Ex-pilot looking for work...

[JimLyn]

Hi...

I'm intelligent, experienced, medically retired, aged 52, can't pass the pilot medical (one eye is just below standard) but in generally excellent health.

13,000 hours, held an ALTP, flew Islanders, Twotters, Dash-8s, held Secretary position of Association for 8 years, so have some admin experience.

Completed Programmer/Systems Analysis Diploma program, and am currently self-employed as a webmaster/web designer.

Desperately looking for useful work on the ground back in aviation, willing and able to relocate. Willing to take on Operations and/or admin functions, to start at the bottom again, and to learn whatever is required. Also interested in accident investigation and technical matters.

Able to work in Canada and the UK - preference is for the UK - no further documentation required. Willing to do telephone interview or attend in person.

If you can help, drop me a line and I can provide aviation and/or IT resumes by fax or email.

Thanks in advance...

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by JimLyn (edited 21 May 2001).]

[a320guy]

Jim,
have you considered Transport Canada. Last I heard they may be recruiting inspectors later this year. At one time, I was considering this as an alternative to what has been a rather frustrating aviation career.
Try contacting Doug Matthews (905) 676-3135
[email protected]

Good luck!
A.

[JimLyn]

Been there, done that. Transport Canada want all current ALTP pilots... which I am no longer.

I even thought of doing the Accident Investigation course in the US at my own expense, but finances are running low and I can no longer justify taking a chance on that luxury.

I have been through this job mill for six years now (I don't qualify for the dole here) and Canada is becoming too expensive to live in and too hard to get a job of any kind. Even fairly basic jobs now at a decent level require a Degree of some kind plus at least a year of experience.

HR Departments in Canada seem to be totally divorced from reality in specifying job requirements, but somehow they seem to be getting the people.

If I can't get a job in Canada my next choice really is the UK, where knowledge, experience and a personal contact still seems to be more valuable than the truckload of fake paper cerificates you can dump at an employer's door as a resume.

I do thank you for the suggestion, though. Any and all contributions are much appreciated.

Jim Lynch

[penguin]

Jim: Try this out. Good luck!

CORPORATE AIRCRAFT SALES - SOUTHERN ONTARIO

The V Kelner Group of Thunder Bay is Canada's exclusive distributor for the Pilatus PC12 Turbo Prop and Sino Swearingen SJ30 Business Jet.

If you have an extensive commercial or corporate aviation background and feel you could apply that experience successfully into a career in corporate aircraft sales we may have an opportunity for you.

The successful candidate will have the initiative to work completely independent throughout the Southern Ontario market and will be responsible for generating qualified corporate leads and will possess the aviation background and experience to talk comfortably with corporate leaders and chief pilots on the benefits of corporate aviation.

For more information, fax, write or email

Human Resources
V Kelner Group
201 Kelner Place
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7E 6V3

Fax: 807-474-5324

E-mail: [email protected]

[JimLyn]

Thanks much, penguin...

I'll make contact on Tuesday morning as soon as the Victoria Day weekend clears.

Much appreciated - I'll let you know how it goes here.

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[JimLyn]

A big thank you to the five people who wrote direct and offered help. I will be following up on all suggestions.

Because there are few replies here does not mean few people is helping... and I need all the help I can get.

So if you come across anything an experienced ex-pilot has the skills for - in or out of aviation - your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Skills:
Administration (Secty of LIALPA for 8 years)
Technical (Founded Assn Tech & Safety Committee)
Internet (Currently webmaster/web designer and computer consultant)
Text & Graphics (Created airline PLOGs, speed cards, airfield manuals, 16-page newsletter)
Office skills (Office suite, database software, list too long)
Travel (as a former airline pilot... are you kidding?)
Willing to start at the bottom, willing to learn, take courses.
Likeable, team and/or solo player, workaholic ready for creativity, authority, responsibility.
Much, much more.

Resume in text or Word 2.0 format available on request.

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[pigboat]

Jim, have you tried Flight Safety? I heard thy were looking for instructors at the facility in YZ.
Also, you might wanta take a gander at CAE in UL. I hear they're setting up their own contract sim department for heavy iron in the near fuure.
Good luck.

[JimLyn]

Been there, done that too (Jeez, no TShirt this time).

My airline started using the FS facilities for ab initio Splash-8 training with our own Training Captains and the Chief Pilot got me in the door for an interview (to this day they have never acknowledged or replied to my solo application).

I had the interview and thought I left a good impression. But the letter I got was a respectful negative. So, if they don't want the former employee of a current client, it's not likely to happen.

I subsequently met with one of their instructors and they told me I was better off not having the job - too much internal politics and very little respect for working conditions.

Thanks for the suggestions, though, and you can begin to see why I'm getting kind of desperate. I've sent out literally thousands of applications and pulled miles of strings, but there's nothing to show for it.

And is why I encourage anyone who reads this to fire something at me - anything. I will follow up all leads in the hope that the scattershot principle will give me some kind of success.

Many thanks in advance, all...

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[penguin]

Jim:

I don't understand why you can't hold a Class 1 medical if one of your eyes is 20/20. I can understand why airlines might not want to hire you but if you can hold a Class 1, there's no reason you can't be a Flight Instructor. There's a good demand for Class 1 CFI.

Here's another lead for you.

Dynamic Marketing & Sales Manager req?d to develop & execute a winning strategy. Leading this new group requires a creative self-starter with a university degree or college diploma in Marketing/Sales. You are an energetic professional with 3 - 5 years experience in a training or service organization with excellent presentation, communication and ad creation skills. This position may require limited travel.
Salary and bonus commensurate with experience.

Airline Training International is Canada's first publicly traded company dedicated to pilot training. We are headquartered in Toronto and enjoy an excellent reputation in our industry. Please visit us at www.airlinetraining.net (http://www.airlinetraining.net) for more information.

[JimLyn]

First, both eyes were previously corrected by glasses and I still have the astigmatism, so the 20/20 in one eye is a false assumption. The DCA I used to come under worked/works under the former UK Colonial Air Navigation Order (CANO), under which both eyes must come up to scratch.

I originally trained in Winnipeg (about 1970), so as far as Canadian experience is concerned I would have to do the Comm IR ME again, then move on to Instructing (I guess).

And after six years without a job here in Toronto (I have been trying to work in IT and have been badly self-managed as a webmaster) I can no longer afford to pay for the instruction to get to that point.

I'm pretty fed up with the politics, cost of living and taxes in Ontario and Canada, though - it's the only place I have ever seen where even postage stamps have sales tax. I seriously wonder how the poorer people manage to survive in this Yuppie hell.

Truth is I'd rather get myself a life and a job elsewhere - like many other people in Canada that are voting with their feet - and my current preference is for the UK.

Only one exception: I have been knocking on the door at WestJet, but even with inside recommendations I don't seem to be making any progress there.

At 52 and unemployed for 6 years I no longer have the luxury of time or money to play silly PC games with hyper-intelligentsia HR departments overflowing with highly qualified do-nothings. I have abilities and skills to offer that Canada clearly does not want or need, and I finally do get the message that it's time to move on.

So if anyone knows of somewhere in the UK that I can start a new career at the bottom and work my way up again, I really do need to hear about it.

No insult intended, my friend, but it's a fact that Canada is not a land where the experience of middle age is welcome at ground zero, especially not for middle agers without that recent holy grail of "Canadian Experience".

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by JimLyn (edited 21 May 2001).]

[penguin]

Jim:

I hope you are not pulling my legs. There is no difficulty for any immigrant to find a job if there is the desire. The fact is, there are others who have done it. I know people who now fly for majors and medevacs. They came to Canada without any Canadian experience but they didn’t let that stopped them from achieving their goals. When they came to Canada, they didn’t go straight to the LHS of an A320. They started low. They started from instructing, and eventually got enough hours and seniority to fly charter flights. Then they applied to the majors and eventually got themselves to the A320 RHS. I certainly hope you have a plan as to how to find yourself a decent job. If you don’t have one yet, start making one. There’s no point to log onto the computer and ask everybody for help if you are not going to help yourself.

If you want a flying job, the first you need to do to is to get your Canadian licence. No one will offer you a flying job if you don’t have your licence. If you have 13000 hours and a Class 1 medical, you should have no problem getting your licence converted to a Canadian CPL. Since your IFR has probably expired, you will need to write the ATPL exam and do your IFR check ride in order to get your ATPL. Once you get your CPL, you can go ahead and get your Instructor Rating. You don’t need IFR or ME to start teach PPL, and if you ever wish to teach ME-IFR, you can get your ME-IFR while instructing. It will cost you about C$5k to C$6k to obtain your Class 4 Instructor Rating. If you are already collecting UI, HRDC will probably pay for your training.

As to your medical, you should have no problem getting a Class 1 medical as long as one of your eyes is correctable to 20/20. Go see a CAME and work that out ASAP. Transport Canada might not give you your Class 1 right away. You might have to go to the Tribunal to appeal your case and demonstrate to them that you can fly with one eye.

Believe me, nothing in life is easy in life. Good luck with your search.

Penguin

P.S. If this thread is a wind-up, please don’t post again!

[JimLyn]

I don't think you're getting the point, Penguin... and I'm not trying to waste peoples time here (or anywhere else).

My original post - as an "Ex-pilot" - stated "Desperately looking for useful work back in aviation, willing and able to relocate. Willing to take on Operations and/or admin functions, to start at the bottom again, and to learn whatever is required. Also interested in accident investigation and technical matters."

Nowhere do I say that I'm NOT looking for a flying job, but I do suggest that I'm looking for a ground-based position, and that's what I want.

In fact I already hold a Canadian CPL/ME that had an IR way back in 1970-ish, and (unless WestJet calls me) I am looking for ground job in the UK. It's that simple.

At age 52 it's not productive for me to seek a flying job any more. I can't afford that $5K to $6K for a Canadian instructor's rating or the time to go through a medical Tribunal any more.

As an immigrant that was sponsored under a 10-year bond I don't qualify for UI - in fact under the new rules there are many Canadians out of work who do not qualify for the same UI they paid for themselves.

And here's another useless tax - self-employed people have to pay into UI but can't claim on it either.

I might add that I also do not qualify for a Canada Pension, although whatever I earn in Canada I must pay into the scheme by law through a portion of my income tax.

So it's not quite that simple... as far as I am concerned I'm running out of money and looking for a ground job in the UK using my many talents.

I hope that clears things up...

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by JimLyn (edited 21 May 2001).]

[pigboat]

CAE just bought out Schreiner Aviation Training, based in Holland. They have facilities in Amsterdam, Maastricht, Brussels and Dallas. Still might be worth a try.

[JimLyn]

I'll write to SChreiner, but I don't have rights to work in Holland.

But as you say, worth a try.

Thanbks again...

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[JimLyn]

In case anyone wonders idly if I am sitting on my hands waiting for someone to serve me with a silver spoon, I thought I would launch a pre-emptive strike by listing SOME of those I have already sent faxes or emails, all with resumes included.
Some of these were specifically recommended, the rest were gleaned from this Forum, Flight magazine and other sources.

The list is partially from email addresses (no time to look up the translations, I just put the partial domain name) so you would just have to take my word for such that it is a real destination.

Here we go:

AirTours
Ansett UK
British Midland
British Regional
Brymon
CityFlyer Express
British Mediterranean
GB Airways
KLM UK
JMC Airlines
Resource Aviation Management
OCS Consulting (not aviation)
Schreiner Airways
UK-RAM (Resource Aviation Management)
Storm Aviation
DirCon
Titan Travel
MSXI-Euro
Atlas Air
Bladen Taylor
EAAC
Air Partner
Chapman Freeborn
Servisair
NavTech
JEG Consulting
Ansett Spares UK
Kelly Services
JMC Airlines
British World
Sirocco Aerospace
The Marlborough Partnership
Contractair
British Microlight Aircraft Association
Sirocco Aerospace
RyanAir
European Aviation Support Ltd
Wessex Aerospace
Aviation Services
IAC Group
Bristow
CAP Recruiting
SERCO
LUAP
AceTech
Air Group
ACNS (German-UK)
PARC Group
Wynn
Mach 3000 (France)
Jet Personnel
AvMax Group
Strongfield
BAC Leasing
BAE Systems
AVOUNA
British Airways
LH Consulting
Connor Clark
Unique Personnel
Mastech
CDI
MultiFlight
BAF

So thanks again to all those many who helped... something has to come through eventually!

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[a320guy]

Seneca College, North York - Faculty of Aviation Technology???????

[JimLyn]

I'll look them up. Maybe they can train me to be a Sim Instructor, too...

JL

[bearcat88]

Jim,
I noted that your list makes no mention of Bombardier in Montreal. They are always interested in experienced pilots to join their instructor cadre (Regional Jet and business aircraft). They utilize classroom and/or simulator instructors.
Good luck with your search.
88

[JimLyn]

Thanks much for your suggestion. I had been concentrating on the UK because it really does seem that in Canada even floor-sweepers need a Degree and "Canadian Experience" just to send in an application. Maybe I'm just too PO'd to think about Canada as a future residence any more.

But I will do some research and see if there is something there... I have also completed and passed the written and interview parts of the NavCanada process for Air Traffic Controller, in case anybody came up with that one.

But, like everything else, I am in a database with four billion Degreed hopefuls and I'm not holding my breath. And no, I'm not depressed. I'm looking at reality and my job search experience so far.

I _will_ check Bombardier out and continue to explore all avenues, but given my past "Canadian experience" I still think eventually my future will lie in the UK.

JL

[penguin]

Jim:

I didn’t miss your point. Your point is to get a job and I was merely suggesting that with your qualifications, getting a teaching job as a flight instructor is the fastest and surest way to gain two important things – Canadian experience and income. Flight instructors make about $20/hr and at a busy place, you can earn about $ 24000 p.a. I know it’s not going to get you rich but it’s a start.

If you are self-employed and paying UI but not qualified to collect it, then you are doing something wrong. It has nothing to do with the immigration sponsorship but depends on how you set up your company and yourself as an employee.

As to CPP, I don’t know why you said you don’t qualify for it. Even so, our (or should it be my) government has other program to assist needy people after their retirement. There’s always Old Age Security pension if you don’t qualify for CPP. You said you have been in Canada for 6 years already. You are 52, so you have 13 more years of “useful” time before retirement. So, when you retire at 65, you should be able to collect Old Age Security pension. Right now, the full amount is about $440 for anyone who has lived in Canada for 40 years (maximum time). Therefore, your Old Age pension with 19 years of residency will be:
19/40 x $440 (at today’s dollar value) = Almost $ 209.

If you have no other income, our government will support you with Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). The amount varies but the total including your Old Age pension should give you close to $ 1000 per month. BTW, the GIS is not taxable but the Old Age Security is. However, with the personal exemption taken into account, you don’t have to pay any income tax at all.

Since you live in Ontario, you know you don’t pay anything when you go see a doctor, and when you turn 65, the drugs will be free of charge. I don’t mind paying a lot of taxes to government and the government, in turn, provides all these programs to the needy. The reason is simple, our government ensures every citizen is taken care of.

Canada is a great country and our government really looks after its citizens. If you are not happy with us, then please, leave! Good-bye.

[FlyGirl-100]

There is something that doesnt come together with this story. I have never heard of anyone being in the job mill for 6 years and not finding anything.

I agree, Canada is a great country. I myself came here only 3 years ago and feel like Ive lived here my whole life. Canada is probably the only country in the world (and I've lived in 8 different countries) that treats foreigners like first class citizens.

Is there something else that is part of the story and which has not been disclosed, I wonder?

BTW heres a good flying club that needs ground instructors - Brampton Flying Club - that is if you are still looking in Canada!Good luck.
..................................

Flare to land.

[JimLyn]

Now here are a couple of folks that don't mind calling someone a liar without knowing background details...

Take it from me, I don't qualify for UI. I knew that when I started the Landed Immigrant process, and I have asked since. It is as simple as that.

Since you don't believe nobody can be here for 6 hears and not get a job in his/her chosen profession I could invite you to see the evidence - thousands of applications, and more gone the way of crashed hard drives - and junked files when we moved apartments a few months ago after our rent went up 42%.

Hey, call me a liar again... tell me that's not legal, and I'd say you're right. But welcome to the real world, and what the hey, _you've_ got a job - I'm probably just one of those stupid lazy people, right?

Well, this "laziness" has cost me some CD$100,000 in living expenses out of my retirement fund over the last 6 years, and it's starting to look pretty slim now. Why would I risk all that to be lazy?

But that's OK, I'll accept being called a liar and keep sending out applications - call it maturity, of you will.

Say what you like, Canada so far has been a minor nightmare for me. We're all entitled to our own experiences and opinions, and that is mine. Fact is, I'm not interseted whether you agree or not, that was my experience.

I spent a week in hospital here once, and one of the orderlies was a fully qualified and experienced doctor from Europe who emigrated and was told on arrival that he had to start med school from the start again because he did not train in Canada and had no "Canadian experience". He couldn't afford that, so he remains here as an orderly and the Canadian doctors are safe from yet another thieving foreigner.

I guess the point I am making is that if you don't know what you are talking about you should not be making criticisms, judgements and pronouncements about other people - especially when they are asking for help.

The encouragement elsewhere on this Forum (unlike the last two posts) has moved me to see an Aviation Medical Examiner here in Canada about whether I might qualify for a pilot licence again. It turns out that after an eye test the first step is positive (20/30 separately, 20/20 together), and I am going on to try and achieve a Class I medical after the DOT reviews the circumstances of my operation and complications (one of my pupils is stuck open due to damage from the operation).

If that is possible, I will then decide if to risk part of the funds I have left to convert my ICAO Airline Transport Pilot Licence to Canadian and perhaps find a job flying here... with my many years of airline flying experience it's got to be easier than slugging it out at street level trying to make a new start.

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[FlyGirl-100]

Jim,

No need to be defensive. I did not say that your story is a lie, I merely suggested it may not be the whole truth. However, youre right - - only you know your situation and perhaps it is a unique one.

The real reason I responded back to your quote is to ask/say: If you have been in this country for 6 yrs, then why didnt you apply for citizenship so taht you would have all the rights and benefits that you so sorely complain that you are not getting?

[JimLyn]

If I provided my life's story this Forum would be pretty overwhelmed, wouldn't it?

Citizenship is on the way, should be complete within a few months. It takes about a year for the Immigration Department to process the paper work from application...

I had to appeal to the Prime Minister to get my Landed status from under their backsides long (almost a year) after it was supposed to be issued so I could at least apply for work legally - I wonder if I will have to do the same in two years time to have my citizenship completed and papers issued.

Well, what do you know, there's another little pearl of my "Canadian experience" for us all to marvel at. Makes you wonder what all those people in the Canadian government with University Degrees are doing with their intelligence, doesn't it?

Jim Lynch

[penguin]

Jim:

Congrats for taking your first step in getting your medical. Hope it will work out smoothly for you.

I have never called you a liar but obviously, you didn't tell us the whole truth earlier. OTOH, you don't have to. You have your rights to privacy. By the sound of it, you got your landed immigrant status with a minister's permit. I am no immigration lawyer and I don't know whether you can qualify for UI under such circumstances. In any case, good luck.

[This message has been edited by penguin (edited 31 May 2001).]

[JimLyn]

Thanks for the good wishes...

As someone who is rigorous about the truth and honesty I figure somebody is calling me a liar if I make a statement and the response is that my words cannot be the case.

I stated my situation in brief - you said that's not the way it works. What else can I conclude?

My daughter sponsored me into Canada, if you must know, and signed a 10-year bond with Immigration.

In the first instance that means I CANNOT draw UI without her being billed for it (plus administrative charges, no doubt). She cannot afford that kind of load, nor would I impose that on her.

In the second instance, to draw UI you must have worked somewhere. Since I have never worked anywhere and it is five years since I qualified to work here legally I CANNOT draw UI.

Have I made myself plain enough? The government have slammed the doors in most peoples faces as far as UI are concerned, and I know of natural Canadians who have trouble even applying for the benefit they have paid for if they get laid off.

Ditto for Canada Pension. If you are not born a Canadian you must work to pay into it - and you must pay into it to benefit. The money for CP is taken out when I file my income taxes but again, I do not qualify for it because I have not worked.

Hopefully after another $10,000 in training/certification expenses I may start working soon.

[penguin]

Don't worry about CPP. By the time you get to 65, you can collect Old Age Security and Guranteed Income Supplement. I hope you will learn love and enjoy Canada. Remember this commercial by Molson's?

I AM CANADIAN (clears throat)

Hey....

I'm not a lumberjack, or a fur trader ...
and I don't live in an igloo, or eat blubber, or own a dogsled...
and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice.
I have a Prime Minister, not a President.
I speak English and French, NOT American.
and I pronounce it 'ABOUT', NOT 'A BOOT'.
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack.
I believe in peace keeping, NOT policing.
DIVERSITY, NOT assimilation,
AND THAT THE BEAVER IS A TRULY PROUD AND NOBLE ANIMAL.
A TOQUE IS A HAT, A CHESTERFIELD IS A COUCH,
AND IT IS PRONOUNCED 'ZED' NOT 'ZEE', 'ZED'!!!
CANADA IS THE SECOND LARGEST LANDMASS!
THE FIRST NATION OF HOCKEY! AND THE BEST PART OF NORTH AMERICA!
MY NAME IS JOE!! AND I AM CANADIAN!!!!!!!!

[JimLyn]

And here endeth the first lesson...

[info4u]

Jim

If Canada is a nightmare ( feel sorry 4 U ) don't u you think you should be in your country of Origin again?
It is not just enough to have a Canadian citizenship but to feel it too!

Getting defensive is not a good idea when you need help and feed back from Ppruners & Canadians.

[JimLyn]

Good advice. I might just do that.

In six years of living here I have indeed discovered that Canadians are such a warm and friendly people...

Thanks!!

[Pelican]

Give the guy a break. He has already said that he would prefer not to be in Canada anymore. Hey, anybody would get defensive with so much winging going on. Either help the guy or leave him alone.

[Edited because I had trouble spelling Canada]

[This message has been edited by Pelican (edited 02 June 2001).]

[bearcat88]

Pelican,
No need to give the guy a break. He asked for help and got loads of it. Then he got some attitude for no apparent reason but eventually came down of his horse to rejoin the rest of us on terra firma. Read it all again if you need to see it unfold properly.
88

[JimLyn]

I asked for help, and got loads of it, for sure. Then I was asked how come I was not using UI, and my very truthful response was questioned - twice.

So, sure as heck an attitude came into play here - I'm not accustomed to being called a liar. And your superficial comment of "no apparent reason" continues to demand my "attitude". As a Canadian I am sure you would also have a problem with a challenge to your civility.

I'm very grateful to people who will offer help, but I have a severe problem when my honesty is brought into question.

How come it is only (some) Canadians who questioned me? How come all other nationalities - British especially - offered me practical advice, contacts and help, but only (some) Canadians thought it was properly their place to take my appeal for a fake?

I met the same kind of arrogance here in Canada when I started in IT. Asking a question brought out certain retards all over you with attacks instead of explaining and helping out.

I'd like to publicly offer a bare ass and a special mention in the Hall of Shame to all the unfriendly Canadians I came across HERE who behaved like complete macho morons - NONE of these backward hosers wrote to me directly, preferring instead to hide behind their Pprune alias. It has made me a much more wary individual and less inclined to offer a hand where once I used to pitch in and give one hundred percent.

And yes, I also invite everyone to read this thread all again - impartially, if that is at all possible in this unforgiving Great White North of the Third World - and judge for themselves.

A true thanks - long and loud applause - to those who offered assistance here and in direct emails (the majority). I do sincerely appreciate your offers and advice and have followed up every trail.

I have started the process for a Class I medical and will no doubt complete a Canadian ALTP in the next couple of months. Hopefully I can take advantage of the shortage of pilots and find a position with one of the carriers.

As far as I am concerned this thread is now closed. Certainly I will not be back, no matter what BACK-BITING, JUVENILE and COWARDLY comments follow this post in the safgety of their concealed anonymity. I leave those responses to the judgement of other viewers.

Finally, thanks again to the existence of the Pprune Forum, without which I would not have discovered that I can finally find my way forward again.

JL

[bearcat88]

Your reply speak for itself.
88

[info4u]

Man Oh Man!
You are such a rude person that I am not surprised that life is not treating you good. You have No respect for anyone / anything.

Know what? People like you should be in countries like Saudia and Singapore --get my drift??
Try your verbal diarrhoea there and see what the outcome would be.
If I were Mr. Chretien I would personally THROW YOU OUT.

Ingratitude is thy name.
Incidently what were you doing for 6 years? why did you not renew your licence?
We all know you will be reading our posts. I doubt if any of us Ppruners want your responses now.

Here is a poem written by me(copyright Protected & published)

Maybe it will help you.

Carefully watch your thoughts, for they will become your words,
Manage and mouth your words, for they shall become your Actions,

Consider and judge your actions, for they will become your habits;

Acknowledge and form your habits, for they shall become your Character,

Understand and Embrace your character
For it will share your Destiny.

[Captain Beakman]

Jimlyn,
The best of luck to you. Good idea posting a plea for help in this forum - there are many people who like to help others out. Don't defend yourself. People who haven't been in your position don't fully comprehend, and you are finding yourself exposing more and more personal information, which really isn't necessary. I understand situations like "unable to draw on unemployment insurance" etc. - It happens, I don't need to know the details and respect your privacy. I also understand that while you are not Canadian by birth, & there is a little discomfort being in a new place, full of new accents, manners & social standards. Sometimes people move out of their place of birth or choice location for all sorts of reasons, & yours maybe to be close to remaining family who are unable to move. I fully understand the difficulties with being over 50 and looking for employment. I even understand the difficulties with being over 25 and looking for employment. There are situations that one needs to experience first hand to fully comprehend the humiliation, frustration & loss of self esteem. You are trying (even if it does tire you out), & using all contemporary resources available (e.g. pprune) - hang in there, you are someone's Dad, Friend, Partner, Neighbour & are valued in these roles - one day may even be yourself again too, which will be a bonus.

Kind regards & best wishes.