I was hired by the Government of Canada to Teach in Canada's North land in 1963. The Canadian government took over the education system in the early 1950's. They ran things in a very regimented government fashion. In fact at that time a large percentage of the employees were vets.
So I was required to take an oath to officially make me a civil servant. The next step shows more government organization. As teachers we were given only two weeks of vacation time and the other six weeks that schools were out we were given some kind of employment. The whole thing was kind of a joke.
I looked forward to this experience. I got a position with stores. I learned a few things about how goods are kept track of from time of ordering to usage. I leaned about purchase orders and a few more standard procedures. It was all dull and boring. I had to put the forms together and file them.
After a few weeks the stores manager got the bright idea to send me out to the settlements (Really small places) and check the freight that came off the barges. I don't know if the manager didn't like me and just wanted to get rid of me but it as another great experience. During my time out no barges arrived so I had no freight to check. Now I did have plenty of time to fish and that's how I got my big fish. The place I fished was Fort Franklin on Great Bear lake. Look it up. It's hard to believe where I was.I went to three different places and missed the barges. I flew thousands of miles and saw much beautiful countryside.
After I got back to Inuvik I went south for my two weeks holiday.
Now arrangements could be made so that you didn't have to work. If you took a summer school class you could get out for the regular two months. The next year I did take a summer school class. The year after that they ended the goofy thing of two weeks holiday and we had the regular two months off.
Now I often wonder what happened to the oath I made to become a civil servant!!!
You have led such an interesting life, Red. So... did you eat that fish?
ReplyDeleteI didn't eat the fish. I put it in a community freezer. When I came the next day to get it it was gone. Somebody else took it. Everything is shared in those communities.
DeleteThat sounds like a really wonderful system!
DeleteWow, that was an interesting adventure and if the fella was sending you there because he didn’t like you it sure back fired on him didn’t it lol, sounds like you loved it! That’s an impressive fish!
ReplyDeleteNo the boss liked me. He was just very good to give me some travel opportunity.
DeleteThat's a good story, Red. Sometimes I think bureaucrats just make up rules to fill the time. And that's a big fish all right! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe soon learned to play by the rules and what rules we could bend. We had almost free housing and free food.
DeleteHello, you do have an interesting life story. I am amazed at the size of that fish! Wishing you a happy day and weekend!
ReplyDelete34 pound lake trout. I was surprised too.
DeleteI googled Great Bear Lake. Wow! You were really very far north there. Must have been spectacular. What a grand experience.
ReplyDeleteWhere I actually lived was much further north above the arctic circle.
DeleteHi Red, These big fish stories are interesting. :-) Well, my guess is, if you took the oath, you are probably still a civil servant. Have you checked to see if you are due any benefits? :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a tough time getting some pension out of them civil servant or not!
DeleteThat fish is half as tall as you are - I wonder if there are any that size these days? Interesting to read of your time in the North. Yes, is there a statute of limitations on your civil service oath? :)
ReplyDeleteThey still catch big lake trout. You know I'm going to have to ask about the oath. I imagine it's automatically over when your employment ceases with them.
DeleteQuite a story, Red!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun life for a young many but I don't think my mother was happy with me at all.
DeleteAn interesting story and wow what a fish!
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting life for a young man.
DeleteWell, as a teacher with the summer off otherwise, they had to get their money's worth out of you, I guess. Now-a-days teachers often need to look for summer jobs just to stay solvent.
ReplyDeleteWe had almost free housing and definitely free food so I guess they thought they'd make us work a little bit.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so odd, for a teacher to be sent to work in stores.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is looking forward to a country appointment for her teaching prac later this year. It won't be the Arctic circle, though!
An oath can be a swear word. Did you say "I promise to be a good ****ing servant of the Canadian government" ?
ReplyDeleteSounds like an amazing experience, to see all that wilderness and countryside in places that few of us will ever go! I remember reading about the Great Bear Lake, along with the Great Slave Lake and Lake Athabasca, in my Atlas as a kid -- they always seemed so remote.
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting experiences you've had!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to catch a fish like that ... while “working”! I’m off to google where you were.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience to have when you were younger.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing a great story.
You have had an amazing life!
ReplyDelete