I Am A Tradesman
“I worked for eight years installing everything from steel metal doors to bathroom stall partitions. I can’t work in a lot of places because of my criminal record, but I have installed all the bathrooms in the courthouse and the super heavy cell doors in the basement – where they hold hardcore criminals. I have done work in RCMP buildings, hospitals, universities and public and catholic school boards. I have installed every single washroom in the Stampede Grounds, including under the Coke Stage. I have installed lockers in police headquarters and the Westwinds training facility for the Calgary Police. All this with a criminal record.
There is a stigma that people with criminal records are violent or thieves. I am neither. I like doing things for other people – enjoy being thoughtful and brightening someone’s day. Family is a big part of my life. I talk to them, spend a lot of time at home, have dinner with them. I have a best uncle reputation to uphold and like to bake cookies for my nieces. When I go visit them I always have Kinder Surprises. They always ask me, ‘Do you have an eggy?’ I say, ‘Yes, I have an eggy – you have to eat your supper first.’ My mom used to make these toffee cornflake cookies once a year at Christmas and everyone loved them. She would make a huge batch and they would all be gone within a week. I have an entrepreneurial mindset and would like to start my own business making her recipe. The consumable industry is one of the greatest on the planet.”