who looked the same as they did when they passed, wearing the same embarrassing outfits that always made me walk ten paces ahead of them when we were out (funny how teen age angst is carried over 30 years) and traveling inside the eye of an elephant (you can't make this up and NO I was not dying from an LSD overdose!) It was like a capsule and I was trying to get in and pretty annoyed that they would not open the door. The next thing I knew I was "back" with a central line in my chest and several people fussing over me, feeling like crap. I often think about that experience and since then have had a new found appreciation for the elephant. In art (see Gregory Colbert's collection called "Ashes and Snow") and tell me you are not moved by the talent and the beauty, and in folklore, as apparently, funny enough, elephants are a symbol of overcoming death.
The next near death experience I had was last night. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. from a sound sleep with Criminal Minds re-runs playing on the TV I forgot to turn off, having an asthma attack. There is nothing worse than having one of these sneak up on you in a dead sleep because you go from open mouthed drooling slumber (or so I have been told from some insolent bedfellows) to feeling like you are being strangled and drowned all at the same time. You cannot breath in, you cannot breath out, its like somebody has popped a wine cork down your trachea . Where are visions of elephants when you need them? I was sure this was "it" this time although I have suffered from this before. Only now it was lasting well into a minute and my lips were turning blue and I was starting to panic. It's the panic that will kill and asthma sufferer faster than lack of oxygen will. Panic because you think the next time you try to inhale you will get a bit of air in and you don't. The panic that you realize you decided to sleep naked and now your kids are going to find you dead and rigored in most likely an unladylike position on the floor after the dogs have given you a good sniff over. The panic because now you're pissed off at yourself for worrying about all those things you worried about that day, that really don't matter at all when you are about to hitch a ride on that elephant!
Obviously I lived to tell about it but not without spending the rest of the night awake because I was afraid to go to sleep again and have that happen. Sometimes larygospasms come in twos. So I got on facebook and talked to my friend who was having lunch in Budapest, checked my online bank balance and only got a  little short of breath, and put on a nighshirt just in case.
Morale of the story is: Don't sleep naked and hope that if you see the elephant he won't let you on his back.