Supermassive Forest Fire

Well, people, it's official. The Richardson Fire, located in northern AB, is now officially the largest Alberta wildfire in the last 50 years. At 511,000 hectares this is one monster wildfire - six times the size of the city of Edmonton - and it's still out of control. For some reason that "biggest fire in 50 years" isn't really a claim to fame that makes me jump with joy, but it's just the reality.

The last few days Fort Mac hasn't seemed all that smoky. Either we've become accustomed to some level of smoke in the air or the wind is blowing the smoke another direction (and wherever it is going all I can say is "stay indoors!"). Regardless it's quite easy to forget exactly how massive this fire is, so I found a map that has been provided by Sustainable Resources Development. Looking at that map is actually a bit terrifying. Until you see it visually mapped it's quite easy to think of the fire as minor - when it's anything but small.

So far the fire hasn't directly threatened any communities, although some of the work camps further north have been evacuated on and off due to smoke conditions. It's our good fortune that this fire is burning in a place so sparsely populated. As we saw recently in Slave Lake a wildfire can not only threaten a community it can also destroy good parts of it. I think that was a wake-up call for many who might not understand the power of a wildfire.

Wildfires are a part of the landscape in northern Alberta. To some extent they are natural, of course, and the way a forest renews itself. There is a point where they simply become devastating to the local environment, and I would suspect this fire has reached that point. It takes a long time for a forest to recover from a fire, and such a massive fire will affect a huge area for a very long time.

I'm not sure if anyone who reads this blog has ever seen a wildfire. I have, in northern Ontario, and all I recall is being dumbstruck by the power of it. You feel helpless staring into the face of something that is quite completely overwhelming, and you quickly realize how little power to control the elements we really have. It's quite easy to actually start to think of such a wildfire as a living entity - one that breathes, and grows, and eats, and billows out smoke and flames. You begin to wonder a bit if there is a dragon behind all that fire and smoke as it seems there must be a creature creating it - but the fire itself is the creature.

Sustainable Resources Development are pulling out all the stops on this one. Seven hundred firefighters, forty-three helicopters, forty-three pieces of heavy equipment (bulldozers and the like), ninety-nine command and support staff, and the largest water bomber in the world, are now at work on this fire. I suspect they might actually be a little worried about this one simply due to the astonishing size of it. I'm incredibly impressed with what a good job SRD has been doing in keeping the public informed, though. They have a Facebook page (Alberta Wildfire Info) which is updated regularly and I think has significantly reduced the numbers of rumours and fears that this sort of thing can foster. I have great faith in SRD to fight this fire, but to some extent the size of it now means that we need some help from nature. Some rain would be lovely, even if it just dampens the forest enough to reduce the sparking and help the firefighters to gain the upper hand. I want to take this moment in my blog to thank SRD and all these incredibly brave firefighters. They have their hands full this year, and in case they think we aren't grateful, here it is : you have my eternal gratitude, and I believe the gratitude of every resident of this entire province, too. Keep up the good work, folks.

I don't often share music on this blog (mainly due to fear of alienating readers with my musical taste) but recently whenever I think of this fire this is the song that occurs to me. After this fire is extinguished what will be left in that part of northern AB will in fact be one supermassive black hole - at least for a little bit, until nature recovers and starts the process all over again.

Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

The Canada Rocks Festival Wants YOU!

Well, people, this is where it all gets real. I posted a few weeks ago about the exciting musical line-up for the Canada Rocks Festival happening over the Canada Day weekend. It's truly all very exciting, what with KISS coming to town and everything - but this is, as they say, where the rubber hits the road. These events don't happen by themselves, and to a huge extent they rely on volunteers to pull off successfully. And guess what? Events Wood Buffalo needs volunteers.

I could get all preachy about how we all need to fulfill our volunteer commitments to be a true part of the community and how communities rely on volunteers to function, blah, blah, blah. And honestly, that's all true, and I believe all of it. I believe something else, though. I believe that volunteering for events like the Canada Rocks Festival is fun.

Yes, I said the "f" word. How can working for free be fun? Because you get to meet some really great people, for starters. I don't think I really realized how many interesting, diverse, and truly amazing people there are in this city until I began to do some volunteer work. Some of those people who volunteer also happen to be some of the busiest people in this city, with "paid" jobs that leave them little time - and yet they find the time and energy to volunteer. These are the kind of people you want to get to know, and by volunteering together you get to meet them and build some common ground.

Volunteering is also fun because this entire event is going to be fun. It's going to be an exciting weekend to be in Fort Mac. Just imagine the excitement of random Gene Simmons sightings! To be at Mac Island, to be  volunteering at this event, even if not right at the KISS show, is going to be part of the excitement. The buzz is already beginning to build, and by June 30th it should be in total overload.

Yes, it'll probably be tiring. Yes, it might feel a bit like work. And yes, you might not see Gene Simmons (or even see KISS) by volunteering. You know what you will be, though? Satisfied. You will feel like you contributed to the success of a huge event, you will feel like part of the community, and you will feel like you made a difference. You will feel proud. Trust me, I know you will - because I've done it, and I've felt it, too.

So, if I've convinced you, go to Events Wood Buffalo volunteers. Even if I haven't convinced you yet, still go there and take a look. Maybe you'll see a volunteer opportunity that exactly matches your personal skill set. Maybe you'll see how much you are needed. This isn't just about Events Wood Buffalo needing you, people - it's about Fort Mac needing you to help us all pull off a game-changing, and, really a city-changing, event. It's about showing the country that Wood Buffalo rocks - and not just with KISS, but with the power and commitment of our community. See, I'm proud of you already! Make yourselves proud, too.

WestJet Whoops

It's pretty much guaranteed that if you are a resident of Fort Mac you've already heard this story. For the benefit of those readers who don't live here I'll tell it again, though. On a recent WestJet flight from Vancouver to Fort Mac the flight attendant made a little joke. She asked how many people on the flight wanted to go to Fort Mac. Then she asked how many didn't want to go. Hahaha, right? Except - oops - our city mayor, Melissa Blake, happened to be on that flight.

Hello, awkward moment - for everyone. I'm sure Mayor Blake wasn't quite certain how to respond, and as it turns out another Fort Mac resident and former city councillor responded instead. That resident, Joanne Roberts, called the flight attendant over and explained that the mayor of Fort Mac happened to be on the flight, and that this "joke" could be considered offensive to those who call this city home. I'm sure the flight attendant was taken aback and I can only imagine the "deer in the headlights" look on her face. I'm sure she didn't mean any harm by the comment, and I'm sure she didn't intend to offend, either. The mayor subsequently Twittered about the incident and heard from many folks (like me) who have heard similar jokes on WestJet.

There are those who say it's just a joke, and surely we can take a joke, right? The problem is that when you live in a place that has been buffeted by as much negative media attention as we have the jokes just don't seem funny anymore. Instead of seeming at all amusing they touch on a very sensitive spot, and while we might try to see the humour all we see is another barb aimed straight at the heart of our community.

I'm not terribly upset about this incident because I've heard these comments, too. I travel quite a lot. I've had people say horrible things about Fort Mac to me on airplanes, in hotels, in restaurants, and just about everywhere I've met someone and told them where I am from. My response? Generally I ask them if they've ever been to this city. That always stops them a bit. They generally sputter something about what they've read in the paper or heard on the news. I then tend to ask them if they believe everything they read and hear, at which point they often go a bit quiet. I take that opportunity to explain that while Fort Mac receives a lot of bad press it's also quite heavily slanted press. Good news stories about the positive things happening in the city don't make the news (at least not any more than good things in Toronto or Vancouver make the news, either  - face it, people, the media likes sad, depressing, negative stories). I try to tell them about the city from my perspective, and I try to do it in a kind and thoughtful way so they see that perhaps what they heard about this city might just be incorrect.

WestJet says they are taking the incident seriously and looking into it. Humour is a very subjective thing, and there are many who probably think the comment by the flight attendant was harmless and perhaps even funny. In many ways it was just the flight attendant's misfortune that the mayor was on that flight, and if she'd made the comment on a different flight there would have been no reaction at all. As any stand-up comedian will tell you, though, that's the risk with humour. Sometimes you get a person in the crowd who has a problem with your joke, and sometimes they might even have good reason to object to it. In this instance I think it's just a reminder that we need to continue to work on this city's image in the minds of the general public in this entire country - and I think we need to roll with the punches a little bit along the way, because we are going to get those jabs aimed at us.

 I'm kind of hoping the flight attendant might come to Fort Mac and then Mayor Melissa can take her for coffee at Mitchell's, and lunch at the Sawridge, and show her some of the city. I think that just might be the best possible resolution of this incident as we can show the flight attendant what this city is really about - and then those Fort Mac jokes won't even occur to her any more. After all, once you've seen a place - really seen it, not just read about it or heard about it - it provides an entirely new perspective, doesn't it? I think in the final analysis that's what we need to continue to do - retain our sense of humour, move forward, and change perspectives, one person (or one flight attendant) at a time.

SummersEnd, Fort McMurray Style

Well, another day and another big announcement, Fort Mac. Today the music line-up for the annual SummersEnd celebration was announced. Once upon a time this was an event known as "The Blueberry Festival", but it's been rebranded in recent years as "SummersEnd" - and revitalized, too. Jointly hosted by MacDonald Island Park, Events Wood Buffalo, and Royal Lepage True North Realty the Labour Day weekend event will include the usual and expected attractions, such as the Blueberry Carnival Midway, and the third annual DanceXplosion competition. The 2011 festival is also going to be just a little bit more, people.

This year SummersEnd has been declared a country music jamboree, and as such the musical guests are of the country variety. I'll admit it now, people - I'm not a country music fan (so far in this blog I've admitted I'm not a fan of country music, Tim Horton's coffee, and sports - is anyone else shocked that I haven't been dumped off at the edge of city limits and told to get lost?). However, whether I'm a fan or not doesn't blind me to the fact that we once again have some big name acts coming to our city, and this is going to be some weekend for those who are country fans.

On September 1st we have the opening concert - and it's Reba.Yes, people, THAT Reba! Opening act is Victoria Banks. Now, Reba has some very devoted and ardent fans so this should be an incredible show to open these three days of country music. I imagine this concert will sell out quickly, so I suggest those looking to go might want to clear space on their credit cards right now.

On September 2nd we have Dierks Bentley. Opening act for this gig is Ryan Laird. I have to say I'm not familiar with either of these young performers but after looking at photos I'm thinking this might be the gig all the young women of Fort Mac might like to attend. These two have to be some of the best looking country boys I've seen in a long time. If their music sounds as good as they look then it's bound to be one heck of a show, ladies (hint - get your tickets now!).

The final concert of the SummersEnd weekend will be on September 3rd, and will feature George Canyon with opening act One More Girl. I might not be a country music fan but I did notice recently that George took one of my favourite old Crowded House songs ("Better Be Home Soon") and has turned it into a country smash hit. I never imagined anyone could make that particular ballad into a country song, but George did it and actually did a pretty decent job of it, too. I know George has a huge fan base so again this is sure to be one hot ticket event. I imagine a lot of local ladies will want to be at this one, too.

Tickets for all these concerts go on sale June 24 at 10 am, and can be purchased at MacDonald Island Park, by calling 780-791-1600, or by visiting the MacDonald Island Park website. And despite my lack of true country music fandom I might just spring for a ticket or two for this event. I think they are going to be three amazing shows, and I'd hate to miss out on what is sure to be a SummersEnd to remember! Once again there will also be opportunities to take part in the festivities as a volunteer, so remember to consider that option as well. Whether you are there as a concert attendee or volunteer I hope to see ya there, Fort Mac!

To Russia With...Hockey?!?

I've mentioned previously in this blog that while I am not a sports fan I recognize the community-building aspect of sports, and of sports teams in particular. We are fortunate in Fort Mac to have an excellent Alberta Junior Hockey League team in the form of the McMurray Oil Barons (affectionately known locally as the MOB, which has to be the best hockey team nickname ever!). The Oil Barons have a lot of passionate fans in the city, and they are truly a great contributor to the community spirit that sports engenders. I was delighted recently to hear from an acquaintance that the MOB are headed to Russia this summer to represent Canada in a hockey tournament, and being the nosy type I contacted the MOB's Executive Director Andrew Boutilier to talk about the upcoming trip.

Andrew graciously gave me a few moments of his time to explain how the trip came about and why it means so much to the MOB (and by extension to the city). Apparently Hockey Canada chose our local team out of 135 Junior A teams, which is quite the accomplishment. They will be playing at the inaugural World Junior Club Cup against 7 other teams (USA, Russia, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Czech Republic). The tournament will be held from August 30 - September 4, and the calibre of hockey is expected to be very high.

The fact that our local team was chosen to represent Canada is cause for celebration in itself, people. Whether they do well or not is immaterial, although of course I dearly hope they kick butt and come home champions. What matters is that this little city is sending a team to Omsk, Russia, to represent not just hockey in this city but all of us residents, too. It's yet another opportunity to put Fort Mac on the international map in a positive way, and I applaud the players and the leadership of the MOB for making this happen.

It's an incredible opportunity for the players and coaches, too, of course. This is the chance for them to play wearing the maple leaf and show their pride in being Canadian. It's another win-win for everyone involved, from the players to the coaches to the leadership to the entire city. I'm always proud to see us represented at any level in any sport or event, and this seems like a wonderful chance for our city to shine yet again. I will follow this story and the tournament results with great interest, and who knows? Maybe the MOB will come home carrying the World Junior Club Cup trophy from Russia. How cool would that be, people?

Incidentally, since I suspect most of us won't be in Russia during the tournament, there is an opportunity this summer to catch some local hockey action. On Sunday, August 7 the Oil Barons and Macdonald Island Park are hosting the players from the Canada National Junior Team Summer Development Camp. There is a Maple Leaf Luncheon scheduled that day as well as a Red/White Game that evening to showcase these exciting young players. So, while most locals won't be able to see our hometown junior players in action in Omsk there is an opportunity to support the Junior league and enjoy some summer hockey right here at home. I may have mentioned I'm not really a sports fan, but I think I might try to take in both the luncheon and the game as it's yet another chance to show some visitors our Big Spirit, and another opportunity to show support for the MOB.

I take this moment to wish the Oil Barons players, coaches, board of directors, and all those involved with the MOB my best, and my hopes for not only a successful finish at the tournament in Russia but an incredible experience, too. Go and show them all some damn fine Canadian hockey, guys - and show them our Big Spirit, too! We will be cheering you on from right here in good ol' Fort Mac.

Taking Every Opportunity To Spread The Message

I wrote last week about the time I spent with Canadian actor/comedian Shaun Majumder and his fiance´ Shelby Fenner. We had dinner together on Thursday evening, and on Saturday we once again spent some time together. This time it was a little different, though, as on Saturday Shaun asked if we would be willing to film a "chat" with him focused on our thoughts on life in Fort Mac. Shaun is doing a television series called "Majumder Manor" which will appear on the W Network. The series is about his mission to build an eco-luxe inn in his hometown of Burlington, Newfoundland. Shaun is also beginning a business initiative in Burlington to provide training, advice, and microloans to small businesses in the community.

Shaun asked us to appear on the series for a couple of reasons. The first reason was simply that we had bid on the eBay auction to win dinner with him, and the proceeds of that auction are going towards the business initiative program. The second reason, though, is that apparently during the course of our dinner on Thursday Shaun had been listening to how we spoke about Fort Mac - not just about the issues in the city but also about the things we love about it, and the opportunities it presents.

I must admit I am an extremely camera-shy individual. I can barely stand to do still photography so the thought of being filmed made me very nervous. I agreed to appear for two reasons. One was because Shaun is a great guy and I was happy to help in whatever way I could (people of passion and vision tend to inspire that sort of helpfulness in others). The other was because it was an opportunity to spread a positive message about Fort Mac - and people, I will take EVERY opportunity to do that whenever it presents itself, even if it makes me nervous.

I have now lived in this city for almost a decade. Over those years the continued negative press coverage of the city has begun to slowly drive me insane. It's not that I'm blind to the issues but the fact that those issues receive all the focus of the national media and all the positives are ignored is enough to drive any sane resident mad. I spoke to Shaun about how journalists who come to Fort Mac and head straight for the bars to do interviews are truly getting only one side of the Fort Mac story. They aren't speaking to the families who live here and who are involved in the community. They aren't speaking to the children who attend the local schools and are involved in science fairs and sports and leadership programs. They sure as hell aren't speaking to me, because I would dearly love to show them my Fort Mac.

My Fort Mac is a place with growing pains, but also with great potential. It is a city that attracts some of the best and the brightest to work in an industry that desperately needs them. It is a city that attracts those coming from have-not provinces to achieve a lifestyle of which they previously could only dream. It is a city where residents don't just take from the community but also give to it. They volunteer for Interplay and Festival of Trees, they act as coaches for local teams, and they mentor our youth. It is a place where people of vision can see that there are great possibilities in this city. It is a place where people see the problems but instead of throwing up their hands in despair they get those hands dirty and try to find some solutions.

Shaun and I spoke on camera about why I began to write this blog, and about why I am so passionate about this community. He told me that he had been in Fort Mac a few years ago and had formed a very negative impression of this city, but that meeting me and my family had helped him to turn that opinion around. At that point I no longer even cared if the segment we filmed ends up on the cutting room floor during production. All that mattered was that I had made a difference in the opinion and feelings of one person. If I have to do it one person at a time I will, which is why when I travel I see myself as a representative of this city. There have been times when I thought it would be wiser to not say where I come from when meeting someone, but I've always decided in the end to claim my residency with pride. I've always taken every opportunity to explain why this community, so often abused and maligned in the media, is my chosen home, and why I try to do everything I can to make it better. I will take every opportunity to spread the positive message about Fort Mac, and what I thought would be a frivolous and meaningless dinner with a Canadian performer turned into one of those opportunities.

People, take every opportunity to show the world that we are so much more than what we are portrayed to be. This is our city. This is our home. This is our time to shine and to show that we are becoming something special. Get out there and spread the word.

No Plans? No Problem. Shaun Majumder's In Town!

Well, people, last night I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Newfoundland-born Canadian performer (comedian, actor, writer) Shaun Majumder and his gorgeous, smart, and equally entertaining fiance´ Shelby Fenner. It was a dinner I'll never forget as Shaun and Shelby aren't just intelligent, kind, and funny people - they are also people of vision and passion, and one of those passions is why Shaun is performing here in Fort Mac this weekend.

Shaun, who you may know from "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", "Just For Laughs", "24", or one of his many other television and movie appearances, is originally from a small town in Newfoundland called Burlington. Burlington, like so many other communities in Newfoundland, has suffered a great deal from downturns in the economy. One of the realities is that residents of the town have had to leave the town, often unwillingly, in order to secure employment. Many of those residents end up in Alberta, and I suspect a good percentage end up right here in good ol' Fort Mac (we aren't referred to as "Newfoundland's third largest city" for nothing, people).

If you've lived in Fort Mac for any length of time you've met some people from Newfoundland. They are, generally speaking, kind and open, with generous hearts and a great sense of humour. They also tend to dearly miss "the Rock", as they call their province, and many of them would return in a heartbeat if they could survive there financially. I suspect it breaks their hearts to have to be so far from home and in a place so very different from where they, and often their entire families, have been for generations. Shaun Majumder sees this too - and what is incredible is that he is using his notoriety, his money, and his vision to do something about it.

Shaun is building an eco-luxe inn in Burlington nicknamed "Majumder Manor". Not only will this be a lovely inn but a sustainable, eco-friendly, and upscale one to boot. It will provide employment to residents of the area, and a new place for visitors to this area of Newfoundland to stay. Shaun's vision doesn't just end with the inn, though. He also has plans to fund a business initiative in Burlington, one that will help local businesses develop functional business plans, provide training to businesses, and even micro-loans to help them launch new business initiatives.

What do these plans mean for Burlington? Perhaps it just means a few less people will have to leave as they will be able to find gainful employment in their home town. Or perhaps it will be the catalyst that helps to revitalize a community, as these initial small steps often do. Sometimes it just takes one person with vision, passion, and the ability to connect the dots to make things happen, and I think Shaun Majumder is quite likely that person for Burlington, Newfoundland. Shaun (and Shelby, too - Shaun might be getting all the press during this tour across Canada, but I think Shelby is just as impressive and inspiring an individual) has my enduring respect for taking what is close to his heart and what he is passionate about and doing something about it. He and I talked last night about how when a "celebrity" chooses to embrace or endorse a cause that they don't really feel in their heart you can often tell there is a lack of sincerity or honesty. The sincerity, honesty, and commitment that Shaun and Shelby have in this initiative in Burlington is very real, people, and you can tell this is about as close to the heart as it gets.

So, Fort Mac people, what can you do? The bonus here is that not only is Shaun a great guy, he's also funny as hell. So, lucky us, as he is performing two shows in Fort Mac this weekend, on Friday June 3rd and Saturday June 4th at the Newfoundland Club on Reidel Street (780-791-6353). The shows begin at 7 pm, and tickets are $100. All proceeds go towards the Burlington Community Business Initiative. I suspect that this might well be be the best $100 you'll spend in a very long time, because not only will you get to laugh your ass off you also will also be helping a cause that is close to the heart of this special man and his fiance´, and you get to help some people in Newfoundland stay in (or return to) the town they love. I think it's a win-win-win, people. See ya there, Fort Mac.