Fired Walmart greeter, 78, gets support from angry shoppers

A growing number of customers say they will no longer shop at Walmart Canada after a 78-year old greeter was fired following accusations he was a "toilet-paper thief."

Andre Ouimet said he was marched out of the Leduc store last Friday, after being called a thief and a liar in a meeting with management.

"But I'm not a thief, and I'm not a liar," said Ouimet, whose wife said security escorted him to the door like a criminal. "That was the worst. Everyone was looking at me, all my friends."

Ouimet admits he took unpaid toilet paper out of the store, but says it was an accident.

Six days before he was fired, Ouimet said he rushed to his van in a panic because his oxygen tank was nearly empty and he was having trouble breathing. Over the course of a shift, Ouimet said he needs to change his tank up to eight times.

At his van, Ouimet realized he had left the store with a package of toilet paper in his scooter, which he intended to buy. He said he put the toilet paper in his van in order to change his oxygen tank.

But when he returned to the store, Ouimet said he realized he had forgotten to take the toilet paper with him.

Ouimet said he immediately informed customer service and promised to pay for the merchandise on his coffee break, which he did. He said no one appeared to have a problem with it.

So he was shocked when he was fired a week later.

"I'm very, very disappointed," said Ouimet. "I did a good job. And I know I did a good job. I was very well-liked from the people at work."

Senior director of corporate affairs Alex Roberton said Walmart Canada would not comment "out of respect for our associates' privacy."

But privacy concerns haven't stopped a growing number of outraged shoppers from speaking out on Facebook.

'I will avoid this place now'

"Wow I will avoid that place now - he's the nicest guy! I hope they have a conscience," wrote one shopper, echoing the sentiments of many.

"I can't believe this!! I don't even want to shop there anymore after hearing this crap. He always made my son and I smile!! He was truly dedicated to his work and it showed EVERY single time I saw him," reads another.

Word of the incident began to spread over the weekend, after Ouimet's wife described what happened in a Facebook post.

Margit Ouimet wrote that her husband was escorted to the exit door "like he was some kind of a criminal. The toilet paper thief. LOL. I don't think so."

She wrote that her husband has always been an honest person and has never been fired from a job.

"I am so afraid this ordeal is going to take a toll on his health and I sure hope it doesn't."

In her post, she wrote that Walmart wanted her husband to sign a document that stated he cannot enter any of the company's stores in Canada for the next two years. She said he refused to do so.

MargitOuimet, who was also a greeter for two years at the same Walmart, said she's shed quite a few tears over what happened.

"It's been very hard, very sad for me to see him, because I know he loves his job and I know he does a good job," said Ouimet.

Wants his job back

Andre Ouimet joined Walmart in 2012, and especially enjoyed all the nice people he met.

"I like the little kids," he said. "They run after me to get some happy-face stickers. And they always have a smile, so they make me smile. And the older people, well, we tell jokes."

He said he often sang and whistled at work, and one of the customers' favourites was a French song called When the sun says hello to the mountains.

The job was his passion, but the couple also needed the paycheques to supplement their pensions.

Ouimet said he had stopped several shoplifters, saving the company hundreds of dollars.

While the outpouring of support on social media makes him feel good, Ouimet said he wants an apology from the company. He also wants his job back.

"I cannot do any other job because I've got to have those tanks with me all the time," said Ouimet, adding he was once recognized as Employee of the Month.

"That was a good job I had there," said Ouimet. "Joking, having fun. You want to go, get up in the morning."

andrea.huncar@cbc.ca @andreahuncar