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The now-former fire chief of Renfrew is vowing to fight what he argues is an “illegal” termination for simply being too old at 61.
Guy Longtin, who has been chief in Renfrew for 26 years, said Thursday that he and his legal team would decide whether to fight the town’s decision in the courts or the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
On Monday night, Renfrew council met in closed session, which is normal for personnel matters, and emerged to say that it had voted to include the chief’s position in a policy to enforce mandatory retirement for all fire personnel at age 60.
According to reports, council cited the provincial Fire Protection and Prevention Act which mandates a retirement age of 60 but “only … to salaried firefighters involved in frontline firefighting duties.”
Renfrew Reeve Peter Emon did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but local media reported the town had appointed Capt. Tim Hill as acting chief and had begun a candidate search for a full-time replacement.
Longtin vowed he would not let the matter rest.
“It is my intention to hold the Town of Renfrew, and its responsible decision-makers, fully accountable for their illegal actions,” Longtin said in a statement via Facebook. “In moving forward with this case, it is my intention to speak not only for myself, but for other older workers across the province, who deserve to be judged by the quality of their workplace contributions, not simply by the numbers on their birth certificates.”
Longtin told town residents via social media that he was told Monday by the mayor and reeve that under a new policy, anyone serving as the town’s fire chief had to retire at 60, like frontline firefighters, which meant he was terminated “immediately.”
“I want to go on record to state that my employment was not terminated for cause, or for any other reason other than I am now older than the town’s newly created policy on mandatory retirement age for their fire chief,” he said, adding that “up until the minute that I was advised of this decision, I was fulfilling my duties in a manner that either met or exceeded the requirements expected of me.”
Longtin said it was an “honour” to serve the town as its chief and thanked its citizens and his fellow firefighters. The Renfrew Fire Department has 11 full-time firefighters including its chief and 16 volunteers.
“To my fellow firefighters who I have served alongside for all of these years, I want to say thank you. I have seen you place your lives on the line for the safety of all of our residents, and you have done so in a most professional manner, and with the utmost of dedication,” he wrote on Facebook.
Chief Darryl Wagner of the Township of Greater Madawaska said on social media that he’d miss Longtin at county fire chiefs meetings.
“I have learned a great deal from sitting quietly and listening to the more experienced chiefs,” he said, thanking Longtin for “sharing your knowledge.”
In 2011, the province said the aim of of changes to the Fire Protection and Prevention Act was to recognize the “unique physical and hazardous work firefighters do to keep communities safe.” However, a press release noted that the average retirement age for firefighters in the province is 57 and most municipalities already included a mandatory retirement age for firefighters in their collective agreements.
Whether it should apply to chiefs, who rarely, if ever, engage in frontline duties, appears to be a debatable point.
Almost a year ago, for example, the Town of Arnprior hired a new fire chief, a former captain in Ottawa, who is 60 years old, Arnprior Today reported. Officials noted his 50 years of combined experience as a professional and volunteer firefighter.
In Ottawa, Chief Gerry Pingitore retired at age 60 last month but his position wasn’t affected by mandatory retirement provisions because the chief is not regularly assigned to frontline firefighting duties, deputy city solicitor David White said.
Ottawa does apply provincial mandatory retirement requirements but they come into play only if that’s a regular part of a firefighter’s duties, White said. And firefighters can’t be forced to retire if they can “be accommodated without undue hardship” considering factors including cost and health and safety requirements.
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Guy Longtin, who has been chief in Renfrew for 26 years, said Thursday that he and his legal team would decide whether to fight the town’s decision in the courts or the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
On Monday night, Renfrew council met in closed session, which is normal for personnel matters, and emerged to say that it had voted to include the chief’s position in a policy to enforce mandatory retirement for all fire personnel at age 60.
According to reports, council cited the provincial Fire Protection and Prevention Act which mandates a retirement age of 60 but “only … to salaried firefighters involved in frontline firefighting duties.”
Renfrew Reeve Peter Emon did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but local media reported the town had appointed Capt. Tim Hill as acting chief and had begun a candidate search for a full-time replacement.
Longtin vowed he would not let the matter rest.
“It is my intention to hold the Town of Renfrew, and its responsible decision-makers, fully accountable for their illegal actions,” Longtin said in a statement via Facebook. “In moving forward with this case, it is my intention to speak not only for myself, but for other older workers across the province, who deserve to be judged by the quality of their workplace contributions, not simply by the numbers on their birth certificates.”
Longtin told town residents via social media that he was told Monday by the mayor and reeve that under a new policy, anyone serving as the town’s fire chief had to retire at 60, like frontline firefighters, which meant he was terminated “immediately.”
“I want to go on record to state that my employment was not terminated for cause, or for any other reason other than I am now older than the town’s newly created policy on mandatory retirement age for their fire chief,” he said, adding that “up until the minute that I was advised of this decision, I was fulfilling my duties in a manner that either met or exceeded the requirements expected of me.”
Longtin said it was an “honour” to serve the town as its chief and thanked its citizens and his fellow firefighters. The Renfrew Fire Department has 11 full-time firefighters including its chief and 16 volunteers.
“To my fellow firefighters who I have served alongside for all of these years, I want to say thank you. I have seen you place your lives on the line for the safety of all of our residents, and you have done so in a most professional manner, and with the utmost of dedication,” he wrote on Facebook.
Chief Darryl Wagner of the Township of Greater Madawaska said on social media that he’d miss Longtin at county fire chiefs meetings.
“I have learned a great deal from sitting quietly and listening to the more experienced chiefs,” he said, thanking Longtin for “sharing your knowledge.”
In 2011, the province said the aim of of changes to the Fire Protection and Prevention Act was to recognize the “unique physical and hazardous work firefighters do to keep communities safe.” However, a press release noted that the average retirement age for firefighters in the province is 57 and most municipalities already included a mandatory retirement age for firefighters in their collective agreements.
Whether it should apply to chiefs, who rarely, if ever, engage in frontline duties, appears to be a debatable point.
Almost a year ago, for example, the Town of Arnprior hired a new fire chief, a former captain in Ottawa, who is 60 years old, Arnprior Today reported. Officials noted his 50 years of combined experience as a professional and volunteer firefighter.
In Ottawa, Chief Gerry Pingitore retired at age 60 last month but his position wasn’t affected by mandatory retirement provisions because the chief is not regularly assigned to frontline firefighting duties, deputy city solicitor David White said.
Ottawa does apply provincial mandatory retirement requirements but they come into play only if that’s a regular part of a firefighter’s duties, White said. And firefighters can’t be forced to retire if they can “be accommodated without undue hardship” considering factors including cost and health and safety requirements.
查看原文...
