11/26/2025
WARNING LONG POST
To whom may be concerned:
I am writing this post to let everyone know what has happened with Mom & Son's canteen. On Wednesday, November 19 I had a message asking me what happened with the canteen. My response was "what do you mean, what happened with the canteen ?" The person says " well as of today your contact has been terminated ." I was stunned, I had no idea about any of this. So replied "I have no idea but will call Chris (the CAO) and find out whats going on. So I called Chris (whom signed my contract) and was told he doesn't want to be the middle man so for me to call the new manager of the arena (how can he think he is the middle man when he is the CAO? Wouldn't the manager be the middle man?). First off she has nothing to do with my contract. She told me she wants the canteen to be open 9am-10pm 7 days a week, when there is nothing going on on most of those days. The canteen WAS OPEN when there were things going on, I did not open it for a home school skate (for example) that 3 kids go to and don't even buy a bottle of water. At the beginning of last year I tried being open for everything but soon found out it wasn't worth being open on the days that were only public skating or home school skate, adult skate etc.and found myself going in the hole very quickly. Desmond and I then decided to only open for things that brought people. Which worked well, and was told by the CAO that everything was great and he was hearing lots of good comments, so what changed his mind for this year? Why is what I am doing not enough for this year but was told it was perfect last year? I will tell you why. It is because the new manager moves here to our small community from BC and thinks she knows what our area wants & needs. I'm not going to get specific cuz its way to much to type but I know her "visions" are NOT going to work here. Shawn and I have owned many businesses and gave lived here our whole life and we know a lot if people. How can someone move here from across the country and know what would work here and know ehat the people want? I spoke to her twice in my life, both times were in September and was after Shawn had the stroke but was before the season started and she told me the hours she wants the canteen to be open and ehst her vision is. I flat out refused to be open that amount of hours back then, and still refuse today. I told her that her ideas are not going to work here (she was told the same thing by another person that knows the food industry) and I also told her that I can not afford to go in the hole ANOTHER year and if she wants it open that much then she better hire some staff to work it. I rent the space and is no different if I rent space anywhere else. I rent space for MY business so I pick my hours. If I rented space from anyone in another location does the owner of the building get to tell me when I have to be open? When we got the contract last year we were voted in by the council, not by the manager of the arena. She has told people (CAO included) that there was a lack of communication ( and is partly why she has terminated the contract. She says she has tried to reach me numerous times via email, text and call. Well as everyone knows I am in hospital with my husband and have been every day since September 12th, and I have people looking after the canteen for me, and NOT ONCE have I received a call, text, or email from her. I haven't been there but if there was a issue maybe actually calling me and giving me a chance to fix the issue would have been the proper way of handling it, not just terminating my contract and telling everyone except for me. So after I spoke to Chris and him telling me I had to talk to the manager (whom knows NOTHING about my contract ) I decided to put a call in to the warden, and talk to him to see what he knows about it. I had a wonderful conversation with him and he told me what he knew. Which 90% of was lies, all total BS. He was told that my contract was being terminated mainly because I was Sub-leasing and that is against policy. I AM NOT SUB-LEASING ANYTHING. I have people working for me. I place EVERY SYSCO ORDER, IT IS MY BUSINESS NUMBER BEING USED, I PAY THE BILLS AND STAFF. That sub-leasing info is 100% BU****IT, but is all she had to use and try to make it look like it is something I have done wrong when I have done nothing wrong. I am not mad that my contract has been terminated in fact I couldn't be happier. I made ZERO money last year and this year I have plenty on my plate to deal with, so not having the canteen is a blessing and one more thing off my plate. What does p**s me off is how she (the manager) got to decide what happened with my contract WITHOUT even talking to me to see if we could work something out, or give me the option to terminate it myself (as I was told at the first of the season by Chris that due to the circumstances he would allow me to do so, and then get my 2nd year next year if I wanted to, because it is a 2 year contract and he wanted me to have the opportunity to have my 2 years). I feel I have been done dirty and I REFUSE to call and talk to the manager as what I have to say to her isn't fit to put on a spoon so would rather just leave well enough alone. I have talked to whom I feel has the right to know how I feel and whom can address this issue on my behalf. So in saying all of that I hope you all can understand where I'm coming from and that you don't hold me responsible for this inconvenience. I tried to do what I could while being away, and to provide a canteen for your convenience. I want to thank you all gor your support last year and for the short time this year. I hope they figure something out for in there for the remainder of the season for all of your sake, but at the same time if someone else is considering taking over and wants more information about "HER" expectations please feel free to message me, I have no problem telling you exactly how she is, how much money I made (or lost) last season. I have ZERO reason to lie to any of you. Sorry for the long post but wanted to explain what has happened and wanted you all to know THE TRUTH. Your business has bern muchly appreciated
