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Former firefighter Wade Ritchie, right, gets some face-to-face time with Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger behind closed doors after the official opening of the new Workers Compensation Board office in Brandon on Monday. Brandon East NDP MLA Drew Caldwell is in the foreground with his back to the camera. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)
Fired firefighter Wade Ritchie requested and received a private meeting with Premier Greg Selinger at the opening of Brandon’s Workers Compensation Board office on Monday.
While both a Workers Compensation Board employee and Brandon East NDP MLA Drew Caldwell were obstructing reporters from getting close to the scene, Ritchie, the president of the Brandon Professional Firefighters/Paramedics Association, was joined by two senior union members, Scott Hemstad and Marc Lefebvre, at the meeting.
After the meeting, Selinger denied the meeting was to talk to Ritchie about his dismissal from the Brandon Fire and Emergency Services on Jan. 26, stating they discussed the future of the Manitoba Emergency Services College.
"They think there’s some potential to expand the operation of the fire college in partnership with Assiniboine Community College as it moves to the North Hill," Selinger said. "We said we’d take it under advisement. No, no we did not discuss any other issues."
Ritchie confirmed Selinger’s side of the story and said that even current firefighters can make use of the services the local fire college offers.
Ritchie added their meeting, which lasted several minutes and was held in a side room, was cordial.
"I’m not even sure it would have been appropriate to discuss it with him," Ritchie said of his battle with the city to get his job back.
» kborkowsky@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition February 14, 2012
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Posted by:Deborah Boschman
February 15, 2012 at 5:40 PM
I think that we should start treating other people THE WAY IN WHICH we would also like to be treated.
How about applying the principle of the Golden Rule in this case?
My heart truly goes out to Mr. Wade Ritchie and his family.
I feel for Mr. Ritchie and his family that his personal business has become such public, tabloid knowledge.
This must be very humiliating for all of them.
I support Mr. Wade Ritchie in that this is NOT classy, professional, ethical, etc. to do this to a human being and a long time city employee.
We DON`T NEED tyrants at City Hall.
We DON`T NEED people trying to control and manipulate others.
Everyone DESERVES to be listened to, to be heard, to be respected, to be valued and validated.
Perhaps this very same thing should happen to the individual from City Hall who authorized a demeaning spectacle such as this, to happen in the first place.
This entire matter with Mr. Ritchie is just NOT OKAY at all.
IF the Firefighters EVER ask for support, like they have in the past, then I will be there, just like I was in the past, throwing my support behind them.
IF the Firefighters ask the public to get involved then many of us will.
I don`t know any of the facts but to go about this in this way is just NOT ACCEPTABLE to most of us at all.
Who leaked this information to the Brandon Sun?
Was this just one more attempt to humiliate and demean Mr. Ritchie?
This is just NOT OKAY at all!
Shame on ALL of those involved!
Posted by:Deborah Boschman
February 14, 2012 at 5:24 PM
I see LOTS of I Support Wade Ritchie stickers on vehicles throughout Brandon.