All my Sparrows, Acrylic on Canvas. 8 in x 24 in
this is not how I wanted this to turn out, but here it is. I tried to keep it very simple, but of courses added so many layers. I kept colours to a minimum, and mixed instead. I dedicated this to my friend Heather MacWilliam, a former Toronto Police Services Officer who had enough of the BS harassment from her “ brothers in arms” and took them to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and charged them with sexual harassment. It only took her 10 years, cost her 3x what she won, and a colossal emotional toll, but she won. I sent her this painting to show how much more civilized sparrows are…they wait their turn and allow others to drink, unlike toxic Human workplaces.
i talked to my psychologist this morning and she encouraged me to send in my statement of claim to the Bureau of Pension Advocates. It’s taken me almost a year to write it. It was just too difficult to write and relive. But it was my only way of having a voice, since the army never allowed me to speak up. I tried to write it like a research essay but it didn’t work, I was too emotional and it really hurt. But I did name the people involved, and those who committed fraud to eliminate my position. So there it is, 27 pages, and 17 pieces of evidence. It’s uploaded to MyVAC, the Veterans Affairs site Veterans use to try and communicate with them. I’m glad it’s not going to VAC, I’ve never trusted them, I worked beside them and a parade of officers would go to their offices and get their claims approved on the spot, or they would influence other’s claims.
the Bureau of Pension Advocates is a group of lawyers and basically a last resort for Veterans who get nowhere with VAC. I doubt my testimony will do anything, but now it’s a matter of record and I can close that chapter that has hounded me almost a year.