A 60-year-old District of Squamish employee voiced his anger at his employer this week using a large sign on top of his vehicle, and parking outside Municipal Hall.

Gilles Benoit sat outside the Second Avenue building in his white van with a sign attached to its roof reading “House of prejudisism, favouritism and disrispect.”

The 22-year operations department employee was on stress leave from March until Jan. 15, and said his doctor has told him he is fit to work, but the district is forcing him into early retirement.

“According to my doctor, I was OK to go back to work. And it is now March 3rd and I’m still not back at work. The District of Squamish is stalling,” he told the Chief on Wednesday (March 3).

He added that a union representative had just approached him to tell him he’s been fired.

Chief administrative officer Kevin Ramsay was unavailable for comment as of press time.

Benoit said physically, he can’t perform the labourous tasks he one could, but adds there are options for people in his condition at the district such as operating machinery.

“I’m only 60 years old; I have financially five more years to go. I can’t retire right now,” he said. “You could accommodate me by putting me on a machine, you’ve done it for people who’ve been there for two years – they put them on machines.”

Sheena Murdoch, a national representative for district employee union CUPE 2269, said she could not comment.

“It’s a confidential employment matter at this point, between the employer, the District of Squamish, and an employee, so we’re not really in a position to comment. Particularly out of respect for the privacy of the persons involved at this stage,” said Murdoch.

“We’re in the process of dealing with a confidential matter and as the union representing this individual we have an obligation to protect his privacy.”