COR Named One of Canada’s Most Admired Award Winners (2023)

Announcing the 2023 Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™, Canada’s Most Admired CEO™, and Canada’s Most Admired CPCO™ Winners

TORONTONov. 23, 2023 /CNW/ – Waterstone Human Capital, Canada’s leading cultural talent advisory firm, has announced the 2023 winners of the Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™, Canada’s Most Admired CEO™, and Canada’s Most Admired Chief People and Culture Officer™ (CPCO) program. This national program recognizes best-in-class Canadian organizations, CEOs, and CPCOs for fostering high performance corporate cultures that help sustain a competitive advantage.

“The 2023 Canada’s Most Admired award recipients exemplify how culture drives performance, especially in the face of economic uncertainty and other recruitment and retention challenges,” says Marty Parker, President and CEO of Waterstone Human Capital and Chair of the Canada’s Most Admired™ program. “This year’s winners are leveraging culture to drive growth and success in today’s highly competitive talent market through the acquisition, retention, and optimization of high-performance leaders, teams, and corporate cultures.”

Award winners are recognized in five categories including Enterprise, Mid-Market, Growth, Emerging, and the Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector. New for 2023, Waterstone Human Capital launched the Canada’s Most Admired CPCO™ Awards, which shine a spotlight on CPCOs across Canada who drive the people and talent strategy of their organizations to achieve exceptional growth and performance. The Canada’s Most Admired CEO program has also grown to include a Social Purpose Innovator award, given out in partnership with MacKay CEO Forums.

“This year’s winning leaders and organizations actively craft culture in alignment with their purpose and values every day, and help drive culture as competitive advantage,” says Parker. “On behalf of Waterstone Human Capital and our partners, we look forward to celebrating this year’s winners and the impact culture is having on their success.”

Canada’s Most Admired™ CEOs of 2023

  • Enterprise: Curtis Stange, President and CEO, ATB Financial (Edmonton, AB)
  • Mid-Market: Ratana Stephens, Co-Founder and CEO (Retired), Nature’s Path Foods (Richmond, BC)
  • Growth: Chief Terry Paul, CEO, Membertou Development Corporation (Membertou, NS)
  • EmergingRebecca Kacaba, CEO and Co-Founder, DealMaker (Toronto, ON)
  • Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector: Jennifer Gillivan, President and CEO, IWK Foundation (Halifax, NS)
  • MacKay CEO Forums Social Purpose Innovator: Rob Miller, CEO and Co-Founder, Miller Titerle Law Corporation (Vancouver, BC)

Canada’s Most Admired™ CPCOs of 2023

  • Enterprise: Norm Sabapathy, Executive Vice President, People, Communications and Technology, Cadillac Fairview Corporation (Toronto, ON)
  • Mid-Market: Cheryl Kerrigan, Chief People Officer, BlueCat (Toronto, ON)
  • Growth: Christine Vigna, Chief People Officer, Dejero Labs Inc. (Waterloo, ON)
  • Emerging: Stephanie Silver, VP, People and Culture, North Strategic, Notch Video and MSL Group (Toronto, ON)
  • Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector: Shaun Simms, Chief People, Communications and Strategy Officer, Ottawa Community Housing (Ottawa, ON)

Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2023 – Enterprise

  • AstraZeneca Canada (Mississauga, ON)
  • Bruce Power (Tiverton, ON)
  • Canadian Western Bank Financial Group (Edmonton, AB)
  • Celestica (Toronto, ON)
  • High Liner Foods (Lunenburg, NS)
  • Loblaw Companies Limited (Brampton, ON)
  • Maple Leaf Foods (Mississauga, ON)
  • Purolator (Mississauga, ON)
  • SAP Canada (Toronto, ON)
  • STEMCELL Technologies (Vancouver, BC)

Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2023 – Mid-Market

  • Behaviour Interactive (Montreal, QC)
  • D2L Corporation (Kitchener, ON)
  • East Side Games (Vancouver, BC)
  • First West Credit Union (Langley, BC)
  • G Adventures (Toronto, ON)
  • Interac Corp (Toronto, ON)
  • Massilly North America Inc. (Brantford, ON)
  • Monos (North Vancouver, BC)
  • Odlum Brown Limited (Vancouver, BC)
  • Rümi Powered by ATCO (Calgary, AB)

Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2023 – Growth

  • Big Blue Bubble Inc. (London, ON)
  • Centra Windows (Langley, BC)
  • Det’on Cho Group of Companies (Yellowknife, NT)
  • East Coast Credit Union (Dartmouth, NS)
  • Hazelview Investments (Toronto, ON)
  • HomeStars (Toronto, ON)
  • Igloo Software (Kitchener, ON)
  • Inline Group Inc. (Edmonton, AB)
  • Loopio (Toronto, ON)
  • Xperigo (Markham, ON)

Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2023 – Emerging 

  • Gestisoft Inc. (Montreal, QC)
  • Henderson Partners LLP (Oakville, ON)
  • Iversoft Solutions Inc. (Orleans, ON)
  • Kognitive Tech Inc. (Toronto, ON)
  • Kudos® (Calgary, AB)
  • Numinus Wellness (Vancouver, BC)
  • Pagefreezer (Vancouver, BC)
  • PurposeMed (Calgary, AB)
  • SureCall (Calgary, AB)
  • The Poirier Group (Toronto, ON)

Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2023 – Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector

  • BCAA (Burnaby, BC)
  • Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (Vancouver, BC)
  • Creative Options Regina (Regina, SK)
  • Egg Farmers of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
  • Kids Help Phone (Toronto, ON)
  • NorQuest College (Edmonton, AB)
  • Ottawa Community Housing (Ottawa, ON)
  • Scarborough Health Network (Scarborough, ON)
  • Standards Council of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
  • Vancouver Airport Authority (Richmond, BC)

Awards Celebration

The Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™, Canada’s Most Admired CEO™, and Canada’s Most Admired CPCO™ awards will be presented at an awards celebration in Toronto on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

For more information, visit: canadasmostadmired.com

Proud Recipient of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association Workplace Well-Being Award (2023)

On November 21, 2023, our team proudly accepted the Canadian Positive Psychology Association Workplace Well-Being Award in the non-profit/charity category! Thank you for recognizing and celebrating our workplace well-being initiatives as we continue to nurture a culture of gentleness in the workplace and strive to influence cultures of support across Canada.

Learn more: https://cppa.ca/cwwa2023/

Nonprofit/charity:

  • Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (Vancouver, BC)
  • Creative Options Regina (Regina, SK)
  • Kids Help Phone (Toronto, ON)

Small public/private sector organizations:

  • Sklar Wilton and Associates (Toronto, ON)
  • PulseLearning (Fredericton, NB)

Large public/private sector:

  • Best Buy (Vancouver, BC)
  • Cenovus Energy (Calgary, AB)
  • Gorman Group (West Kelowna, BC)
  • TransLink (Vancouver, BC)
  • BMO (Toronto, ON)

COR Stories: Mouhamed Habib Niang’s Journey to Canada

Born and raised in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Mouhamed Habib Niang moved to Canada in January 2019 to attend college. Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country in West Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Senegal is well known for its official language which is French. Senegal is also known as a multilingual country with 36 languages spoken.

Mouhamed like many international students, came to Canada to obtain a world-renowned diploma and to gain international exposure. Mouhamed also added that international students in Canada enjoy the same rights and freedoms that protect all Canadians which are: respect for human rights, equality, diversity, and a stable and peaceful society. It was because of these attributes that made Mouhamed choose Canada.

When asked about the immigration process, Mouhamed stated that it was very straightforward. “I only followed the steps given by immigration so that I can process my case as quickly as possible without slowing down. The procedure involves obtaining an accepted letter from a Canadian university, applying for a visa using the letter provided by the university, and undergoing a medical test. “It only took 3 months before I obtained my visa to come to Canada,” added Mohammed.

Mouhamed remembers his first day as if it was yesterday, and he added that without a doubt, the cold weather was his first cultural shock.  “My sister who was already in Canada, came to pick me at the airport on the 15th of January 2019 and she brought a winter jacket for me, telling me that it was minus 35 degrees outside. I remember telling her, I won’t need the jacket as I have a hoodie, without realizing how cold it can get in winter because I have never lived it before”. “Once I was outside, I recalled, running back inside. I had never experienced that type of cold weather before and I will never forget that day. It was nice to see the world differently, and at the same time, it’s a funny memory I will cherish in my life”.

Mouhamed also shared that his second and most important cultural shock was the language. “I barely spoke English before arriving in Canada. So, my vocabulary and comprehension were not so good. I had difficulties understanding people who speak English very fluently and quickly”.  Although Mouhamed speaks French in his country of origin, it was still a little difficult even in French. “I had a little trouble understanding the Quebec or Franco-Manitoban accent” shared Mouhamed.

“I also avoided eye contact when talking with my professors in college and this was mainly out of respect and it’s also a cultural difference between Canada and my birth country” shared Mouhamed. Soon, Mouhamed learned that in Canada, avoiding eye contact when talking to someone was a sign of disrespect and it also meant that the individual does not care about the conversation. This was a learning curve for Mouhamed and he understood how culture can change between countries and from country to country.

Mouhamed also shared that what has helped him and his friends from Senegal to connecrt with the community was a project that was being conducted at the Universite de Saint-Boniface where he was studying in Manitoba. This 3-year research project was carried out in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and several community partners working for the settlement and integration of newcomers in Manitoba. Mouhamed received settlement and integration services as part of this project. He also got the opportunity to learn from other immigrants who came to Canada before him as well as from other organizations and employer information sessions.

“It is part of a series of projects on the themes of immigration, integration, inclusion and identity. This project has helped me and my friends from Senegal to let people know that we love Canadian culture and respect the traditions and culture, but we also shared that we do not want to be judged for things we do based on our culture or religion” added Mouhamed.

Asked if there is one thing, he would have liked to know before coming to Canada, Mouhamed said that he would have liked to know that even though English and French are both the main languages, he would have liked to know that English is the language mostly spoken by people in Canada. He also shared that if he had known that Rugby and American Football were the main sports here in Canada, he would have been more serious about it in Senegal to increase his chances of playing in the CFL.

Mouhamed stated that if he had to do it all over again, without any doubts, he will. “Canada is a land of opportunities and there are so many employment opportunities. And, you can achieve your goals and become anything you want or have a career that you want. There are no limits” added Mouhamed.

While life is good here in Regina, Mouhamed said he truly misses his parents, siblings and the traditional food.

Mouhamed shared that many times people have referred to him as being an altruistic person. He was a volunteer in an association that cares for sick and disabled people in small villages in Senegal. In that association, Mouhamed shared that he had the opportunity to learn more about people and develop a love for helping people.

“Working at COR is more than a job to me, the fact that I get up in the morning thinking that I’m going to see this person and we are going to have a good time together, doing activities together, and helping them feel safe and comfortable is more than a job to me, it brings me genuine happiness. And of course, everything I do, I always try to remain professional at all times”.

Asked where Mouhamed see himself in 5 years and he shared that he will like to have a long career at COR and if the opportunity was presented to him, he is also interested to work in Human Resources, as he has a degree that field.

Thank you for choosing to be part of our COR family, we are grateful that you choose COR and we look forward to seeing you accomplish great things at COR and in your life.

 

Written by Joana Valamootoo

COR recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024)

Stronger DNA, constantly changing: ‘Canada’s Top 100 Employers’ for 2024 are announced.

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2023 – As Canadians increasingly recognize, many of the traditional workplace practices that existed before the pandemic seem destined never to return. The ‘new normal’ at the nation’s best employers is now to be always looking forward, ensuring their organizations stay flexible, adaptable, and focused on constant improvement. That’s the message from the winners of this year’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition, announced today by Mediacorp Canada Inc.

“This year’s winners have shown a clear focus on three key pillars: creating new ways of working, anticipating employees’ needs, and focusing on future skills development,” says Kristina Leung, managing editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “There’s been a lot of conversation around whether we will ever return to pre-pandemic work norms, but for top employers, there’s no looking back – only forward. The best employers have emerged from the pandemic with stronger DNA and constantly change to improve their workplaces.”

This year’s winners understand that retention and employee satisfaction isn’t something that just happens, but something they actively need to develop and improve. These employers anticipate employees’ needs before they become a necessity and make improvements continuously.

“Winning employers inherently understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” says Richard Yerema, executive editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “The best employers have always been adaptable and proactive when listening to what employees need, want and value in doing their jobs.” He adds, “This has been especially important over the past few years, with employees working overtime to manage the challenges and rapid change in work styles, while ensuring their organizations stay relevant and thrive.”

Since the pandemic, there has also been increased attention to health and safety issues in the workplace, particularly around mental health. This heightened awareness has led to new health and safety initiatives for onsite staff as well as employees working on hybrid schedules.

Now in its 24th edition, Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes employers with exceptional human resources programs and forward-thinking workplace policies. Editors at Mediacorp review employers on eight criteria, which have remained consistent since the project’s inception: (1) Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. The editors publish detailed ‘reasons for selection’ for these criteria, providing transparency in the selection of winners and a catalogue of best practices for employers and job-seekers alike.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation’s largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, which includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada’s largest job search engines, used by millions of job-seekers annually to find new job postings and discover what the nation’s best employers are offering.

The full list of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024) was announced today in a special magazine published by Mediacorp and distributed in The Globe and Mail. Detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, were also released on the competition homepage.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2024 Winners

ABB Canada, Saint-Laurent QC
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Inc. / APTN, Winnipeg MB Adobe Systems Canada Inc., Ottawa ON
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation / AFSC, Lacombe AB ArcelorMittal Dofasco G.P., Hamilton ON
AstraZeneca Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Bank of Canada, Ottawa ON
BASF Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Bayer Inc., Mississauga ON
BC Public Service, Victoria BC
BDO Canada LLP, Toronto ON
Bell Canada, Verdun QC
Boston Consulting Group of Canada Limited, Toronto ON
British Columbia Investment Management Corp. / BCI, Victoria BC
Business Development Bank of Canada, Montréal QC CAE Inc., Saint-Laurent QC
Canada Energy Regulator, Calgary AB
Canadian National Railway Company, Montréal QC Canadian Pacific Kansas City / CPKC, Calgary AB Carleton University, Ottawa ON
Cascades Canada Inc., Kingsey Falls QC CIBC, Toronto ON
Citi Canada, Mississauga ON
Clio, Burnaby BC
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, The, Vancouver BC Covenant House Vancouver, Vancouver BC
Creative Options Regina, Inc., Regina SK
Danone Canada, Boucherville QC
Dash Hudson Inc., Halifax NS
Dentons Canada LLP, Calgary AB
Desjardins Group / Mouvement Desjardins, Lévis QC
Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc., Toronto ON
Digital Extremes Ltd., London ON
Employment and Social Development Canada, Gatineau QC
Enbridge Inc., Calgary AB
Export Development Canada, Ottawa ON
EY, Toronto ON
Fidelity Canada, Toronto ON
Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd., Oakville ON
Fowler Bauld & Mitchell Ltd. / FBM, Halifax NS
FreshBooks, Toronto ON
GHD Canada Holdings Inc., Waterloo ON
Graham Construction, Calgary AB
HarperCollins Canada Ltd. and Harlequin Enterprises ULC, Toronto ON Hatch Ltd., Mississauga ON
Hospital for Sick Children, The, Toronto ON
IGM Financial Inc., Winnipeg MB
Imperial Oil Limited, Calgary AB
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Ottawa ON Inter Pipeline Ltd., Calgary AB
Irving Oil, Saint John NB
Kellanova Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Keurig Dr Pepper Canada, Montréal QC
Keyera Corp., Calgary AB
KPMG LLP, Toronto ON
Labatt Breweries of Canada, Toronto ON
League Inc., Toronto ON
Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton ON
Loopio Inc., Toronto ON
L’Oréal Canada Inc., Montréal QC
Manulife, Toronto ON
Mars Canada, Bolton ON
Mawer Investment Management Ltd., Calgary AB
McElhanney Ltd., Vancouver BC
McMillan LLP, Toronto ON
Medavie Inc., Moncton NB
Medtronic Canada ULC, Brampton ON
Mistplay Inc., Montréal QC
Mondelez Canada Inc., Toronto ON
Nutrien Inc., Saskatoon SK
OpenText Corporation, Waterloo ON
PCL Construction, Edmonton AB
Pomerleau Inc., Montréal QC
Procter & Gamble Inc., Toronto ON
Provincial Credit Union Ltd., Charlottetown PE
Questrade Financial Group, North York ON
Rio Tinto, Montréal QC
Ross Video Ltd., Nepean ON
Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto ON
Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
SAP Canada Inc., Vancouver BC
Saputo Inc., Saint-Léonard QC
SaskEnergy Incorporated, Regina SK
Schneider Electric Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Shell Canada Limited, Calgary AB
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC
Sobeys Inc., Mississauga ON
Stryker Canada ULC, Waterdown ON
TD Bank Group, Toronto ON
Teck Resources Limited, Vancouver BC
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. / TMMC, Cambridge ON United Way British Columbia, Burnaby BC
Université de Montréal, Montréal QC
University of New Brunswick / UNB, Fredericton NB
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, Vancouver BC
Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver BC
Verafin Inc., St. John’s NL
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., Vancouver BC
World Vision Canada, Mississauga ON
Yukon, Government of, Whitehorse YT

COR Stories: Faith’s Journey to Canada

Faith Isaac is from the Igbo tribe in the Eastern part of Nigeria. She is the second child of four children and the first daughter within her family. Faith immigrated to Regina, Saskatchewan from Nigeria in 2022 to pursue her master’s degree. She chose Canada as her destination as it is well-known for being one of the friendliest and inclusive environments for people from different parts of the world. There is significant diversity within Canada and within schools that encouraged Faith to pursue her education, including the University of Regina.

The immigration process can be difficult and overwhelming for many people, but for Faith it was smooth; her study visa was approved in just 10 days and she had no bad experience during her application process!

When Faith came to Regina, the first few months were difficult. She experienced significant cultural shock and felt lonely, but adapting to the harsh winter was the biggest cultural shock she had to work through. She also remembered this experience as if it happened yesterday, having vehicles wait for pedestrians to cross over the roads was something she will never forget. It is something she never experienced in her home country and she really appreciates that. To Faith, it shows the value human lives have here in this beautiful country called Canada.

Asked about her integration, Faith said that what helped her to integrate into the community was the gift of good friends and a good support system. Her friends made her transition phase seamless. As an international student, Faith said that she would have loved to know that one requires some form of ‘superpower’ to combine school and work here in Canada. If only she knew how difficult it would be to combine education with work life, she said she would have prepared herself mentally for the struggles of being a student and making ends meet at the same time.

Despite the challenges and cultural shock that comes with immigrating to a new country, Faith said that she would happily choose Canada all over again. “Canada feels like a home away from home to me”, said Faith. She continues by saying that she had made many friends and met many kind people here.  She also expressed that she has met some people that have supported her in making her transition and integration easy and smooth. There is a big community of supports for immigrants and if you look in the right place, you will find someone, or an organization, to help you settle down and be part of the Canadian community.

Faith also expressed that she has never experienced racism in Regina, or at least she has not identified any behavior of racism towards her, although, she has friends who are from other countries that share their personal experiences with racism. Fortunately, she has yet to experience it herself.

Immigration helps to create a more diverse and vibrant country, each person you meet has a different story and while many immigrants come to Canada for the world class education system, many immigrants also come to Canada as refugees. Canada has long been, and continues to be, a land of immigrants. Since the time of Confederation, Canada has welcomed more than 17 million immigrants. Immigration is a big part of Canada’s DNA and what makes Canada a great country is the coming together of many different cultures living together and appreciating what everyone brings to the table. Canada is a new home, far from home, for many people.

Faith was referred to COR by good friend and became connected to our 4to40 Initiative where she provides support with job coaching. Faith has a growing passion to serve and support people with intellectual disabilities and is motivated to make a difference in the lives of others.

We are proud to have Faith join our COR family and are grateful for her kindness, caring personality and dedication to the people we support. Thank you for sharing your story and welcome to your new home! 🙂

 

Story by: Faith Isaac

Written by: Joana Valamootoo

COR Stories: Pete’s Triumph Over Adversity and His Path to COR

Pete MacNaughton is not only a Key Support Worker at COR, Pete wears many hats in the community; Pete is a pastor at the Chris Lutheran Church; a firm advocate for the most vulnerable people of our society such as the people affected by homelessness; a volunteer for many important causes and has also been one of the people on the Pride Committee for many years. Pete is equally known for his beautiful personality and his beautiful smile. Pete was born in Regina and raised in Fort Qu’appelle for a number of years before moving again to Regina. Pete also comes from a religious family; Pete’s dad is a pastor. Pete has not always been the happy and smiling individual that we know at COR, Pete had a difficult childhood and adolescence stemming up from being born in a dysfunctional family as he described but also struggling with his self-identity as a gay man.

Pete was 4 years old when he came to the realization that he was different from other boys in his pre-k class. He was already aware that he has an attraction for boys. Asked about how he knew this at such a tender age and he said that he felt special around boys and deep down in his heart, he knew he was different. “When I got older, around the age of 8 or 9, I tried to really control the attractions I felt for boys, I tried to make myself attracted to girls,” said Pete. During the 70s and 80s, it was more than taboo to talk about sexuality, yet alone, talking about being interested with the same sex as yourself. “There were a lot of stigmas and shame with being gay” mentioned Pete.

Even though, he tried his best to cover up his homosexuality, Pete said everyone knew he was gay. “I have been called all types of words, kids told me I should have been a girl and I was a misfit. I felt rejected in Grade 5 and Grade 6” shared Pete.

Pete shared that he was constantly bullied in High School. “I even had a gym coach who made fun of me and made the kids laugh at me. I was called a “Fag” on a daily basis”. Pete remembered an incident that took place during recess. “I was bullied by a kid and one day the kid told me that I smell “fag” and in return I told the kid that the smell was coming from him and advise to use a deodorant”. Pete said he didn’t know where he got the courage to tell him that and all the kids laugh at the boy that was bullying him. That afternoon, after school, Pete was physically assaulted by that boy. Pete said that day he felt good about himself for standing against bullying and for being able to stand up for himself. But soon, he realizes that he was alone and thoughts of killing himself started to come to his mind more and more. At this moment in time, he started to experience mental health. He felt that he was living a nightmare and that there were no better days to come for him and there was no way his life was going to get better or ever be normal. Pete lived with a lot of stress and depression.

Pete said that his mother used to attend AL-Anon group- Al-Anon is a fellowship group designed to help people who are affected by a loved one’s drinking behavior. The support group is also commonly referred to as the Al-Anon Family Group. Pete’s dad was a pastor, but his dad also had an alcohol addiction problem and it really disrupted their lives at home. “Mom used to come home and tell me what she has learned from this group and she also learns about mental health and how to cope with mental health issues during crisis and this really helps me with my mental health”, shared Pete. At this point, Pete said he felt safe with his mom but he didn’t feel safe outside of the home.

Pete shared that he felt so lonely that he befriended a teacher and one day the teacher told him to go away and go play with other kids. “I compensate those feelings of loneliness and feeling isolated with overeating, I had nobody on my side, I felt the pressure of the world on my shoulders, I am grateful though I had my mother and my family from my mother’s side”. Pete said that her mother knew but they never talked about it when he was small.

Pete also shared that he didn’t want to bother his mother with his problems, he mentioned that mom was already going through a lot with dad’s alcohol addiction.

Pete grew up in a religious family, later at university, he steps away from his Christian faith community because he knew he will never be accepted as a gay man. Pete started to learn about the 2 spirited individual from the indigenous faith led community. His perception at that time was that the Indigenous community was more welcoming towards the gay people and towards differences. “I so wanted to fit in and to be part of the community,” said Pete. He also mentioned that he tried to stay away from his own Roman Catholic faith.

Pete has not yet come out as a gay man, but he was starting to want to be in a relationship. But it was not easy at that time, “I had a friend that I came out to him and he was my boyfriend”, said Pete. “At this point, he was the only person that knew I was gay,” said Pete.

At university, Pete thought there will be many conversations, he soon realizes that he was there to learn only what the lecturers wanted them to learn and this didn’t motivate him to continue studying at the university. Even though, he was getting over 95% of my papers, he felt that he was never going to learn anything that really matters to him. Pete dropped out of university and started working at a cleaning company. The owner-a woman told Pete that he can mentor him not be gay. Pete shares that he was young and naïve and thought that he needed someone to save him. Soon, Pete realized that again he was in a dysfunctional relationship with his employer but for years Pete worked at this cleaning company.

Pete finally came out as a gay man at the age of 25 years old. Pete shared that he felt pressured to come out as he has started to join the Pride Community to organize Pride, and as his dad was the pastor at the church, he felt it was important to let his dad know that he was part of the community and he is gay. Pete didn’t want anyone telling his dad other than him. His dad told him that it was okay as long as people are not aware that he was gay.

Pete shared that his coming out was very liberating and it was also very uplifting. It has been a long road and there were and there are still many battles to win. It was as if some of the pressure and sadness were released.
Pete started going to a bar to meet people but didn’t feel safe and even to this day, he confesses he does not feel safe in bars. His first relationship was with an artist and it lasted only 6 months and he went into a depression again. During the same time, he was working 90 hours per week, he didn’t have much time to socialize and felt like a hermit.

Soon, he was in a depression and everything seem to go the opposite way, something was missing in his life and Pete knew that he had to reconnect with his catholic faith, and he shared that he felt a heavy weight lifted from his shoulder. Pete started to research to find out how he can be part of the church as a gay man. With time and perseverance, Pete has finally found his way with his faith and as a gay man in the church setting. It took many years of suffering and being isolated from everybody.

Pete shared that when he met his boyfriend, Dan, everything sort of fell into place and it gives him confidence in himself. “Being queer is part of my identity”, said Pete. Dan helped Pete with key decision about his professional life and told him to apply at Turning Leaf. At Turning Leaf, he finally found his calling, which is to help and support people with intellectual disabilities.

Later, Pete applied and was hired at COR, where Pete said he feels like he belongs and will one day retire from COR.

“Gentle Teaching is my language, it’s what I believe and what I preach, finding myself so in line with my faith in my workplace is in itself a blessing” mentioned Pete.

Asked about have we can all embrace acceptance of the LGBTQIAS in our society, Pete states that we need to eat patriarchy, male dominance, everything that is the opposite of gentle teaching. “Gentle teaching is all about love and sin is the absence of love,” said Pete. Pete goes further saying that if we all embrace gentle teaching in our lives, we will be more accepting of our differences.

Pete also said that loving ourselves is fundamental, this is the only way to break barriers. “We also need to recognize that privilege in our society is killing our planet and is killing love”.

Pete recognized that his experience in this world as a gay person made him support people at COR with honesty and integrity. “COR is so in line with every fiber of who I am as a person”.

Pete shared that he was lucky to have his mother as an ally, who always accepted him and accept him as he is and never asked him to change. “I recognised that I am lucky this way, some people do not have anyone supporting them, as a white man, I am privilege too, I know that it is tough for gay people that are also people of color and it might be harder for people in other countries,” said Pete.

Asked if it is easier to come out now and Pete said that it is easier for white men to come out; according to Pete, transgender people suffered more than anyone and people of color equally have to go through a lot to come out and sometimes they simply never come out as a gay person fearing for what might happen. Pete said that in his experience upper class and middle-class white men and white women can come out more easily than other people.

Pete also wants the world to know that vulnerability is something we all have in common. Embracing our vulnerability is how we make the change. According to Pete, we cannot embrace vulnerability if we are still in privilege mode. We need to accept first that we are in a place of power and privilege and that change starts with us. Pete also said that gentle teaching is not only what he uses at work but it is part of his existence. “Gentle Teaching is at the core of who I am as a human being”, said Pete.

Pete will soon step into an important part of his life; Pete is happy to share that he is getting married to the love of his life. If you see him, please take some time to congratulate him as this is a big phase of his life. Sometimes marriage is taken for granted as it is easily accessible but in many countries’ marriage between people of the same sexes are still not legal, in some countries, it is even considered a crime and has serious consequences.

Pete, we love having you as part of our COR family, thank you for being you and for changing the world one person at a time. We wish you the best and congratulation for your upcoming wedding. We look forward to celebrate you and your achievement in the organization.

Written by Joana Valamootoo

Meet The COR Family: Lindsay Surtees

Hi, I’m Lindsay! I am a Registered Nurse and have been in my position with the COR Health Team for a little over a year. I have been involved in the disability sector for the past 15 years in varying capacities. I first heard about COR while working at a summer camp for individuals with disabilities. My journey with COR started nearly 10 years ago when I moved to Regina to attend the U of R. I left Regina in early 2014 to pursue some other goals and opportunities in Alberta, but returned in 2018 to attend nursing school. As soon as I returned to Regina, I knew I would like to be involved with COR again, as I had had a very positive experience as a support years earlier. I was thrilled to get to join the same team and reunite with the individuals I had supported previously! I went back into a support role while I attended University. Once I graduated nursing school, I spent some time working in the Emergency Room before joining the COR Health Team in early 2022. I feel very fortunate that I have the opportunity to combine my passion for supporting individuals with disabilities with my nursing and healthcare education/experience in my role with COR!

I have had many, many positive experiences and opportunities during my time with COR. Individuals with disabilities experience greater health disparities than those without. In my role with the health team, I am given the opportunity to collaborate with other healthcare professionals to advocate for better health outcomes for those we support. Being a small part of something that helps lead to healthier and happy lives for those supported is very rewarding. I am proud to be a part of an organization that values relationships, community and connection. COR has given me many opportunities to learn and grow into a better support, a better person and a better nurse.

My advice for prospective COR candidates would be to come in with an open mind and a willingness to learn! Supporting COR is fun, rewarding, challenging and enriching. There are so many opportunities within COR to grow, connect, engage and learn.

fun facts about me:

-I’m almost always listening to a podcast

-I use to work as a whitewater raft guide

-I coach CrossFit

-I LOVE reality TV shows

-I am trained as an End of Life Doula

Meet The COR Family: Daymion Tyndale

Hello, I’m Daymion! I have a dual role at COR: SLP support worker and a facilitator of the Short Breaks program. I have been working at COR for about two years and have been enjoying it a lot! If I could describe my journey at COR in one word it would have to be continuous. COR has helped me realize who I am and made me realize that I am a leader and not a manager.

I first learned about COR from my brother, Stefan. He told me more about what COR was and how it would be a great fit for me and here I am! So far, Short Breaks have been one of my favourite projects. It helps me utilize my talents and skills as an individual who enjoys helping others and entertaining all at once. One of my proudest moments would have to be when the people we support begin to trust me and when they have their proud/successful moments. If you love working with people, have a lot of patience and would like to work for a company that truly cares about its people, then this is the place to be.

Fun facts about me:

I started reading “Be Water, My Friend” by Shannon Lee. I find that a lot of Bruce Lee’s teachings mirror Gentle Teachings.

My favourite quote is “If you have no confidence in yourself, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” – Marcus Garvey

My free time is spent either with my family and friends doing various activities or video gaming by myself. There may be an occasional book.

2nd Annual Prairie Sexuality and Disability Conference

COR is proud to host the 2nd Annual Prairie Sexuality and Disability Conference, in partnership with Saskatoon Sexual Health and Inclusion Saskatchewan. Join us in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on October 18-19, 2023.

For more information, visit: https://nevertmi.ca/psdcon/