Target's mistakes have caused untold hardship for thousands of people across Canada. But the hardship didn't start with its retreat. Minimum wage is appallingly low, and it is extremely difficult to make ends meet. When profits didn't meet expectations, hours were cut, further adding to our financial worries. Many thousands of us were notified a year ago that we were no longer eligible for benefits.

The death of a company is not a pretty thing. The announcement on January 15 was earth-shattering for so many. However, my faith in my colleagues -- my fellow Canadians -- is only reinforced by what we've tried to do to help each other since the announcement we were closing. We are trying to help each other find jobs. We are reviewing our friends' CVs.