Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Good morning, Fort McMurry, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned in to the Mac city morning show. I am your host Elliot Pierre, and we're going to start the show off the same way we start every episode with a moment of gratitude. I know that you could be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you're spending with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner.
Speaker 1 00:00:21 Oh, she caught me, loves near listen to the next anymore.
Speaker 0 00:00:31 All right. We're back. I'm excited about today's guest. I'm excited about all my guests, but, uh, this gentlemen is running for mayor, so I'm excited to have him here as you know, I don't introduce my guests because they can do a better job at that than myself. So on that note, sir, can you please introduce yourself to the people at home? First
Speaker 2 00:00:47 Of all, thank you for having me on your show Elliott. It's a pleasure to be invited. Um, yeah, my name is Mike Allen. Um, I'm a long-term resident of Fort McMurray, right. And, uh, yeah, I'm, I've, uh, made the decision to run for mayor. Um, this is, uh, obviously not my first election and, um, I've been involved in public service for about 17 years now, so right. Um, it is a calling and I, um, I felt that, uh, uh, the timing was good for me right now. Right. Unfortunately, I had to close my business last year. Oh. I find myself in a, in a position where I can now dedicate a hundred percent of my time, uh, to the job. There you go. Yup. And I have lots to do yet. That's
Speaker 0 00:01:30 Awesome, man. Cool. Okay. Well, before we jump into the politics and what you want to potentially what your platform is and how the race is going, I like to learn about the individual themselves. So let's chat about yourself. So when did you come to Fort McMurry? Um, are you born here? I know you've been here forever, but let me hear a little bit about like your origin story. Yeah, well, I'm a, I'm
Speaker 2 00:01:50 A long timer by some measurements and a, and a newbie by others, you know? Um, I moved my family here in 1993 and, uh, uh, my kids at the time were three and five. Okay. So, uh, they, they graduated high school and then went off to university. And right now I know I have three beautiful
Speaker 3 00:02:08 Grandchildren. Oh, wow. Congratulations two. Unfortunately
Speaker 2 00:02:11 My, my daughter lives in Australia now has for the last five and a half years. And, uh, she just had twin girls in November. So unfortunately with the borders being closed with COVID week, I have not been able to meet my new granddaughter she had except through Skype and, uh, wow. Facebook, but it's, uh, yeah, we're, we're very excited, uh, hope to get down there next year. No doubt at some time, but it's um, uh, what can I say? I moved here not with a five-year plan, but a lifelong plan to be a family business. Um, I, I've been here since 93 and, and haven't worked a day in the oil sands per se, or with any of the service industries. Um, I came for the opportunity to, uh, purchase Campbell's music and, uh, and operate a small, a family business. Right. So it, uh, it took off very quickly and we were very focused on that. Um, the community has been, uh, very good to me in those years. Um, we grew very dramatically in the late nineties, early two thousands and, uh, to a point where we had two locations and then I had to keep expanding. So we moved on to Franklin avenue in 2005 and it just kept going from there. Yeah. You
Speaker 0 00:03:24 Guys were across the street from where Mitchell's is the original
Speaker 3 00:03:28 One, right? That was well, actually these are the location.
Speaker 2 00:03:30 When we were on Franklin avenue in the hill drugs building basement, there was where Campbell's music originated. Marie Campbell moved here in 1976 to operate what was then lillo's music. And, uh, so he was managing it and, uh, and, and his family purchased the company from Vic level. Okay. And, uh, four years later he felt the need to expand because it was a very small local retail where he also did music lessons. And so he built the building on the corner of Manning and main cross from what was, well, what is, Mitchell's now original police.
Speaker 0 00:04:08 Yeah, that's right. That's exactly it. Okay. Okay. And so how, like, how did you hear about it? Like, how did, is this a family member that reached out to you and said, this is an opportunity or
Speaker 2 00:04:19 No, I was, uh, point where, uh, I was working for a Dom tar chemicals group at the time and, uh, selling, uh, selling salt that the sift assault brand and did that for about eight years, but it was on the road all the time. Yeah. And I had a young family and, uh, and I felt I was just missing out on that. Yeah. And I read this opportunity in the Evanston journal. It was a, you know, small musical instrument store looking for a working partner with the intention of, uh, of buying it. And, uh, and I thought, well, that's interesting. And I was coming up to make a regular trip up to Fort McMurray, right. A sales trip. And, uh, so I made arrangements to meet Marie Campbell. And, um, we went out for dinner, saw this store and I, I just walked in and there was a grand piano on the riser with a light shining on it and, uh, quite a variety of instruments and computers as well.
Speaker 2 00:05:13 Cause he used to sell Amica computer that's right. Yup. So I went, uh, I looked in and I just, in my mind, I just said, I could do this. Yeah. So about a month later, I, I drove my family up here and, uh, and we met with a Marine, his wife, and went out for dinner and toured the community. And, and, uh, it was, uh, probably a community of about 30,000 people. Very small. Yeah. But it was, uh, and it was, it was quiet. It was a slower time in the economy. Um, at the time of course back then Suncor was even considering shutting down. That's right. There was a strike, uh, just before then. Yeah. And then there was, uh, but, uh, uh, uh, they had, uh, hired someone to come in and, uh, and either make it, or, uh, and if you didn't turn it around, we're shutting it down. That's right. But, uh, oil was a very low per barrel. That's right. And so we didn't really know what the future was, but I looked at the community and said, this community is going to be here a long time. Uh, there, there is opportunity. And this was an opportunity for me to have my family here and see them every day. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:06:18 Yeah. That's cool, man. So when it comes to musical instruments and being a musician, obviously you have, you would have had to have a passion for this prior to, so what kind of instruments do you play and how did you get involved in music?
Speaker 2 00:06:31 I always say I could fake my way through a demo on anything. Um, but my primary instrument is, is brass instruments. I'm, uh, I was a professional jazz trombonist, uh, in Edmonton for about 12 years. I, when you say professional, what does that mean? Um, I was paid. Yeah. I mean, I, we toured a bit, but I did a lot of television and studio. I played with, uh, the Tony banks live and Zen magazine, big Miller. There was a number of, a lot of big band stuff, but, um, the television studio work was where, um, was really the bread and butter. Right. Um, in, in part it ended up being part-time. Yeah. While I was like, uh, any other musician? Yeah. It has a passion. It's your love you go after it. And, uh, you play, play til the money runs out. Um, but the, um, uh, really at one point I decided I I'd rather eat, so I had to get a real job. Okay. Uh, but I, I I've had a, um, an interesting career path. I worked for Canadian linen supply for about six years. And then I worked for Dom tar for eight, and then this opportunity came up. Right. Right. So
Speaker 4 00:07:37 If you can play brass instruments, can you play careless, whisper on the saxophone?
Speaker 2 00:07:43 I can't saxophone would be considered a woodwind instruments. I can certainly make a noise and I can play a scale, but I, I can, uh, but I'm not, I don't consider myself to be a woodwind player at all about harmonica harmonica. Yeah. If I can play that piano. Uh, yeah.
Speaker 0 00:07:59 Uh, like, uh, I, it, you're probably the fifth guests that's come on this show right now. I have a nice harmonica and I want to learn how to play it. And I've exhausted what I can get out of YouTube. And I saw I'm still horrible at it. Um, I need a physical person to like go to once a week and be like, okay, Elliot, let's, let's do this. So if you know any harmonica teachers, please, please, please put them in context. I will let you know,
Speaker 2 00:08:26 There is a series of books out there called you can teach yourself to play. You think? So it comes with a CD comes with, uh, and it's very well-written. Uh, but, uh, that, that would certainly be another opportunity. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:08:37 Cause I like, yeah, I'm pat like passionate about it. I actually, when I was in junior high grade six, that's called junior high thing, grade sick, five and six. I rented a, um, a trumpet off you cause I was in a local band. So I learned how to play the trumpet horribly, but I could play the trumpet. And as a youth, my parents actually got me, um, to play in the steel drum band. Cause they used to play, my dad plays drums and bongos. And so he's like, Hey, I wanted to play the steel drums.
Speaker 2 00:09:05 I've seen your dad play the steel drums. And it's funny because I got to know most people in town. I got to know, uh, know them by what their kids played in the school. That's
Speaker 0 00:09:14 Right. That's right. So yeah. I, I like instruments. I've never been able to master one. Um, and I was like, you know what? The harmonica seems like a good one. I'm traveling prior to COVID often. And it's something to like kill the time and you know, just so harmonica, I'm going to follow up with you on this, this reading, these, these sessions, these books, you have my numbers on it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. There are
Speaker 2 00:09:36 Other opportunities too, to continue playing as an adult. So in town. So those are, uh, things worth looking at.
Speaker 0 00:09:43 Okay. Well I know, uh, we're, we're going fast. We're burning through time, which is awesome. But uh, I got to give Tanner his time in the, in the spotlight. He has a segment called the Mac city minute. He's going to ask you a few questions. I have no idea what they're going to be. So best of luck, Tanner hit him with the maxi minute.
Speaker 4 00:09:58 Alrighty. Question number one. How does it feel to have a Wikipedia page about yourself
Speaker 2 00:10:06 That was not created by myself? Uh, certainly that, uh, that happened. Um, we did a, we were able to take ownership of it and then get an edited. You can't remove, uh, what has been put on there, um, as long as it's factual, right. Uh, which, uh, we just wanted to make sure there was other contexts put in there. So, uh, how does it feel? Um, I don't know, a few, uh, if, if it's, uh, an honor or if it, I mean, any kind of advertising sometimes as good advertising. Um, so, uh, I really haven't given it that much thought. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:10:39 That's neat. I want a Wikipedia page. That's it's a dream. Yeah. I'll I'll, I'll start one up on it. Okay. Okay.
Speaker 4 00:10:47 Cool. Question number two. What was it like going to high school in New Zealand?
Speaker 2 00:10:52 Wow. That was an experience. You know, my, my family moved to New Zealand in the seventies. Um, my father was originally born and raised in New Zealand. Okay. Um, moved to immigrated to Canada in about 1956. Cool. Uh, so at one point we decided it was time to move the family back there. Yeah. Uh, actually when I graduated high school, um, it's a lot different than Canada. Right. The whole school system is different. Um, they have all boys schools and all girls schools, but they, we had co-ed schools as well. So, uh, I attended one like that. It was a, you wore a school uniform and in many ways, uh, I found that to be quite effective because you didn't have to think about what you were going to wear to school every morning to make sure that you had, uh, you know, shine shoes and clean fingernails.
Speaker 2 00:11:42 It was a, it was an interesting experience. Um, of course it was a series of buildings throughout as well. So they didn't have the big, um, the big complex, like you with the comps at high school. Yeah. Yeah. Well, they were pretty, so it's, uh, uh, it was interesting. There was, it was a very, uh, disciplined school as well. Yeah. So, I mean, back then, they still had corporal punishment in, in school. Um, a lot of respect and, uh, at the end of the school year yoga mat in a gymnasium and wrote your departmental exams and then you were done, there was no graduations, there was no ceremonies. Yeah. Um, I was just done and they don't use a grade situation or a grade structure as much as they use forums. It's called forum
Speaker 0 00:12:28 One. Yes, yes. Yes. So,
Speaker 2 00:12:31 Uh, I got my university entrance certificate. Right. Uh, my original plan actually was to, uh, stay in New Zealand, but I started missing home. Yeah. Uh, my hometown is grand Prairie. Right. So I'm a born and bred, uh, Alberta boy. And, uh, so I worked and traveled for a bit of a, uh, for about a year and, uh, uh, played in a, in a, in a band. We toured Australia. We did, uh, um, I did quite a bit. Yeah. But the opportunities weren't there in my, my drive and my goal was to become a professional musician. So, so I moved back to Canada 1980.
Speaker 0 00:13:08 Very cool. Great question. As per usual, Tanner, I think he's, I don't know how you come up with this stuff.
Speaker 4 00:13:12 Question number three. Uh, what was, what was it about Fort McMurray that pushed you to do your first run for council?
Speaker 2 00:13:21 Ooh, I don't know if it was about Fort MacMurray as much as it was, uh, getting involved. And I think that that's, that's something that everyone should consider doing at some level or other, whether it's volunteering, um, working with a board, uh, working with, uh, a community organization. Right. Um, in my case, uh, it was early on and I had about 2001, one of my competitors actually, he was a vice-president with the chamber of commerce, came to me and, and, uh, we were friendly competitors, some parts off each other, and he showed up in my office and said, uh, oh yeah, by the way, I nominated you for the board of the chamber of commerce, myself for crying out loud. What'd you do that for, I mean, I got a young family, I got a going concern with my business. I need to focus on this.
Speaker 2 00:14:09 Right. And he said, oh, don't worry about it. It's just like I do as a meeting once a month luncheon once a month and kiss a few hands and shake a few babies. And so, uh, so, so I went, I was, uh, elected as a board member and then got involved. And once you get involved, it's kind of addictive. You start getting some little successes here and there, we created the red link program, which was a local business opportunity program with, uh, primarily with municipality, the, um, the college and, uh, and all of industry. Right. And, uh, once we got them on board, we just kept working towards the next goal. That's right. So, um, then in 2004, um, it was through, I think a lot of people get onto a governance role through encouragement yeah. Of their peers. But, uh, I ran for president of the chamber and I served two terms.
Speaker 2 00:15:02 Yes. I was president of the chamber. Um, there, we went through, um, I thought we brought the level of the chamber up to a new, a new level. Um, we, uh, worked on things for the community. We worked with a lot of the nonprofit groups because we felt that how could you operate a healthy business if you don't have a healthy community. Right. Right. And so through supporting that, it was, it was a more well-rounded family oriented communities. Um, and then it just, uh, the pressure was there. Yeah. I know, actually originally I had a lot of pressure to run for mayor. Right. And I looked at it and said, I can't run for mayor. Right. Um, first of all, I, I, I need to run my business and I can't take on another full-time job. Secondly, it's I need to earn my wings. Right.
Speaker 2 00:15:49 I can't just step into that role into that chair and not have any level of experience in that type of governance. So, uh, uh, so I, I ran for council and was successful. Um, I'm now on my, well, that went, that went through until, uh, we did a second term and then both, uh, Don Scott and I, um, made the choice. And again, it was through encouragement of others. Um, there was a provincial election coming up and, uh, we both sought the nomination for the PC party. Right. And, uh, we're successful in the 2012 election. That's right. Yeah. So then we went provincial. Yeah. Uh, of course, uh, in 2015 then, um, the, uh, Rachel Notley and the NDP party decided to invite myself and 60 of my colleagues to seek
Speaker 3 00:16:36 Other opportunities. And,
Speaker 2 00:16:39 Uh, and there was a complete changeover in government that's right. So, um, we, uh, I took a bit of a break there, but, uh, during that period of time, between 15 and 17, I was involved with, uh, I had to be involved. So, uh, I chaired the center of hope board and sat with the SPCA board and, uh, I just, uh, continued on doing what I could. Yeah. And, uh, I think everyone's input makes a difference. Yeah. So it, uh, and all, all the new, fresh ideas that we get through new, fresh people. That's right. And certainly in this election, you're going to see a lot of new faces on this municipal council. Yeah. So, uh, uh, I, I think that's a great that people, um, feel the calling yeah. To, to come out and, and, and help to do something in a positive fashion. There you go. All right. Tanner X question. My man.
Speaker 4 00:17:33 Question number four. What is one thing that owning a longtime business in forming Marie will help you in your mayoral run? I think, uh,
Speaker 2 00:17:45 That's a good question. I think that in the long run, it's the mixture of experiences and, uh, I've never said that a municipality should be run like a business. Right. But it doesn't need to be run with sound business practice. Okay. And to be clear that the mayor doesn't actually run the city, the mayor's goal and, and his role is to chair and lead a group of governance, people in steering the direction for the municipality. Right. Create a vision of focus, create a budget, and then turn that over to the CAO to execute or one employee. Right. Um, the mayor and council do not go out and, uh, operate the graters and fill your potholes or shovel your snow. Yeah. Um, our role is to set a direction and a vision and, uh, and, and then ask questions, um, when something is, is going offsite. Right. Um, I think that, uh, there's a lot of opportunity for the next term yet. Um, certainly we've all been impacted since the wildfire and, uh, things have, uh, started on a downward spiral. Yeah. We went from that to a downturn in the economy. Um, we had a flood and an actual, another natural disaster. Um, my wife jokingly says, what's next <inaudible> how much more can we take? Actually, we've
Speaker 4 00:19:08 Had the locus. They were the year we had the Caterpillar's
Speaker 3 00:19:12 That's right. Okay. I remember that now. That's right. Where are we getting them all? Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:19:17 But, uh, we had to bring that up again. Yeah, no, it's, uh, so, but we, um, I think that there's still opportunity right now and what Buffalo was always. That was, it, it was, it was a place to move to where there was always going to be opportunity. Correct. A great place to raise a family. I mean, uh, I've had people come to me and say, where else can I come home from work? Yeah. Take my suit off and get changed into my jeans. And 10 minutes later, being out in the middle of the boreal forest, right. That's right. The fishing, the boating, the, uh, the recreational opportunities, um, we can still do better. Yeah. And I think that's what I'm always striving to do is to make this, uh, a community that people want to move, to call their home. Right. And choose this as where they want to live, work and play. There you go.
Speaker 4 00:20:07 And your final question, being a politician, business owner, and a family man in Fort McMurray, what is your favorite part of being a part of the community on so many different levels?
Speaker 2 00:20:19 Well, sometimes it's tiring, but I, and quite frankly, I don't even consider myself to be a politician. Okay. Uh, the, the term politics comes from two Latin words, poly meaning many and tics, meaning little tiny blood-sucking creatures. Uh, no, I think that, uh, on, on different levels, um, there's never adult moment. Right. And everything I do, I'm looking for an outcome. Yeah. So whether it's with, uh, with my business, which unfortunately I've had to now shut down. Right. Um, things like that, you always had an end goal. You know, our goal was to, uh, either, well, you obviously to be profitable, but to stay on top of the market trends, um, with, uh, with a governance role. And I consider myself to be more of a community advocate. Um, we, we, we set a path, we set an objective and then you come out with the, you come up with the most productive way to meet that objective. Right. Right. So, uh, and I've had many challenges along the way, um, in successful in many unsuccessful in some great. Uh, and it's, uh, as you, as you know, these, uh, this role where politics is, um, you can make some of the people happy some of the time. Right. Right.
Speaker 4 00:21:38 And those have been your five questions. There
Speaker 3 00:21:40 We go. All right. Great,
Speaker 0 00:21:42 Man. That was very interesting to hear those answers. So thank you for that Tanner once again, I don't know where you come up with these questions,
Speaker 4 00:21:48 Bro. The seat right behind the computer. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:21:51 There you go. I Wikipedia page. So,
Speaker 0 00:21:54 Um, we've come to the end 20 minutes. Flown Tanner gave me the sign, like wrap it up. So that's cool. I know it flies. So we're at the end of the show, Mike, thank you very much for coming. Totally appreciate it. I've told everybody that comes on the show. Please, please, please come back. So I'm telling you the same thing I've told everybody else. We'd love to spend more time with you and learn more about you. So please come back at the end of the show though, you get, this is your time to shine. You gotta shameless, shout out a shameless plug. I have a feeling, I know what you're going to plug. Um, but this is your time to shine. So please, the microphone is yours.
Speaker 2 00:22:28 Good. Thanks very much. Um, again, I'm going to just focus on, um, what's the current events and that is we're going to have a new council, um, by, um, by ways of this at this particular time, I believe I have the knowledge and the experience and it's, it's well-rounded I think I have a proven past for getting things done and, uh, I think I'm the right person to steer this municipality into the next, uh, the next generation. So, uh, I I'm working to earn your vote and, uh, I hope that, uh, that people will stand with me and participate regardless of who you vote for, please, please, please. We have a very low voter turnout history. So, um, but research your candidates, get to know who they are and uh, and just get out and vote. That is the most important thing. Um, I think that we have an opportunity ahead of us.
Speaker 2 00:23:28 Uh, it is going to be, um, almost all a very, very, um, large level of, of new candidates that are running and, uh, what we're looking for and what we need is a diverse group of people that have energy and enthusiasm and all wanted to do the right thing. They don't always have to agree, but we do have to be a group that can debate respectfully. And whether you win or lose, you just move on to the next item and you respect the decision of your peers. So that is my goal is to, is to help lead and steer group that in a productive fashion that is working for the community. There you go.
Speaker 0 00:24:09 Awesome. That is a great shout out and plug. Good job. Okay. Sweet. Okay. Well Fort McMurray wood, Buffalo, that's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Once again from the bottom of my heart. Thank you very much for tuning in it truly does mean the world to me. Hopefully you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
