QMJHL Player 'fired for not signing flag for troops' - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

RedHot25 · 12-18-2006, 10:24 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswi...g.html?ref=rss

A Saint John Seadogs hockey player has been kicked off the team after he did not sign a Canadian flag to be sent to troops in Afghanistan.

...

"Morally, we have standards with this hockey team and that's a standard that we believe in," Beaulieu told CBC News Monday.

jar_e · 12-18-2006, 10:29 AM

Sounds like a misunderstanding...the article states that he thought someone signed it for him. Kind of an overreaction IMO.

Resolute 14 · 12-18-2006, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Beaulieu said he believes in freedom of expression but added that any player who refused to sign would have been kicked off the team.

So be believes in freedom of expression unless someone actually tries to use that freedom?

eazyduzzit · 12-18-2006, 10:54 AM

What a prick, that flag was going to men and women who are protecting Canada and him, reguardless of his opinion on Afghanistan. These men/women would be in which ever region of the world in a heart beat to protect our rights and freedoms and this is the respect he shows.

Seems this case is no different from all the other whacky "freedoms" we apparently have. In other words, i don't see what the team did was that wrong, given all these other cases we have been hearing about.

I'm only allowed to say things within spacific guidelines and i can't kick someone out of my own store for my own reasons without the threat of human rights violations or fines.

mykalberta · 12-18-2006, 11:29 AM

A hockey team is a private buisness, if it requires its employees to sign the flag they either have to or take it to court.

Sounds like some punk tried to not to sign it just cause he is a lazy a$$ and now he gets burned.

MYK

the_hound · 12-18-2006, 11:44 AM

How would anyone on this board feel if they got fired for not wearing red on friday or wearing a support our troops pin at work ? Work and politics/religion should be kept separate and I bet this kid could sue for wrongful dismissal.

TimSJ · 12-18-2006, 11:51 AM

there were more issues than just the flag apparently.. it was the staw that broke the camels back so to speak.. He has the most goals on our crappy expansion team so i am sure they were not probably looking to get rid of him for nothing.

cheevers · 12-18-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

A hockey team is a private buisness, if it requires its employees to sign the flag they either have to or take it to court.

Sounds like some punk tried to not to sign it just cause he is a lazy a$$ and now he gets burned.

MYK

Kinda harsh considering they dont get anything but meal money on road trips I believe.

Looger · 12-18-2006, 12:36 PM

our troops are dying in a corporate war, to airdrop in the WTO, the UN, and the world bank into yet another country and to give western corporations access to 4~5 trillion $ of central asian oil, not to mention the natural gas.

that being said not supporting the troops is reprehensible, even if you disagree why they're there (which is NOT for 'our freedom', ****ing gag me), and if and organization that's part of the public trust like a hockey team has a problem with someone not signing something for morale, well, it's a little extreme but i can understand given their position in the community.

the troops in country need to know that people at home are concerned for their safety.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 12-18-2006, 12:46 PM

Hmmm,
this is a bit of a pickle.
But do I believe the kid when he says "I though someone sigend for me"?
Hell no. Why whould someone sign for you, and doesn't having someone sign for you defeat the purpose of sending an autographed flag in the first place?

If he isn't smart enough to come up with a better excuse than that, then he probably should be kicked off the team.

Agamemnon · 12-18-2006, 12:51 PM

I don't get why someone's politics affects their ability to do their job (or keep their job). What if he doesn't support the war in Afghanistan? Hell, what if he just doesn't want to sign the Canadian flag? That means he can no longer do his job...?

eazyduzzit · 12-18-2006, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Looger

our troops are dying in a corporate war, to airdrop in the WTO, the UN, and the world bank into yet another country and to give western corporations access to 4~5 trillion $ of central asian oil, not to mention the natural gas.

Oh no?

Having Afghanistan fall into the hands of the Taliban/Al Quada - which is a very surreal possibility if the NATO force does not keep it's numbers - would not be at all a threat to the world and more importantly, Canada?

They aren't dying to bring freedom to that country, give the Afghans the freedoms we take for granted? They aren't trying to secure a key battleground in the fight against Al Quada and radical Islam? They aren't protecting Canadian citizens from the ever so relevant Al Quada threat?

It's all just one big global conspiracy for money? Give me a ****ing break.

You seem to be another one of those individuals who blames all problems on oil

If you want to respond, quote this and post in here, to keep things on topic: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...t=34677&page=3

Agamemnon · 12-18-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eazyduzzit

Oh no?

Having Afghanistan fall into the hands of the Taliban/Al Quada - which is a very surreal possibility if the NATO force does not keep it's numbers - would not be at all a threat to the world and more importantly, Canada?

They aren't dying to bring freedom to that country, give the Afghans the freedoms we take for granted? They aren't trying to secure a key battleground in the fight against Al Quada and radical Islam? They aren't protecting Canadian citizens from the ever so relevant Al Quada threat?

So what? If someone doesn't agree with that then they should lose their non-related job? Since when do your personal politics = your right to keep your employment?

Crazy Flamer · 12-18-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

A hockey team is a private buisness, if it requires its employees to sign the flag they either have to or take it to court.

Sounds like some punk tried to not to sign it just cause he is a lazy a$$ and now he gets burned.

MYK

Did you take an idiot pill this morning? Because its REALLY working!

So the guy is lazy for not signing the flag? Maybe he is against having our troops there. He has a right to his opinion does he not? He certainly shouldn't be kicked off the team for voicing that opinion.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 12-18-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

I don't get why someone's politics affects their ability to do their job (or keep their job). What if he doesn't support the war in Afghanistan? Hell, what if he just doesn't want to sign the Canadian flag? That means he can no longer do his job...?

No, but plenty of companies require employees to sign on to codes of practice etc. Teams, like companies need to portray a certain image and in this case the team wants to show that it supports Canada's troops. If a player doesn't agree, then I think the team should have every right to send him packing.

Also, seeing as how this is a team sponsored event (sort of) I think there would be a reasonable expectation for the player to participate.

Either way, this isn't a job anyway, so I doubt there is any sort of legal precedent that would cover it.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 12-18-2006, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Flamer

Did you take an idiot pill this morning? Because its REALLY working!

So the guy is lazy for not signing the flag? Maybe he is against having our troops there. He has a right to his opinion does he not? He certainly shouldn't be kicked off the team for voicing that opinion.

What if his opinion was that the owner was an idiot, and that his teammates were crappy? Could you kick him off then? If the team wants to portray an image to it's fans, it is up to the players to go along. If they can't then they don't belong on the team.

Agamemnon · 12-18-2006, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

No, but plenty of companies require employees to sign on to codes of practice etc. Teams, like companies need to portray a certain image and in this case the team wants to show that it supports Canada's troops. If a player doesn't agree, then I think the team should have every right to send him packing.

Also, seeing as how this is a team sponsored event (sort of) I think there would be a reasonable expectation for the player to participate.

Either way, this isn't a job anyway, so I doubt there is any sort of legal precedent that would cover it.

Ok... so what about my company, what if they want me to sign a flag to send to Afganistan, and if I refuse, I'm fired. That sounds right/fair to you? Even if its a 'public event' for the company? Sounds like wrongful dismissal to me...

eazyduzzit · 12-18-2006, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

I don't get why someone's politics affects their ability to do their job (or keep their job). What if he doesn't support the war in Afghanistan? Hell, what if he just doesn't want to sign the Canadian flag? That means he can no longer do his job...?

Why should ones racist remarks affect his/her job then? If everyone is truley entitled to their own opinion.

As for wrongful dismissal laws, in this country - well atleats this province - they are nothing more than a joke. You don't even want me to get into some of the stories i can tell you. The leverage is clearly on the employers side.

RougeUnderoos · 12-18-2006, 01:01 PM

I can't believe they didn't hang the guy. Or at least wound him for treason.

Those troops are over there protecting our freedoms and we all know that one of those freedoms is the freedom to be fired from your job for not declaring blind support for the government.

Looger · 12-18-2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eazyduzzit

Oh no?

Having Afghanistan fall into the hands of the Taliban/Al Quada - which is a very surreal possibility if the NATO force does not keep it's numbers - would not be at all a threat to the world and more importantly, Canada?

They aren't dying to bring freedom to that country, give the Afghans the freedoms we take for granted? They aren't trying to secure a key battleground in the fight against Al Quada and radical Islam? They aren't protecting Canadian citizens from the ever so relevant Al Quada threat?

It's all just one big global conspiracy for money? Give me a ****ing break.

You seem to be another one of those individuals who blames all problems on oil

If you want to respond, quote this and post in here, to keep things on topic: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...t=34677&page=3

i was illustrating that no matter how anyone feels aboot why the troops are there (and i have no illusions and i do post and source in relevant threads), that it's our civic duty to support them.

that's in fact why i said that exact thing in my post.

if you question my intentions or have conclusions on 'what i think', have the good ****ing grace to keep it to private messages please.

because the whole situation is so godamn ridiculous that if you really believe we're there to 'fight radical islam', then you're past the ability to debate, you're past the ability to reason.