The Oral Contract

I said in a previous blog on blogdaleupsome that my director-general in the Dept. of Communications told me that I and Bob Rabinovitz were both on C.A.P.(career assignment program).I told my director-general that I had received no papers to that effect.She said sometimes you have to rely on an oral contract.

I had been told at the Dept. of Communications that I was to take a course in management consulting in Ste. Jovite, Quebec.It was a beautiful location.I told my director-general that I didn't need to go as I had taken that course before.I was told that I had no choice as I had been ordered to go by the Public Service Commission.Later(at the Dept.of Transport) I was called by the Public Service Commission and told to upgrade my French as all future jobs would require a higher level of French training.In fact, my next job at the Dept.of Agriculture required that level of French training;so it had worked out well.

My salary was constant at C.R.T.C as it was, at my next job at Transport.I had had no pay increases.When  it seemed that I was stuck in a clerical level job I got some help.A director at Industry Canada told me that  I had to change my personal references to win a new job.I did and won the next competition at the Dept.of Agriculture.Here I got three or four pay increases at once.Five months later I got a further $2000 increase and my personel officer told me that a future increase would come in another seven months.Who was giving me these increases in pay with no increase in responsibility?I don't know but I was starting to believe that I had an oral contract.
If the Public Service Commission was going to interact with me they would through the deputy or the deputy's secretary.One day in my seventh or eighth month at the Dept. of Agriculture the deputy's secretary came into my office and told me that there was going to be a branch meeting and I was going to be appointed assistant deputy minister.This seemed unlikely yet this was the deputy minister's secretary.There was a branch meeting when she said but no announcement about my position.The secretary came into my office the very next day and said there would be another branch meeting and I would be appointed director-general immediately and assistant deputy later.There was another meeting but no announcement again.Well at least I had an oral contract!