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Email from Rod Clark to Peter Kohl on February 4, 2015

I came to the federal public service in October 1984, in Transport.

Exactly 10 years later, to the day, I migrated over to IC-Spectrum thru WFA. The work environment in TC was so bad that I became a Shop Steward shortly after I completed my probationary period (12 mo. back then). Back then there were 4,300 ELs, mostly in Transport/Coast Guard. TC was one oppressive employer !!

I came in as 3rd level EL-5 from private industry so was at top of EL-5 when I came into the EL-4 Radio Inspector, so was red-circled until the SMOs became reclassified as EL5s a few years after 1994.

This SMO job is actually the best job I've ever had, bar none. I have a great District Director, no conflicts. Had hoped to retire early, but still here at 67-1/2 , 30 years service October 2014.

I've worked in far-worse places ! No pension from my years at Northern Electric (CWA, Communications Workers of America), & nothing for 12 years in the private sector.

Excerpt from my resignation letter to Mitch St. Jacques: (clarifies dates)

My purpose in writing is to advise you that I will be retiring from the public service and Industry Canada, effective close of business Wednesday, March 25th, 2015.

I joined the federal public service on October 3rd, 1984. Since early October of 1994 I have had the privilege of working under you as my Director. To this day I still appreciate the hope and trust that you displayed in hiring me on thru Work Force Adjustment from my previous career as a EL-5 Metrologist in Transport Canada.

I am very proud to have been associated for the last 20 years with this fine (and busiest) District.

Dear friends and colleagues… today is my last DTR shift.

As many of you already know, I have decided to retire ; my last day with the federal government will be Wednesday, March 25th.  After 20 years + abt 160 days I will be taking with me many treasured memories of the Department of Communications and Industry Canada, not to mention the exactly 10 years previous with Transport Canada.

I believe that the proverbial Seed of Destiny was planted one day in 1966 when 2 DOC cars showed up in the parking lot adjacent to my residence at U. of Waterloo (I quickly shut down my 2-tube AM transmitter). My next encounter was 1970 in 55 StClair ; a Heritage program funded my LPFM thesis project at Ryerson. Then my first job servicing & calibrating precision electronic instruments included the Singer FM10C communications monitors in DOC K-cars and the Watkins-Johnson receivers at RSSC Acton. Fast-forward to the spring of 1994 when Mitch St. Jacques & Jack Holt interviewed me.

Working in Spectrum has been extremely rewarding for me. I depart with my ROC-M and –A, and my Amateur Certifications. I’m particularly proud of my 12 wpm Morse Code (Mitch, those frequent phonecalls checking on my progress really did motivate me.)

I have had the pleasure of working with a diverse group of professionals whose dedication has made me proud to be a member of this team. Thank you all for being a part of my life, and for making the last 2 decades especially interesting and challenging. This, my 5th career, has been THE BEST.

I’ll leave you with this quote from last July’s issue of THE ELECTRICAL WORKER, from an interesting article about IBEW members working on the “next Hubble” space telescope:

“Everything we do here is bigger than anyone of us, but all of us are necessary for it to succeed.”

Best of luck to you all.

Rod Clark

Rod Clark receiving his IBEW Retirement Plate from Peter Kohl in March 2015

From left to right

Bill Krahn, Rod Clark, Peter Kohl and Alex Smolic

Rod Clark receiving his IBEW Retirement Plate from Peter Kohl in March 2015

From left to right

Rod Clark and Peter Kohl

Rod Clark showing his IBEW Retirement Plate in March 2015