Peter and the Porridge

Once upon a time, in a land by the sea, there lived a six-year old boy who decided he was unfairly being forced to eat too much porridge. After mobilizing his siblings, he confronted his mother. She was so impressed by the protest she told young Peter that henceforth he was responsible for making his own breakfast. A valuable lesson indeed for the young activist!

Peter Cormier was born in the 1950s labour-oriented environment of Cape Breton. His father was an active Organizer for the Fishermen Cooperatives and Acadian Credit Unions, and later received an Honourary Award for his efforts. Peter moved to Ottawa in the sixties. While working for Steinbergs as a teenager, he helped organize their first strike. He also trained briefly to be a Priest at Saint Pius X but found himself too distracted by the fairer sex.

In the mid-seventies, Brother Peter joined the Communications Security Establishment and became active in its UNDE Local – serving as Local Secretary, President and Chief Steward. In 1978 he attended his first National Convention in Kingston as an Observer. He managed to create quite a stir and drink a lot of beer.

In rapid-fire succession, Brother Peter blazed across the national scene as UNDE Vice-President for CSE, PSAC National Director for the National Capital Region, Treasurer of the Executive Committee of the United Way Board of Directors and finally Executive Vice President of UNDE.

Now he says he is retiring. Will he fade away? I do not think so. He is already concerned about the effect on Components of the PSAC Regionalization movement. Peter is definitely a life long Unionist who cares about his fellow workers.