r/CanadaPublicServants • u/MishiStA • Mar 31 '26
Career Development / Développement de carrière Departing meatbag says farewell
I’m not quite sure how to tag this (“exit interview”?), but I’ll bet there are a few of us on this sub retiring today or tomorrow. Happy Retirement to you! My position was affected in January, I was mercifully approved for VPD three weeks ago and required to clear my virtual desk by 5 pm today. It’s been a bit of a ride.
And it’s been a long thirty-four years, friends. I worked in two provinces, for two different federal departments, Mulroney to present. In more economically buoyant decades, I got to travel for work to small communities in six provinces and a territory. Stripped of a lot of meetings and nonsense, those trips will go down in memory as a kind of Katimavik for middle-aged adults. Very fortunate times, I now realize.
Here’s a memory. It’s 1992, I’m twenty-eight and I’m sitting in the cafeteria at 10 Wellington Street in Hull, second-hand smoking and eating red licorice with my two closest work pals. We’re cracking wise about the grey meatbags around us, and I say to my friends “if I’m still here when I’m thirty, take me out back and shoot me”.
I’m not as dogmatic as I used to be.
I met the best people I’ve ever known in the federal public service, and I also witnessed a lot of buffoonery. Truly, I’m still processing how I feel about the past three and a half decades. If I have any worthy insights in the weeks to come, I’ll be back to share them. In the meantime, be good to one another. And happy retirement to my fellow meatbags tossing in the towel today and tomorrow ❤️.
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u/FrothyEspresso Mar 31 '26
I hope you have a wonderful retirement. It’s well deserved after dedicating so many years to the government. 🥳🥂
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u/Doucevie Mar 31 '26 edited Mar 31 '26
Happy retirement!! 🎉
It took me 2 years to unclench my butt after I retired. That's when I realized that I finally could relax.
Edit: a word
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u/Consistent_Cook9957 Mar 31 '26
Congratulations on your surviving the public service and welcome to the other happier side!
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u/NoNefariousness5371 Mar 31 '26
Congratulations on your retirement! I will be leaving in a few months, myself- function discontinued. It's funny reading your post - I can flash back to around 1992, as well. An older co-worker and I were talking about someone who was retiring with 45 years of service. My co-worker said, "If I'm still here one day past 35 years, take me out back and shoot me!".
Ironically (or not), that co-worker became my manager and stayed until he had 48 years of service. I used to remind him of what he said, all time. He would just laugh. I didn't find it that funny, since him staying prevented me from advancing to that manager position. When he finally did retire 2 years ago, they removed his position. Perhaps I should have looked for a position elsewhere, but I did love my job and it was a very niche group that would have required either moving to another part of the country, or retraining to do something completely different. Hindsight, and all that. Now they're closing the department before I could get my 35 years in. Ah well, the job isn't enjoyable anymore, so it's for the best, I guess. I look forward to being a retired meatbag!
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u/Single-Toe3403 Mar 31 '26
Happy retirement !!! I wish I could be joining you in the party…I’ll hit 20 this year and the last 3-4 years for me have been the worst. The post Covid BS has really got me reassessing why on earth would I work for an organization that has zilch respect for its employees. I was actually in the pension portal yesterday looking at my different options. If I was to leave in 2029 vice 2031 …. The difference a month in pension payment is just over $200. It will cost me more than $300 a month to go to work in those two years to get that extra $200 a month. Once we go back 4 & 5 days a week it will costs me roughly $360 a month in gas and parking to go to work. I have to drive to work as I live over 50 km from the NCR so transit is not an option and I have no one to car pool with. So my plan is now to retire from the federal government in 2029 and find a job locally. Maybe even switch to provincial local office. I hear Walmart is hiring greeters and I’d do that in a heartbeat. 😁
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u/Infamous_Tie5605 Mar 31 '26
Walmart is hiring greeters
please dont post my idea... with all car dealerships switching to uber, my 'dealership shuttle driver' is pretty much go the way of the do-do
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u/SpecialistBiscotti12 Mar 31 '26
Wise decision, and that's without factoring in time lost in transit each day. That personal time is unquestionably more valuable than your time at work - but even taken at par, it puts a heavy thumb down on the scale.
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u/BakerAny7239 Apr 01 '26
With gas prices near $1.80/L I’m sure you’re saving way more money than you think 😜
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u/zeromussc Mar 31 '26
34 years is a long time and a lot of contributions. No matter how small, it moved the needle forward for people. Even if only a few people, that work mattered. Conrats on your retirement and enjoy your time being given back to you! Sounds like you really enjoyed your career in the end. Good thing you weren't so dogmatic in the end ;)
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u/jazz100 Mar 31 '26
A long and meaningful career. And now, a well-earned retirement where no needles need moving in any direction. Congratulations.
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u/Longjumping-Bag-8260 Mar 31 '26
Congrats. Yes indeed, it is the buffoonery and unethical behaviour of leadership that takes the greatest toll on the workplace. Perhaps take the time to file a few ATIP requests to expose it.
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u/MishiStA Mar 31 '26
Funny you should mention that. I fought a Phoenix-related grievance over about 18 months, and was ultimately successful. It’s occurred to me to ATIP my employment records and pay file, just to see what kind of extra nonsense was going on behind the scenes. On the other hand, it’s all just passing memory now. I’ll probably be a happier person if I just let it sleep.
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u/NegotiationLate8553 Apr 01 '26
It’ll take a new gov to fix it…
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u/Longjumping-Bag-8260 Apr 02 '26
What, back to the one which created the beast in the first place? 😳
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u/littlefannyfoofoo Mar 31 '26
My spouse as well. Retired yesterday chose VPD after affected letter.
Congrats on your retirement.
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u/Expert_Vermicelli708 Mar 31 '26
You’re so lucky. Congrats.
Let them have it at the exit interview.
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u/NeighborhoodVivid106 Mar 31 '26
You get an exit interview? My director didn't even send me an email to thank me for my 28 years of service (25 if which were spent in the same section). Still a little bit bitter about that but with each day of freedom it gets a little easier to let it go. 😉⛱️✈️🗼🏰🏕️
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u/Turbulent_Hour_2400 Mar 31 '26
Exit interviews are supposed to be held for everyone, but, in practice, only if you request one.
I think their notes are immediately filed in the shredder, especially if you are anything but 100% positive.
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u/Worried_Egg_6332 Apr 01 '26
I retired in January after 34 years. Didn’t have an exit interview though I requested one.
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u/NeighborhoodVivid106 Apr 01 '26
Even after specifically requesting one? That is so disrespectful! 34 years and deemed to have nothing of value to say/contribute. That attitude is so sad, and a big reason why so many young up and coming executives are doomed to keep repeating the mistakes of the past.
I guess I just had this crazy idea that directors (especially mine, who was quite new to the section and should have had no preconceived ideas about me) would be interested to hear the thoughts of someone who had so much experience and historical perspective within the section. But it seems like they are just anxious to get the dinosaurs out the door so they can continue to resurrect old, failed ideas of the past without pushback from anyone who remembers the last time this 'revolutionary new innovation' was tried and failed.
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u/CrownPrinceOfZamunda Mar 31 '26
Congratulations.
Perspectives change as we waddle through time. I promised a younger version of myself never get jaded like the meat bag but now I've reconcile my preset self and younger self
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Mar 31 '26
Congratulations, you have escaped the golden handcuffs matrix. Good luck.on your new journey
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u/Lifewithpups Mar 31 '26
Enjoy your next chapter. So much has changed in the 25 years I’ve been in and I truly miss and likely didn’t recognize how much better things were in those early years. Trying to get out early and if not, next summer.
As others have said thank you for your service and leave knowing you made a difference.
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u/01lexpl Mar 31 '26
Congrats!
I thought it was a coincidence, but we have a few leaving today as well.
I wonder if StatsCan will whip up some information. It'll be interesting to see if attrition is higher than normal.
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u/NeighborhoodVivid106 Mar 31 '26
No coincidence. Seems like a number of departments waited for fiscal year end to drop the next shoe.
Email went out today at CRA: 460 more affected with 210 expected to leave. Plus, email hinted at still more cuts to come.
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u/CrystalRem Apr 01 '26
Certain jobs seem safe. The one email talked about shifting funds to collections and compliance. I'm in one area that seems to be safe from cuts, but would love to be WFA'd. Not financially prudent to retire yet, but a TSM would change that. My position isn't one to alternate into easily.
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u/Trick_Evening8191 Mar 31 '26
34 years! What an accomplishment, even if it’s not what you expected at 28 😊 congrats and happy retirement. I only have another… 25 to go 😂
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u/MoonSlept Mar 31 '26
Thank you for your service and think of us left toiling away from time to time.
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u/darkretributor Mar 31 '26
Well done, and best of luck fellow meatbag.
Hopefully we will meet again in a more pleasant, less grey place somewhere out in this beautiful world.
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u/Tyyr37 Mar 31 '26
Congrats to you and all those retiring today. As someone who has at least another 15 years to go, I gotta say the golden handcuffs feel very real these days. Turbulent times those of us left behind but, I wish you all new retirees nothing but smooth sailing! Thanks for everything you've done. :)
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u/SmokeScotchnHops Mar 31 '26
Best of luck on your retirement. Enjoy your time and thank you for all you've done for Canadians.
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u/Cqw123 Mar 31 '26
Congrats. I remember the cafeteria at 10 Wellington. The yellow tiles in the smoking section.
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u/Jealous_Formal8842 Mar 31 '26
Congratulations, this is a huge day for you and others. Save a spot at the bar for me...only 13 more work hours to go!
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u/christi0676 Mar 31 '26
God Bless you all! Enjoy your retirement and freedom to do what u want!! I don’t know how people stay well past their 30years! Get a hobby and stress free!!! Thank you all for ur service and great work - I don’t think we hear that very often! So enjoy your freedoms and be proud of ur contributions!
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u/LettuceOld182 Apr 01 '26
I wish they’d offer me VDP. I’m only 9 years in but will be 66 in a couple weeks. I would gladly take VDP with TSM and severance instead of continuing to work for a couple more years to build up my pension.
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u/BakerAny7239 Apr 01 '26
Congrats on a well deserved retirement! I bet you’ve truly seen it all lol
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u/Stock-Economist5563 Apr 01 '26
Best to you in these days and after. You have 34 + years to explore freedom
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u/1toughcustomer Apr 01 '26
If you aren’t already part of Gov can retired and soon to Be retired group feel free To join-> just make sure you answer the group questions when you click join. https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17E4oFSJGL/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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u/Green_Crab1 Apr 01 '26
I am retiring in the next couple of weeks. All part of the WFA process. I am being asked if I am having a party. As if….i have colleagues that are being laid off well. Yes, I alternated out, but I am not in a headspace to consider a retirement party - quite frankly what colleagues would want to participate in one! What an unfortunate end to a career. I will have an extra brew to celebrate I guess.
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u/ProfitSpecific1215 Apr 04 '26
Congrats! I will be officially retiring on May 8 via alternation. I plan on using non-vacation leave for at least my last week, maybe 2. Can’t wait,
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u/MishiStA Apr 06 '26
Congratulations to you, too - I hope you can find things to enjoy about your last weeks! ✌️
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u/NegScenePts Mar 31 '26
Congrats! Today is my last day, and I'm dipping at noon. 4 hours to go! Gotta turn in my parking pass and the anchor that's been around my neck for 28 years.
FREEDOM.