'I'm going to figure it out,' dad tearfully promises daughter about planned GM closure

Jos Flamandsays he foughtback tears Sunday as he tried to assure his daughter that he will "figure it out"after hearing the news that General Motors plans to close its Oshawa, Ont., plant next year.

Ten-year-old Addison had asked her father, a GM employee, how she was going to continue her dance lessons and care for her two pets a guinea pig and a hamster.

"I've been sharing everything with my daughter, but last night she asked me, 'If you don't work ...what's going to happen there?'" Flamand, 46,told CBC Toronto as he and Addison sat in the living room of their Oshawa home.

"So, I'm like, 'I'm going to figure it out, I'm going to figure it out. Daddy always will.' But that was a real shocker there, because I have to do everything for my daughter. That's the most important thing in my life," Flamand said, his voice cracking as he embraced his girl.

I'm not trying to say I'm greedy, I'm just saying, I'm okay with, like, five dance classes.- Addison Flamand

Addison said she's a competitive dancer and is required to practise almost every day of the week.

But she is worried that without a job, her father would no longer be able to pay for those lessons.

"It's my passion and it's what makes me happy," Addison said. Her mom is an assistant teacher, Addison said,so she wouldn't have enough to pay for dances almost every week.

'I'm going to figure it out,' GM employee tells daughter

6 years ago

Duration 0:54

Jos Flamand spent 16 years on the General Motors assembly line. Now, he's not sure what the future holds but he's promising his daughter they'll be all right.

"I'm not trying to say I'm greedy, I'm just sayingI'm okay with, like, five dance classes," Addison told CBC Toronto.

"Also, I have two animals, I have a guinea pig and a hamster, and I have to pay for them using my allowance money," she said.

"And if I don't get my allowance money because my dad can't afford that, I'll have to give my animals away, and my guinea pig especially, I got her for my birthday, so she's really special to me."

When GM confirmed the closure Monday, it said the company is exploring options to retool the facility. This means they could close or they could get different vehicles to build.

MaryBarra, GM's chief executive officer, said from Detroittransforming itsproduct line and manufacturing process will save the company an estimated $6 billion US by the end of 2020.

But Flamand said he wants Barra to come to Oshawa and talk to Addison.

"I would like to hear either Mary Barra [or] her shareholders to come out and explain to my little one right here," he said, adding that all he wants is for hisdaughter to continue to pursue her passion: dance.

"I want her to continue doing what she loves because she's a child. She doesn't have to go through this," Flamandsaid.

'Nobody is going to hire me'

The news of the closure was a dj vu moment for Flamand, who was laid off 10 years ago. Hestarted his career with General Motors in Sainte Therese, Que.When that plant closed he relocated to Oshawa.

"My daughter was just born, she was like four months old and the layoff was to be for Christmas. So I've been through this before."

Flamand is worried that at his age, he willnot be able to find another job.

"They're going to hire someone right out ofschool who they can train the way they want them to train," Flamand said.

"There's nowhere for me to go after this."

An uncertain future

In response to GM's announcement, Premier Doug Ford said Monday he will be authorizeEmployment Ontario to deploy its Rapid Re-Employment and Training Services program to provide targeted local training and jobs services to help employees.

"We are looking at how best to align our programs to ensure maximum support is available for affected employees and their families," Ford said in a written statement.

Ford said the provincial government is also asking the federal government to immediately extend Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility to ensure the affected workers can fully access benefits when they need them most.

But the premier's announcement did not give Flamand much hope.

"I'm sure they will retrain me but they will train me at minimum wage just to make sure I get a job to get me off their backs," he said.

For now, Flamand said he does not know what the future holds.

"It's going to be hard for me to relocate ... It's going to affect so many people and their families," he said.

"And unfortunately, these little kids are going to be affected by this."