'They can never fire you now': Sears Canada proves Mike Myers wrong by axing brother

CTV National News: Sears in court A courtroom was full of former Sears employees who were offered a temporary solution from the struggling company. Peter Akman reports.

Former Sears Canada executive Peter Myers says it’s “ironic” that he’s 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 company’s restructuring deal outlined in a Toronto courthouse on Thursday.

Myers’ 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.

It’s an ignominious end to Peter Myers’ 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.

“Is Sears Canada going away?” Mike asks in the video.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Peter replies.

Mike Myers finishes the TV spot with the tagline phrase: “Sears Canada – my brother works there.”

Peter Myers says Sears frequently asked him to recruit his famous brother for commercials, but Peter always refused – until the company’s future appeared to be in jeopardy.

“I said, I will do this commercial if it’s about how Sears isn’t closing,” 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.

“Mike turned to me at one point when we were having a break and said, ‘I guess they can never fire you now,’” Peter Myers said. “We laughed because it was not really a thing.”

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.

“It feels that there has been a lot of humanity in the proceedings,” he said. “There 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.”

Peter Myers says he’s now “actively seeking employment.”.

Peter says Mike was surprised to hear that he lost his job. “When I told him, he couldn’t believe it and he really wasn’t happy,” Peter Myers said.

“I do see the irony,” Myers added.

With files from BNN