By the end of the winter of 2002, Reggie had lost the job at Toronto Island Airport that had finally brought him back into aviation—the field he had trained for more than a decade earlier.

Reggie had studied Avionics at NBCC in Moncton from 1988 to 1990, graduating with honours. After graduation, he had spent considerable effort trying to find work in aviation but had never managed to establish the career he had hoped for.

About a decade later, he finally got another opportunity.

Back in Aviation

By 2000, Reggie was working at Toronto Island Airport. For Reggie, this represented much more than simply finding another job. After years of working in other fields, he had finally returned to the industry for which he had trained.

By our recollection, he was happy there and doing well. It must have seemed as though one of the career paths he had pursued years earlier had finally come back around.

Then came September 11, 2001.

After September 11

Following the terrorist attacks, airport security requirements changed.

Our understanding is that Reggie’s criminal record subsequently prevented him from meeting the security requirements necessary for his airport position, and by early 2002 he had lost the job.

What made the loss particularly difficult was that, by our understanding, it wasn’t because Reggie was doing a poor job. His employer was happy with his work.

After more than a decade, Reggie had finally found his way back into aviation, only to lose the opportunity for reasons connected to his criminal record.

The education and ability to do the work were still there. So was his past. For Reggie, a criminal record wasn’t something that simply belonged to his past. It followed him into his future.