Save Our Medevac Services - and Some Thoughts on What Fort McMurray Deserves

It's an issue that has been simmering for some time, years in fact, way back when Edmonton City Council decided that the land under which the Edmonton City Centre Airport stands should be used for something other than an airport. That airport, a small inner city one, was the airport of choice for many of those who travelled into Edmonton from remote destinations in the north as it is so centrally located - and that is exactly why that airport became the destination of choice for medevac services from the north, too.

Last night I attended a session at MacDonald Island that was designed to inform local residents about the issues surrounding the closure of the City Centre Airport, particularly in terms of the impact on medevac services. In attendance were members from the SOS group, or "Save Our Medevac Services", a coalition of concerned physicians and medevac personnel. There are many who believe this is a dead issue, long decided and dealt with, and that no more can be done to change the outcome, but SOS disagrees. They believe that residents in the north should be deeply concerned about the airport closure, and last night they detailed some reasons why.

It's all laid out pretty comprehensively at their website, but what it boils down to is this: according to a study done in 2011 approximately 5000 people per year are medevac'd into the City Centre Airport. Of those about 58% are considered "time sensitive" - meaning that the outcome and prognosis can be affected by time, and that increased time before proper medical attention can mean the difference between life and death. That is deeply worrisome for anyone who lives in this community, or at least it should be because that has the potential to impact any of us at any time.

The current situation is that patients are flown by fixed wing air ambulance (using the Beechcraft King Air 200, a plane I know well from my days in a small northern airline in Ontario - they were the little workhorses of our fleet) into the City Centre Airport. They are then transported directly to Edmonton hospitals, some of which, like the Royal Alex, are just minutes away. This allows for minimal transportation time and improves patient outcomes in critical cases. As of February 15, 2013, medevac services are being relocated, however - to the Edmonton International Airport, a destination significantly further away from the hospitals critical patients require.

There is no doubt this is a worrisome development. There is grave potential for increased transit times, and according to SOS we will go from having some of the best patient transfer times in the country to the worst, and as a community advocate this troubles me deeply. I want to see our residents receive medical treatment in the most timely way possible, and anything that increases the time to access services concerns me as it can have a very serious impact on those of us who may one day rely on medevac. The issue isn't a simple one, though, because while health care is a provincial issue the airport belongs to The City of Edmonton, and is under their municipal control.

Now, SOS believes that at this point the Alberta government should step in and reverse their decision to relocate medevac services as of February 15th as they feel a solid and reliable alternative has not yet been found. The new plan will be to fly critical patients into EIA, and then transport them to local hospitals by ground ambulance (certainly adding to transit time, there is no arguing this), or from EIA to hospital helipad by helicopter in the most critical cases. The members of SOS express deep concern over the workability of this plan as they do not feel it will best serve those northern residents who may require these services, and I think those concerns merit some consideration as well. I do not feel the provincial government has made it entirely clear how this change will affect medevac transit times, and the potential impact on those who end up in those airplanes and ambulances (and their families). If doctors such as Dr. Pawluski from Edmonton and Dr. O'Connor from right here in Fort Mac are concerned, and if air ambulance pilots and staff are concerned, then I am too. Those individuals know a helluva lot more than I do about the issue, and if they express deep worry about the impact this will have on the patients for whom they advocate(and others) then this is something we need some answers about, and before the February 15th relocation of services.

There is a significant divergence on one point for me, though. One of the things SOS proposes is that the Edmonton City Centre Airport remain open to medevac services for the future by means of the provincial government expropriating the land from the city of Edmonton. Now, this concerns me on two levels. One, I am not sure we wish to see this kind of precedent set, as what then prevents the province from expropriating land right here in the RMWB for which we may have other plans? If we advocate doing that to another city what prevents other cities from advocating for land expropriation in our region? This is a troubling slippery slope to me, and one that we would need to think about very carefully before placing a foot on it - but my second concern is the more important, actually. Why are we relying on other cities for such vital medical services anyhow? Instead of advocating for or demanding expropriation why aren't we demanding a long term solution that better benefits our region? Why aren't we pushing for our own world-class hospital right here in the RMWB?

I am going to use those two words again: economic engine. It is quite clear we are the economic engine of this province, this country, and to some extent this continent. The oil sands industry has the potential to pour trillions of barrels of oil, and trillions of dollars, into our economy. We have a population of 100,000 that is expected to grow rapidly and with intensity. So why exactly are we medevacing patients out to another city for medical care that quite frankly should be available right here? Why shouldn't we demand a tertiary care hospital capable of dealing with trauma and other emergent health issues right here in our own community?

I believe we have every right in this region to expect timely access to medical services, including services of the sort you find in Edmonton and Calgary. I reject the idea of expropriating the land in Edmonton because in the end all that sees us doing is continuing to medevac our residents to their hospitals, which does not in my opinion have quite the same benefit as having those services right here in our own community. There is no reason that cannot happen, and so I am requesting two things:

1) The Alberta government needs to provide a detailed and coherent explanation of how they believe the relocation of medevac services will affect this region. If this explanation continues to raise concerns and questions I suggest medevac services at the Edmonton City Centre Airport be extended past the February 15th relocation date until such time as those concerns and questions are addressed. SOS has claimed this relocation was the decision of the provincial government and that the ECCA will remain open for an indeterminate period of time so perhaps we take the time required to do some work into the exact impact this relocation will have, and address ways to mitigate that impact.

2) The Wood Buffalo region advocates for a full-service tertiary care hospital right here. We begin to see ourselves in the future as the home of medical excellence, with all services available here and foregoing the need to medevac any patients to other communities. Instead of being one of the communities where you see medevacs leaving we become one where you see them arriving, bringing patients from smaller communities to our hospital for the care they need and deserve.

The clock is ticking on this issue. One month from today, if things do not change, medevac services will be relocated, and I do not believe this community or those in it currently have a full understanding of the potential impact. This is your clarion call. Get educated on this issue, and then decide what you feel is the appropriate course of action. SOS suggests emailing Edmonton MLAs and the Premier to demand action on this, and I would suggest also contacting Alberta Health Services to express your concern. Whether you choose to insist on a delay of relocation of medevac services, or land expropriation to preserve medevac services into the ECCA, or, like me, a tertiary care hospital right here in Fort McMurray, this is your opportunity to do something. There are no guarantees that your action will change anything, but I can guarantee inaction will change nothing.

I have a vision here, folks. My vision is of a Fort McMurray with a centre of medical excellence, a hospital facility that people are medevac'd into, and not away from. I envision a community that never needs to leave for other cities to seek medical care, emergent and otherwise, because it is available right here, in the region that is driving the economy of the nation. To me that is truly the only acceptable long term outcome, because I am tired of being behind, playing catch up, and having less than what we deserve and need. Our current hospital does an admirable job, so this should not be taken as a criticism of their role in this community. Rather I want to see that enhanced and brought up to world class standards, because that is our goal in this community. We believe we should be a world class community, with world class facilities, and a world class industry. I firmly believe that a fundamental part of that is having world class medical care. This is an opportunity for us to start advocating for exactly that, while also seeking a fuller understanding of the short term situation and solutions. And it is all about educating yourself.

At the end of this post I am providing a link to the Save Our Medevac Services website. From there you can find the link to email members of the provincial government to have your say. My firm belief is that knowledge is power - so here is your chance to gain some knowledge, people. Now go exercise your power.

Save Our medevac Services "SOS"

The YMM Twitter Top Twelve of 2012 (And Then Some)

You know, I love my friend Kathleen over at Kikki Planet. She and I get along like a house on fire, two feisty redheads of a certain age and similar sense of humour. The two of us tend to have some raucous good times on Twitter, often centred around provincial politics. At her website and her Huffington Post blog Kathleen publishes a top ten list of Twitter accounts in Edmonton, which I think is pretty awesome. Last week though I noticed she'd mentioned me in a comment on the Huffington Post Alberta Facebook page, and when I went to read it I discovered she had suggested I should do the same for Fort McMurray. Initially I suppose I thought "hey, Kathleen, thanks for throwing me under the bus here!" because I knew once suggested it would become expected - but since I adore her completely (and because it's a damn fine idea) that feeling went away quickly. And so for the last few days I have been scribbling on pieces of paper every time I thought of a name I wanted to include. I asked other locals on Twitter who they would suggest, mostly to see if their ideas were in alignment with what I already thought (and while generally they were there may be a few wild cards in here, too). I don't pretend this is the definitive list of those in YMM who use Twitter - just that these are the ones I always read, who influence me, and who I would write down as suggestions for anyone wishing to understand Fort McMurray (or YMM as we call it on Twitter). And so I present to you the YMM Twitter Top Twelve of 2012 - and yes, there are twelve categories but more than twelve accounts, so deal with it. I never was good at making decisions, people. These are in random order as I have chosen to not select one as the "top" account overall - there is just no way for me to do that because I happen to think these ones would all deserve top spot. And if you don't like it? Make your own damn list ;)

The YMM Pundit

I know it's a bad sign that there is already a tie in the very first category but there is no way I could choose between these two. I rely on them both, and so I introduce to you @kyleharrietha and @jon_tupper.

These two are my go-to guys for everything YMM business, industry, and politics. Both have a keen interest in politics at every level, including federal, and both have a certain dry and sardonic sense of humour that amuses me deeply. If you want to know what is happening here in terms of the very fundamentals you need to follow Jon and Kyle. Added to their knowledge they are both damn fine men to have a beer with, and funny as hell in person, too. I enjoy their tweets, and their company, and they easily topped the YMM pundit list.

The YMM Pot Stirrer

We all know it. Every community has, and needs, someone who is unafraid to dive in, to stir the pot until the contents are nice and bubbly (and occasionally frothing over). The top account in this category in YMM can only belong to one person - @Toddske.

Toddske is one of those unafraid to dive into any battle, defending his opinion with vigour. And the great thing is you can back him up against a wall, knife to his throat (metaphorically speaking, of course) and he won't cry uncle. I've seen him argue for points way past their best-before date, and while I don't always agree with him I truly appreciate his ability to never waver (although if you can convince him he's wrong he will in fact admit it, another quality I appreciate - but the convincing is not easy, let me tell you). I will disclose that I consider Toddske family and he is a very close friend, but he would win this category easily even if I hated him. Maybe even more easily if I hated him, actually. He is a staunch defender of all YMM and so he is to me a winner in every sense.

The YMM Biz And/Or Facility

Using Twitter effectively for a business or facility can be tricky. It's a fine line to walk, because Twitter is designed to have a personal feel for interaction, but businesses and facilities need to keep it professional, too. In this category we have the top dog, and they are followed very closely by the runner up. Tops in this YMM Category? @macdonaldisland.

MacDonald Island does everything right on Twitter in my opinion. They tweet about their own events and activities, they retweet others who tweet about local events and activities, and they reply to the tweets others direct at them. That is huge, people, because taking the time to respond showcases the true interactive nature of Twitter, and engages the users. It allows people to bond to your business or facility. And while many think Twitter is easy it takes time, and responding to tweets, retweeting, and composing tweets doesn't just happen. It takes effort, and Mac Island makes the effort. Frankly I'm damn proud of the job they do in representing the Island, and the rest of YMM, to the Twitter world.

Runner up in this category is an account that is excellent at spreading the word about their role in this community. They aren't quite as interactive as Mac Island but they certainly deserve recognition because they are very good at ensuring the community knows what is going on within their walls. I present to you @keyanocollege.

To understand education in YMM one needs to follow Keyano College. It's really just that simple.

The YMM Youngbloods

There are those who likely think Twitter is the domain of the very young, but surprisingly I don't think that's true in YMM. Oh, lots of young residents use Twitter, but those who use it consistently and with significant impact aren't that common. I am presenting three in this category, in random order. They all made the list easily because people like them are the future of this community.

First up we have my dear friend, and Twitter afficionado, @ashcakesquiggle.

She's a cute as a button transplanted Kiwi, but don't be fooled by that diminutive little frame if you meet her in person. Ash is a young force to be reckoned with both on and off Twitter, red haired, feisty, opinionated - yeah, sound like anyone you know? Yes, Ash is me twenty-some years ago. You've been warned, world. I'm not the only one of my kind in YMM. Follow her for her adventures, her love of YMM, and a dose of fresh air.

Next in the youngbloods we have two young men who I think are taking this town by storm. Both young professionals, both contenders in the last civic by-election, and both likely to become significant players in the future scene of YMM. Both are very active on Twitter, and both deserve to be heard. I present to you @tyranault and @mattyouens.

I feel pretty secure knowing the future of YMM will be in the hands of young people like Matt and Tyran. And I feel pretty confident that is where our future lies, too, because these guys are as likely to give up on their political aspirations as I am to give up on coffee and shoes.

The YMM Politicians

Speaking of politics next category sees our local politicians on Twitter. In this category we have one clear winner, with several deserving of mention. Local politicians have embraced Twitter with zeal, and for good reason. Twitter has to be one of the most effective ways to engage the public I've ever seen. I should know because it eats up a good portion of my free time. Tops in the politician category? The one, the only, and the honourable @mayormelissa.

Her Twitter bio really says it all. Mom, mayor, and lover of all things Wood Buffalo. She tweets, she retweets, she replies to residents, she directs tweets to those within the RMWB who can help solve issues - the woman is a Twitter powerhouse. I love that she uses Twitter so effectively. It shows a true desire to connect with this community.

We have some runners-up here, too. In the last provincial election the two individuals who went on to be elected MLA used Twitter to campaign, but since then they have continued to use Twitter to both disseminate information and interact with their constituents. I happen to have mad respect for them both as individuals, politicians, and residents of this region. And so I present to you @donaldkscott and @mikeallenmla. 

Whether you agree with them politically or not if you want to understand provincial politics in YMM you need to follow Mike and Don. And you may be surprised to tweet at them and discover they tweet back, answering your questions or comments, or forwarding them on to those in the province who can assist you. They are fine examples of politicians who use Twitter to both campaign AND connect, and I am proud they belong to us.

The final mention is that category must go to funniest YMM politician on Twitter. RMWB councillor and all around funny politician is, of course, @orangelid.

A little obsessed with skiing, a strange little pre-occupation with trees (related to a failed role as a tree in an elementary school play I suspect) and a whole lot of fun Phil Meagher is funny as hell, and just one of those people you want to know. Sometimes I tell Phil he has no filter - which is what makes his Twitter account one of the most entertaining in YMM. He doesn't have a lot of followers, which is a shame, because those who don't follow him have no idea what they are missing.

The YMM Reporter

Since we are talking about politicians we should probably talk about the people who report the news, political and otherwise. This choice may come as a surprise to some as admittedly I have not always been sure that this individual and I got along as we are quite different. He's male, a credentialed journalist, and young, and I'm female, a non-credentialed journalist and...oh forget it, I'm not typing that. I present to you the YMM Twitter reporter of 2012 @vincemcdermott.

Active and interactive on Twitter, a dry sense of humour, and a damn fine journalist to boot. Vince deserves the readership he has, and he is the one I always read because he often points me to very interesting articles both from here and far further abroad. And in case he's ever wondered I like him, too ;)

The YMM Sports Guy

There is exactly one reason I know anything about local sports, and that is due to this guy's Twitter account. Through him I have learned about the Oil Barons, minor hockey, and he has reined me in on at least one occasion when I got my facts all wrong, too. My go-to sports guy in YMM? It has to be @tyler_king.

Tyler knows his Oil Barons, and he shares his knowledge very effectively on Twitter. He keeps me up to date on local sports, and frankly he's a super nice guy, too, open to questions and comments. And when you get him started on a topic other than sports, like politics or the plastic bag ban? Holy hannah this boy can argue. Come for his sports acumen, but stay for his wit and opinions.

The YMM News Source

Since we are talking reporters and sports guys I guess we need to discuss where we get our news from. Several local Twitter accounts handle this well, but there is one I always go to, and then three I often consult. My top go-to for news? Well, it's @mymcmurray.

Timely, accurate, and bold - hey, they broke the Great Kitchen Fan Scandal of 2012, an event that turned into one of my most entertaining days on Twitter ever (and likely enlightened several local businesses on how to NOT handle a Twitter account and how to lose business). The gang at My McMurray - Tyler, Ferne, et al, do a terrific job, and they should be damn proud of themselves. You guys are my go-to for news, and I bet I am not alone.

There are three runners up in this category, and each do an admirable job with Twitter. They are, in random order, @connectweekly, @fortmactoday, and @mix1037fmnews.

All three of these news outlets significantly bumped up their Twitter game in 2012, and it shows. If you want to know what's happening news-wise in YMM these three are must follows.

The YMM Scribblers

Just like every community we have those among us in YMM who write, scribbling away furiously about everything and nothing. I have a tie in this category, because these two are both everything that is best about YMM and best about people in general. They have no idea because I've never told them but I read everything they write from tweets to blog posts to newspaper columns. I present to you @kevinpthornton and @murphyverna.

Kevin writes tweets that make me laugh (like his puns, which are, in a word, terrible), and Verna has written ones that make me cry (particularly after her husband was injured by a drunk driver in YMM). These two share a love of the written word and YMM, and they are both writers of note in my mind.

The YMM Non-Profit Organization

This category was very easy, because the person behind this account could give lessons in running social media for non-profit organizations. They are everything a non-profit Twitter account should be - active, interactive, engaging, and focused on and dedicated to their cause. I proudly present to you @fmspca.

In a very short time this account was taken from few followers to a very respectable number today, and I can guarantee they raised the profile of the SPCA in this community. I suspect they have been responsible for many adoptions, and I think they deserve great credit because one of the challenges for non-profits is advertising. Non-profits often have very small budgets for advertising because they need to reserve their funds for the actual work they do, and so embracing free social media is essential. The YMM SPCA is a shining example of how to do this, and do it well.

I do have a runner-up in this category, as they do a remarkable job on Twitter as well, and they are close to my heart. I present @centreofhopeymm.

The Centre of Hope is a daytime drop-in facility for the homeless in YMM. Their Twitter account is active and engaging, and not only educates but encourages understanding of the nature of homelessness in our community. For a full understanding of our community and some of the issues we face one must follow them, too.

The YMM Funny Guy/Girl

This category was so easy it was laughable. Both of these make me snort on a regular basis. Both have made me spew coffee out my nose in the mornings, and on occasion wine in the evenings. Both are devastatingly funny. I give to you @nolan_h and @juliaebennett.

Nolan is a local radio show host and writer, so he gets lots of exposure to some "interesting" people. I won't share with you what he thanks his parents for every day (I do encourage you to ask!) but I will share that recently someone referred to him as a "retart", so if you encounter him on Twitter make sure you call him that. He loves it. As for Julia, well, she is one of the funniest people on my Twitter feed and I follow over 1600 people. She's local, she's hilarious, I've never met her (although her and I in a room together with some booze would likely be mayhem), and she has a ridiculously small number of followers given how damn funny she is. She's like this little hidden gem of hilarity that I now share with you. These two show that YMM can, in fact, be funny, and not all biz, all the time.

The YMM Community Connection

This category was perhaps the easiest of all, because there was a very clear winner. This individual connects the community with his tweets, whether they are about civic matters, local events, or things happening in the place where he happens to be employed. He is connected with the community, and through his connection he connects others. I present to you @rvthomas67.

Russell is a must follow for YMM because he simply connects the dots, brings community members together, and knows what is happening. He is perhaps the most dedicated individual on Twitter, faithfully Tweeting not only what he is doing but what others are doing, busily retweeting news and local events and information. And so I conclude this list with him, although if you are just starting to follow YMM people on Twitter he is where you might wish to begin.

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Well, there you go, Fort McMurray. I did say this wasn't a definitive list, but it is an exhaustive list, as frankly I am exhausted after compiling it. I'd like to thank Kathleen of Kikki Planet for throwing down the gauntlet (and throwing me under the bus - you owe me a bottle of wine, woman). Compiling this list was more work than I anticipated, but it was a labour of love, too. You see I happen to love this place - this YMM community - and I truly enjoyed thinking about those who make the Twitter microcosmic community flow inside our larger community in Fort McMurray. And Twitter is like a microcosm, too, a little slice of life in YMM, just like this little blog has always been intended to be. I want to thank everyone in YMM both on and off Twitter for making this place always a joy to write about, and for making it so damn easy to be proud to call this my home. And with that I conclude the YMM Twitter Top Twelve of 2012. I think I'm gonna go take a nap - right after I call Kathleen to demand my wine.

Making the Grade in Fort McMurray With Educare

I remember when we first arrived in Fort McMurray over a decade ago with the then three year old Intrepid Junior Blogger in tow. We had known many of the challenges associated with living here - high housing costs, and low availability of vacant space. We had known about the potential to feel a bit isolated, although we learned that was a bit of a myth as this place is not so very isolated at all. What we didn't know, though, was that childcare was in desperately short supply, and preschool spots very limited. We had come from a very small community with a fairly low birth rate, and few new families moving in, but the situation here was very different. When I talked to someone shortly after our arrival here about getting the IJB into preschool many dark comments about the odds against that happening quickly were made, and I was relieved when we did find a spot. Other parents at the time were equally concerned, but they handled the challenge in a slightly different way. They didn't wait for a spot to open up in an existing program - they started one instead.

In 1996 founder Kim Farrell saw the need for a new preschool, one with a focus on literacy and language development. Kim founded Educare based on this need, and the program has been going - and growing - ever since. Educare is unique in many ways, but one significant difference is that it has a speech pathologist on staff, a very appealing addition for anyone with a child with a known or suspected speech issue. It has been clearly shown that addressing such issues early is vital to minimizing the impact on future education, and so Educare is the "jump start" needed to assist those children. But Educare is far more than just aimed at children with speech issues. Educare is designed to benefit every child.

Last week I had a chance to sit down with one of the board members of Educare, and what came through from our conversation was a shining passion for children and education. The staff at Educare are Early Childhood Education professionals who pursue continuing education opportunities and professional development. This is not "play school" as some may think of preschools, although it is designed to be fun and engaging for the children. It is a genuine preparation for our educational system, and it is designed to help children as they ease into the school environment. With a focus on literacy and speech it is also meant to give them a little bit of a head start in those areas and to help them gain strength and proficiency.

Now, it's not just limited to literacy, though, with classes in music, a social skills program, and so much more. In an educational system that is devoted to creating 21st century citizens programs like Educare give children the foundation on which to build. And Educare designs their programming to mesh with both the Catholic and public school boards, allowing students from the program to easily integrate into their new schools when they leave Educare. A curriculum focused on child development and incorporating education through play, peer interaction, and music is bound to prepare a child for further educational success, and those are the ways Educare seeks to prepare children (but it doesn't stop there, of course, as there is so much more).

Educare is a paid preschool program, but they do try to keep the fees reasonable and minimal by holding fundraisers, such as the annual Shamrock Shindig (an event on March 16th this year, and one I plan to attend). Through such fundraisers and community grants the program is able to maintain excellent staff while also minimizing costs to parents who choose to enroll their children. And Educare maintains an open door policy, inviting parents of potential students to come in and check out the program, meet the staff, and learn about what is offered and if the program is the right fit for their child.

I am passionate about many things, people, and my child is one of them. And every single parent I know is passionate about their child, and so we seek out those who are also passionate about children to educate them and to help them blossom. We look for those with genuine commitment and passion for what they do, and a short discussion with a board member (and some subsequent research online) has convinced me that Educare has that passion. Children aren't just important to us as parents - they are important to our entire community as they are the future for all of us. They are our future leaders, our future doctors and lawyers and engineers and all the rest. In them our hopes and dreams reside, and so we search for the best possible place for them to bloom and achieve their full potential. One of the ways we do this is to start them on the path for success early, and so if you are thinking about the need for preschool I would suggest you check out Educare when considering the options (and there is a waiting list at Educare, so check into it early). While my IJB did not attend Educare I know it is one of the programs I would have considered had I known about it, but I simply didn't know it existed ten years ago - and perhaps that is why I am sharing it with you today, so you have some knowledge I didn't have and the ability to make that choice. Knowledge is power, and so today I share some knowledge with you in the hopes that perhaps it is just what you needed to know :)

My sincere thanks to Danielle

from the Educare board

for sitting down with me

and sharing the Educare story and philosophy!

You can contact Educare directly at

780-743-3464 (Lynette)

The Value of Personal Training (or "Why My Body Hates Me Today")

I have a question for you. When you are in need of legal advice who do you ask? You go to a lawyer. When you need medical advice, you go to the doctor, right? Income tax advice, an accountant. And when you need advice and/or help with physical fitness who do you ask? Magazines or websites? Friends? Why aren't you consulting with the professionals in the field of physical fitness? Why aren't you consulting a personal trainer?

This is the question I have been pondering today after a session with Terri Windover, personal trainer and all around fitness guru at MacDonald Island Park. The Total Fitness Centre at MIP has been my gym since the day they opened a couple of years ago, and there was a time I went very faithfully, almost every single day. I will admit my visits have been much more infrequent recently, due to a busy schedule, and, I realized, some boredom with my exercise routine. I will admit here publicly that three years ago I was a bigger person - some sixty pounds bigger, in fact, and three years ago I shed that weight and a great deal of other things along with it (like bad knees and a poor self-image). This past year though some of the weight has crept back, and it has frightened me. I don't want to go back to that weight ever again, and I knew I needed some help. I also knew I wanted to share with my readers the experience of the new Total Fitness Centre, as I attended the ribbon cutting, and it is an amazing facility.

The new fitness centre is much larger than the old one, and much more bright and airy, too. Overheating was occasionally an issue for me in the old centre, but this new one, far more open and large, is less prone to large fluctuations in temperature. There is an abundance of new equipment, including machines that are some of the finest of their kind in the world. The number of new machines means no waiting for a treadmill or elliptical, a huge bonus given how busy the fitness centre can be.

And busy it was yesterday afternoon when I met Terri for my session. In my entire journey of weight loss and pursuit of fitness I am stunned that I have never consulted a personal trainer. I realize now it should have been my very first step in that process, but even at this point I think it was hugely beneficial to me. I realize now that a session with someone like Terri would likely have set me up for success far earlier in the process, but for me it was both a wake-up call to the threat of "weight creep" (when lost weight comes creeping back onto your body) and a reminder of the importance of seeking improvement and progress in fitness. My old routine had settled into something like this: go to gym, get changed, do elliptical 30 minutes, do weights 30 minutes, shower, get dressed, leave - in other words, a giant snore. I enjoyed the time actually, as it let me think, but I often didn't even break a sweat anymore. I didn't feel I'd actually accomplished much. Yesterday, though, I broke a sweat with Terri, and today my body hurts in places I'd sort of forgotten about. And I am thrilled, frankly.

Terri and I talked a lot, and we went over some very basic, basic things. Like push-ups, and lunges. Like using kettleballs, and weights. Like step-ups. And like simply not sitting for long periods without moving (I am so, so guilty of this in the course of what I do for work). She knew instantly that I have issues with my shoulders, and she could tell this from just looking at me (and I do, from long hours hunched over a keyboard), and we talked about ways to address that. We discussed my poor posture (again, hunching over a keyboard is not my friend), and we talked about how you can achieve physical fitness even at home, just using a few key pieces of equipment - and taking the time to do it.

Time is my enemy, and so I need to make my time spent exercising count. And so Terri and I discussed ways to work it into my schedule, things to do on a daily basis, an every three day basis, a weekly basis - how to make fitness fit into my life, from walking my dog to doing push ups regularly. We discussed the importance of giving this information to the next generation, like my Intrepid Junior Blogger, so they incorporate fitness into their lives. And we discussed eating habits, my other nemesis as convenience foods are indeed convenient when you are busy, but lethal in terms of their impact on health. We talked about how a sedentary life can not only shorten the number of years you spend on this planet but how it makes those years miserable ones, with bad backs and knees and hips.

The idea behind personal training is that is personal - it is tailored to you, designed for you and your strengths and weaknesses. So many people turn to magazines for fitness advice, and are trying to do some general program often designed for someone far more advanced or fit than they are. And so they find it too challenging, and they get discouraged, or they don't understand why they aren't achieving results. The problem is that they need individualized advice, a program of fitness that is meant for them and their level of fitness, tailored to their specific needs and skills. And that is why everyone, regardless of their fitness level, should consider consulting a personal trainer. If we trust a lawyer for legal advice, and a doctor for medical advice, why would anyone balk at a personal trainer for fitness advice and instead rely on a magazine?

There are those who may say it's a cost issue, but personal training is surprisingly affordable, and I'd argue that if you can afford a gym membership then you can, and should, afford a session (or five) with a personal trainer. And even if you plan to pursue a fitness program at home I think it's a very wise investment. It can set you up for success, help you achieve your goals (or create them), and it can help prevent you from being injured, because that is another obstacle to success. A personal trainer can help you ensure you are exercising safely, using best form and practices. They can help you with nutrition questions, and they can provide motivation, encouragement, and, if necessary, like in my case, remind you why you lost weight in the first place and why you don't want it to creep back (I have now begun thinking about those sixty pounds as some creepy stalker, just waiting to jump on me should I become less vigilant). They can even help you learn gym etiquette, a puzzling world to someone like me who first entered the fitness centre at Mac Island two years ago completely terrified and out of my depth. I'd spent the 80's in places like Spa Lady, which had given me a hatred of leg warmers and headbands but not much real gym experience, and Curves in more recent years, which hadn't really prepared me well for a world of ellipticals and free weights. I managed to find my way over time in the centre, learning the etiquette and terminology, but how I wish I had just booked my first visit to the centre with a personal trainer and let them teach me instead of fumbling and bumbling my own way through it. It would have very likely made things far, far easier.

Yesterday I realized I need to get back into the swing of things, and back to my fitness routine. The routine will be a bit different, though, as I plan to pick up a kettleball and some free weights for at home. I plan to hit the Total Fitness Centre about three times a week now, doing the ellipticals and the weight machines, which I don't have at home, but when I am not there I intend to pursue my fitness at home, too, using the techniques and exercises Terri showed me. Terri suggested I put forty pounds in a backpack and carry it around so I can recall what it was like to be heavier, but I don't need to. I remember very well how my knees cracked, and how it felt to be out of breath after climbing the stairs. All it took for me to be reminded of the importance of physical fitness was one session with Terri. One session with a personal trainer and I was excited about it all again, "feeling the burn" and actually revelling in a body that deeply resents me today (and, well, booking the session the day after a night out drinking craft beer at the Wood Buffalo Brewing Co may not have been my brightest move, but then again I am, on occasion, a bit dense).

So, what did my session with Terri teach me? Well, the proper way to use a kettleball, and the right way to do a lunge. I learned that girlie-style push-ups are cheating, and that I need to work on my posture. And most importantly I learned that a personal trainer is a partner in your physical fitness goals. I learned that they are physical fitness professionals, and that for anyone seeking to improve their fitness, novice or veteran, just beginning or advanced, they are worth their weight in gold. Or maybe their weight in kettleballs, which reminds me I need to go pick up one of those right now. And some free weights, and a gym mat. And some Tylenol, because frankly the muscles in my butt are killing me.

My thanks to Terri Windover,

personal trainer,

and to 

MacDonald Island Park

for the chance to spend some time in the 

Total Fitness Centre

and experience personal training.

My sore muscles and I are grateful.

Well, I am, my calves currently hate all of you.

Setting The Bar in Fort McMurray - Wood Buffalo Brewing Co.

I realize the title of this post is a wee bit of a pun, and I couldn't resist it. Yes, the new Wood Buffalo Brewing Co in Fort McMurray is indeed a "bar", but to call it that is a bit demeaning, when it is actually a brew pub and micro-brewery. However, I had the honour of attending the "soft opening" of the new establishment last night, and I can guarantee the title of this post is very accurate. The folks at WBBC are about to open and blow minds in this community, and they have now set the bar very high for other new businesses hoping to capture our hearts (and our cash).

As many of you know WBBC has taken over the space in the Morrison Centre previously occupied by the Primary Care Network. They have lavished time, money, and love on this space, and you can tell just by glancing in the windows. The renovations are extensive, and again I think it's a bit demeaning to even call them "renos". This was more of a total build inside an existing building, and it is something incredible to see.

And you need to remember that what you see on the main floor of the WBBC is just the tip of the iceberg. Much like an iceberg, where you only see 10% of the berg while 90% floats below, the real heart of WBBC is directly below the things you can actually see, in the basement where the beer is brewed and brought to perfection. And perfection it is.

My beer sampler - in a tool box! :)

Last night I got to sample the six brews being crafted right here in our own community, using our own water. To say I was impressed is an understatement. I was overwhelmed by beers that have been carefully crafted and lovingly made. I had the chance during an earlier tour to sample two of the beers right from the vats, and I was anxious to sample the finished products, to taste what the final result would be - and they are, in a word, stellar.

Of the six brews my favourite, surprisingly to me, was the stout, a rich, dark beer with overtones of coffee. It is so smooth, without any unpleasant aftertaste, and as the server helpfully offered also lowest in calories. I also loved the raspberry ale, with its slightly sweet taste of summer berries (a friend who accompanied me could not stand that sweet taste, but that is the glory of a brew pub since he loved five out of the six beers, leaving plenty for him to choose from). All six of the beers are wonderful in my opinion, and each is different enough that I think everyone will find their favourite. And the beauty is that WBBC is open to suggestion, ready to take ideas for improving the brews and changing them to reflect our local palate and preferences - because the WBBC is for us.

That is a point that Socrates, who I have written about previously, and I have discussed. Wood Buffalo Brewing Co is intended to be for us, not for the owners or the servers. Yes, they will run the establishment, and yes, they hope we will bring them our hard-earned money - but in the end it is designed to be about and for the people of the Wood Buffalo region. That is why the beer is made with our own water, and why the beers have been named by members of our community. And yes, before I forget, let's discuss those names, shall we?

WBBC held a contest to name the new beers. They did this to engage the community, to remind us that this establishment is for us, about us, and meant to reflect us. The name suggestions rolled in, and these were the winners:

Gold Digger Golden Ale
Lift Kit Lager
Wood Buffalo Pale Ale
Overtime IPA
Black Gold Stout
New Talent Seasonal

There are those who appear offended by some of those names, particularly the first one. In fact some have expressed displeasure with all the names except for Wood Buffalo Pale Ale, which baffles me. "Overtime" is offensive? We not only work overtime, we also have overtime in hockey, a sport much loved in this country. "Black Gold"? Oil has been called that for a very, very long time, and that is a proud history, and not one to be embarrassed about. "New Talent"? How is that offensive to anyone? Isn't that exactly what we rely on in this region, new talent to come in and work in our industry and become a part of our community? "Lift Kit"? That speaks to 90% of the trucks in this community, and again it is reflective of who we are. And so that leaves "Gold Digger", a name that I admit initially caused me to raise an eyebrow, too - and then I stopped to think, leaving my initial indignant thoughts behind. Yes, the term "gold digger" can be a less-than-kind term for a woman, but it can also be a reference to many things, including gold mining (an occupation that created a boom in the far north not unlike the boom we see here, where we are digging "black gold" from the earth on a daily basis). And the thing to remember is this: a) this name was suggested by a member of this community (someone who is Fort McMurray through and through, having been raised here, gone to school here, and continuing to work in this community), and b) this is a bar, not a university. The name is tongue-in-cheek, meant to be funny, not offensive. It is not meant to be unkind to us, and is not a term being thrown at us from some outsider. How is it we can laugh at the "Steve from site" videos (and don't lie, you laughed at them just like I did)? Because they poke fun at the steretype. And so to does this name, as we attempt to reclaim some of the insults hurled on us by turning them on their head and naming a local brew after them. I think we need a few things in this community - and the ability to laugh at ourselves on occasion is definitely one of them. We have a tendency to spend a lot of our time being outraged at the things said about us (and I am as guilty as the next person on this), and in recent months I have begun to wonder if we should try to save our righteous indignation for things truly deserving of it (and the name of a local craft beer is not, in my estimation, one of them). Besides, after one taste of the golden ale you will have entirely forgotten the name. After another few you probably won't remember your own name, either, and the "problem" disappears entirely along with your memory of the evening.

Right, back to the actual things of import, like the beer, which is stellar, and the food, which is amazing. I sampled several dishes last night and they are far better than the standard pub fare, more gastro-pub than greasy spoon, and a delightful companion to the beers. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the decor looks amazing. The servers are funny and friendly and helpful, explaining the beers and the food. The management is well positioned to support the serving staff, and even the bathrooms are terrific (check out the ladies room, seriously!). And in the end, at the end of the night last night, what did I think?

I thought about how bloody fortunate we are that these entrepreneurs chose our community to be the location of their third brew pub, after Jasper and Banff. I thought about how happy it makes me to see a new establishment embrace the community, and want to become a part of it, not just take from it. I thought about the loving care they lavish on their beers, and their establishment. I thought about how this brew pub is going to become a second home for me, a place I will choose for lunch and for interviews, and for a wind-down drink with friends (or even alone) after long and difficult days. And I thought about the challenge they have issued to the rest of this community, although they may not even realize it. They have raised the bar very high, and they have exceeded even the expectations I had of them. Other businesses, old and new, will have to be at the top of their game to compete with Wood Buffalo Brewing Co, and I think that's a glorious thing, because competition is good for all of us. It inspires us to bring out our best, to play our "A" game, to strive and achieve recognition for our hard work. So to you, Fort McMurray, I bring very good news - Wood Buffalo Brewing Co throws open their doors to the general public tonight at 5 pm, and they are ready and waiting to become a part of this community. I can guarantee you this - they will not disappoint you. In fact I suspect they will do something else - they will raise your expectations of everywhere else, and make you want more and better and bigger. And for this I thank them - and I also thank them for allowing this little blogger to come along for the ride, from construction to soft opening. I am grateful to have been a witness to what is sure to become a fundamental part of the Wood Buffalo community.

My congratulations to everyone at

Wood Buffalo Brewing Co 

for raising the bar in our community -

and I thank them for choosing Fort McMurray,

and allowing me to be there for part of it all :)

In Our Midst

On occasion when I consider writing about a less savoury topic I consider pulling back, and not doing it at all. I worry that it will give the wrong impression of us, when we work so very hard to change the perception of who we are and what we do here. I am also one of those who thinks, however, that we do ourselves no favour with whitewashing the truth, with varnishing the reality. And so I often decide to write about the more troublesome aspects of life here, just as I do today.

Decades ago I was a young woman in Toronto. I lived there, in fact, during the late 80's and early 90's, a troubling time to be a woman in that part of the country. During those years some horrific things happened in Ontario, things I will never forget. There was the Scarborough Rapist, later identified as Paul Bernardo, a name our country will likely always hear with a shudder. There was a man named Jonathan Yeo, who murdered two women, and was considered a suspect in many more assaults. A young woman named Elizabeth Bain, a U of T student, went missing, leaving behind only a blood stained car (her boyfriend at the time was charged in her murder but subsequently found to have been wrongfully convicted, leaving her case unsolved). All of these assaults, disappearances, and murders occurred in a very short period of time, a few turbulent years to be a woman in that part of Toronto. And just this month, right here in Fort McMurray, I was reminded of those years, and all the names of the victims and the victimizers came flooding back to me. It all felt a little bit like I was back there again, reading the news of another disappearance or assault or murder. Why? Because Toronto City Police, with the assistance of the local RCMP, solved some cold case sexual assault cases with an arrest right here in our community.

Details are still a bit sketchy, but what there is can be read here. The sexual assaults occurred in 1993 and 1994, very close to the years when all those other events I list above occurred. Hearing about the arrest was a relief, of course, because it is always a relief to know that such individuals have been apprehended and taken off our streets. What I always find too, though, is how I feel a bit frightened, because they have been in our midst all along. They have been out there. They have been in our community.

I don't know if this individual lived in camp, or here in the community. It doesn't really matter, as at some point his life undoubtedly touched the lives of others who live and work here. At some point he likely visited local restaurants or shops, bars or grocery stores. He might have been the person behind you when you bought coffee at Tim Horton's. He might have been sitting in the same waiting room at the dentist. He might have been anywhere, and that it always what makes my throat tighten up just a little bit - because as hard as it can be to accept we have predators in our midst.

I do not believe this individual has been charged with any crimes in this region, but I think we should remember that most people when involved in crime do not simply stop. An officer told me once that the most difficult thing about those who commit sexual assault is their tendency to be transient, to pick up and move when the heat is on in one community, and simply move across the country to another. And we have a large country indeed, one where it is quite easy for someone to simply disappear into another region or city. Eventually their crimes usually catch up with them, as they did in this case, but often not before there are new victims. And that is why the RCMP and Toronto Police are asking anyone who has been assaulted to step forward and make a report, because I imagine they suspect there may be more victims, too.

So, what does this all mean to Fort McMurray? Well, for starters it doesn't mean we are worse than anywhere else, as there have been sexual assaults in every community I have lived in, including the very small ones. It doesn't mean our problem is unique in any regard, because this is a human problem that stretches in every direction. And it doesn't mean that we are some hotbed of criminal activity, as I don't believe we are. It does mean this: we are not insulated from the problems that trouble communities everywhere. It means we need to be cognizant that there are individuals like this among us, predators, and we must do everything we can to reduce the chances of being victimized. We cannot be complacent. And I admit it - I am prone to complacency.

I recall those dark years in Ontario, but even more I recall how they affected me. When I first moved to Toronto I was 21, and I thought I owned the world. I walked everywhere by myself, at night, including in the rather sketchy neighbourhoods where I worked and lived (Parkdale and Cabbagetown, long before they became "gentrified"). I was not oblivious to the dangers, but I was reckless. I did not believe I could ever be touched, or that I would ever be a victim. And I recall beginning to read about the disappearances in St. Catharine's and Hamilton, the assaults in Scarborough, and the U of T student who was never found. It was an experience that sobered me. It made me grow up because I became aware that anyone could be a victim, and I became much more cautious. It hurt a little bit, because I was deeply independent and it stung to give up what I felt were my rightful freedoms - the right to walk alone late at night in a public park, for instance. But it forced me to recognize that my rightful freedoms, as much as I believed them to belong to me, were affected by the actions of others, and those actions could, in the end, hurt me deeply. They could, in the worst case scenario, even end my life. And so I changed my reckless ways, and I lived with more caution, which I have always continued to do.

The arrest in our region of an individual implicated in sexual assault cases over two decades ago in a province across the country simply reminded me why I developed such caution. It reminded me of why I gave up some of my reckless ways, and it reminded me of my responsibility to my young Intrepid Junior Blogger, who is just beginning to navigate that world of freedom and recklessness. It reminded me that predators are in our midst, even right here in Fort McMurray. It shook up my complacency a bit, and frankly I am grateful. Sometimes the most valuable reminders are the most troubling ones, like reading an arrest report that takes you back over twenty years to another point in your life when you realized that you too could be a victim - because those who would harm us are right here, in our midst.

One Raven in a Northern Town

I've always viewed the local ravens with some degree of suspicion. They are undoubtedly clever birds, and you don't have to watch them for long to figure that out. They have an impressive learning curve, able to decipher how to open things that you want to stay shut, and while it doesn't require massive intelligence to open them they always seem to know exactly which garbage bag will a) cause the most mess or b) reveal the most embarrassing things to your neighbours. The ravens and I have really co-existed quite peacefully for the years I've lived here - I've kept my garbage in cans, and they've generally confined themselves to harassing my dog. In the past two years, though, in a new-to-me house, I have encountered a raven that is, excuse the pun, a very strange bird.

I will admit up front that I cannot be certain that this has always been the same raven, although I think I have come to recognize the way he tilts his head at me. I believe there is a certain look in that beady little eye that I have come to know, a mischievous and plotting look. A resourceful look. The look of a bird with a perhaps slightly-larger-than-normal-for-a-bird brain. You see this bird is truly something else.

It began the first winter in this house. I would go out to shovel the driveways (moaning about who had the bright idea to move into a house with two four-car driveways and sidewalks, conveniently forgetting it was me), and settle into the monotonous task. It wouldn't be long before I knew I was being watched, and when I would look up there he would be, perched on a snowbank or the edge of the driveway. Head tilted, one eye looking at me, black feathers fluffed up, the raven would watch me shovel.

He is always completely silent when he does this, no cawing or cackling. I don't feel like he is heckling me, just accompanying me. It is a bit eerie to be watched so closely (the only experience similar is what happens when my dog watches me eat peanut butter, except she drools, too). On occasion I will throw a shovelful of snow at him and he will squawk indignantly and fly off, only to return minutes later. To sit, and to watch.

Initially I thought he knew something I didn't, was waiting for me to keel over and make an easy meal. But in time I began to think maybe he was just lonely, a raven who wanted to be involved. And so I would shovel, and he would watch, and we settled into a sort of uneasy companionship.

Then he began to torment the dog. Now, my dog is easily provoked, I grant you that. This raven, though, likes to sit on the fence, just out of the reach of my dog, and preen. This drives my dog absolutely insane, and there is barking and growling and leaping. When I go out to collect her and bring her inside before the neighbours begin their own barking and growling I discover the raven watching, head tilted, and that look in his eye. He seems to find this all terribly amusing, and I have begun to suspect he has a sense of humour, too.

This December, though, things with the raven took another turn. I was sitting in my living room one day, writing just as I am doing now. The sun was up, and it was fairly early. I heard a scrabbling noise on my roof, and I figured the raven was there, as he seems to like to land on the roof and do a little walk-about up there. This time, though, I was stunned to watch through my windows as a section of our Christmas lights disengaged from the roof line and were left hanging against the side of the house. An accident, I thought, the raven had dislodged them while on the roof. I was wrong.

The next morning I sat there again, and glanced out at the dangling lights, thinking they would need to be fixed. Moments later there was that familiar scrabbling - and then another section of lights dropped. Another accident, I wondered? Not likely - and so I went outside, where, to my shock, my raven was quietly pulling the lights off my house and dropping them to the ground below.

It took him about four days to remove the lights from my roof line. In the end we took them down entirely, not anxious to risk personal safety to put them back up, and thinking that he was so determined that he would likely just remove them again. I have found in the snow little plastic clips, ones that have been broken, and I suspect he was actually removing them with his beak, a very calculated act for such a small brain. I still don't quite understand why he did it - boredom, perhaps, or just a need to do something he felt constructive. Or maybe he just liked the way it sounded when the string of lights banged against the house, or maybe he liked how I stood below and watched him, just as he has so often watched me shovel snow. Maybe he wanted companionship and he knew this was guaranteed to get my attention.

I have always known that ravens are clever birds. It's well documented, actually, with studies showing their resourceful intelligence. And while some despise ravens I have always liked them, and appreciated their abilities and skills. They may have an obsession with garbage, and they may like to scavenge road kill, but I don't hold that against them, really. They do what they must to survive, just like the rest of us, and I am in no position to throw stones when I live in my own glass house. This raven, though? He just isn't the usual bird. I suspect he may be a genius of the raven culture, some sort of raven-ahead-of-his-time. I don't know if any of my neighbours have noticed him, but for some reason this bird and I have developed a strange sort of bond. I do know that he does not accompany others when they shovel my driveway, as they have never commented on a raven companion who watches them, head tilted and beady eyes focused.

It has been suggested to me that this raven is a reincarnation, someone I know from my life who has come back in this form. I don't think I buy that, but I am always open to the unknowns of this world. If it is someone who has come back into this world I think it must be someone who had an exceptional sense of humour, and a need for social company. I cannot imagine who it would be, and I won't even speculate. I suspect that this is simply a bird who gets bored, and who is perhaps smarter than his brethren and therefore chooses to seek out other companions. For whatever reason he seems to have chosen me, and in some very bizarre way I feel a bit honoured. He could have decided to watch anyone shovel, or harass their dog, or destroy their Christmas lights. But this raven has chosen me.

I always wonder if he will just disappear one day, and never return. He does not look young, but he doesn't look old, either. I find myself really wondering what he will do next, though, because I am quite certain there are schemes in that bird brain. And so while he sits and watches me I sit and watch him, because while it seems he is fascinated with me I will be very honest - I am far, far more fascinated by him, this raven who in some strange way has become a part of my life in Fort McMurray. And so it goes, life in a northern town.