Equality in Canada does not exist. I'm a male practical nurse and have enjoyed sporadic hours, low pay and a considerable amount of personal harassment. I have been told, on a number of occasions, that I would not be hired, or that I would be working fewer hours because I'm a male. As a result of the rampant discrimination I face, I am forced to seek work outside of the field I was trained for. Unlike females in similar situations, I have received NO help whatsoever, nor even recognition of my plight from the government. I have three college diplomas and was an honour student in high school; however, I have never earned above the poverty level in my lifetime. I am now 27. During my law and security administration program, the females of the class were told to stay after class for an opportunity in credit card fraud investigation with a major bank. The men were not invited to attend as the position was only open to women. My second diploma was in motor vehicle mechanics techniques, where, at the same time my brother and I were attending class at cost, an all-female class was running, sponsored by the government as part of a women in technology initiative. The women were even given placements and job assistance, which my brother and I were not privy to. My third diploma was in Practical Nursing, a program I only entered with aspirations of entering the medical field. A week ago I was at the unemployment office looking for a job. While there, I came across a brochure entitled "special opportunity grants". It provides funding for FEMALE doctoral students in so-called under-represented fields. Although such a grant would be very helpful to someone like me, I was ineligible simply because I'm male. And, all the while I've been told to keep quiet about this as it may affect my job prospects! Where is the equality in that? Where are the government initiatives to get more men involved in nursing? Isn't that a field in which men are under-represented? *the person in the story is an LPN and may be reached for nursing employment by e-mailing billsook@yahoo.com state: male nurse required and the information will be passed on.
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