Former Sears Canada executive Peter Myers says itâs âironicâ that heâs now lost his job without severance, considering that he recruited his famous brother, comedian Mike Myers, to defend the retail chain in a 2014 TV ad.
Peter Myers, who worked at Sears for over 35 years, will now exit his post as senior director of planning without any severance package, as part of the companyâs restructuring deal outlined in a Toronto courthouse on Thursday.
Myersâ job is among the 2,900 positions Sears will cut as part of the deal to stave off bankruptcy. The retailer is also closing 59 stores.
Itâs an ignominious end to Peter Myersâ career at Sears, which was highlighted by a 2014 television appearance alongside his famous brother. In the ad, Peter and Mike Myers urged Sears customers to stick with the brand through a round of store closures in the Greater Toronto Area.
âIs Sears Canada going away?â Mike asks in the video.
âWeâre not going anywhere,â Peter replies.
Mike Myers finishes the TV spot with the tagline phrase: âSears Canada â my brother works there.â
Peter Myers says Sears frequently asked him to recruit his famous brother for commercials, but Peter always refused â until the companyâs future appeared to be in jeopardy.
âI said, I will do this commercial if itâs about how Sears isnât closing,â he told BNN on Thursday.
Peter added that Mike actually cracked a joke about his future at the company while they were filming the commercial.
âMike turned to me at one point when we were having a break and said, âI guess they can never fire you now,ââ Peter Myers said. âWe laughed because it was not really a thing.â
Peter Myers praised Sears for its handling of the situation on Thursday, after the company agreed to extend benefits and payments to retirees until September.
âIt feels that there has been a lot of humanity in the proceedings,â he said. âThere seems to be at least the willingness to listen to the plight of the employees that have been severed, the pensioners who have been cut off from certain benefits.â
Peter Myers says heâs now âactively seeking employment.â.
Peter says Mike was surprised to hear that he lost his job. âWhen I told him, he couldnât believe it and he really wasnât happy,â Peter Myers said.
âI do see the irony,â Myers added.
With files from BNN