Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning for McMurry wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac city morning show. I am your host, Elliot Pierre. And as per usual, we're going to start the show off on the same note. We start every show off with a moment of gratitude. I know 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 hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:25 Oh, she caught me, loves near listened to the next anymore.
Speaker 0 00:00:29 <inaudible> all right. And we're back. Okay. We have a fun guest today. Um, this lady is running for council, um, and so I'm excited to hear what she's all about, but I've never actually spent any time with her. So as everybody knows, my favorite guests are the ones that I don't know. So as you also know, I do not introduce my guests. I let them do that themselves because they can do a better job than I. So can you please tell everybody at home who you are and what you're about.
Speaker 2 00:00:58 Thank you earlier, and thank you so much, Mac city Monisha for having me, and I must commend you for, for what you do. And I, I hope it goes bigger. Perfect. To start with that. I thank you and done. My name is Frankie <inaudible>. Uh, thank you all for tuning in, um, uh, being a resident of Maury for 10 years. I'm in mother and, uh, I'm a family woman. And, um, um, I've been described as, uh, a not dictate a volunteer community. I volunteer with the city, with my charge with women groups anywhere where it can add value. Uh, that's what I've done. Uh, since I got to Fort Mac Maury in 2011 and I'm taking my seventies, uh, forward, uh, hire, um, by wanting to serve the city of Fort McMurray, uh, on the council. And I'm hoping that I get elected to be one of the, uh, those who would lead. And so the city in the next 10, so again from Kibana Choco, and I'm a supply chain professional and have a couple of decades or more in that professions. Um, and currently I work in one of the ice sons. Uh, actually,
Speaker 0 00:02:27 Hey, there you go. Supply chain management. That's a good career to be in. I know a few people who have taken that over the years, so not,
Speaker 2 00:02:34 I like it. Yeah. One of the best part for me is that, uh, it's never a dull moment. We're always doing something or solving a problem or happy in the process. So I find it to be, uh, interesting, challenging, and I've worked in various aspects of supply chain. Nice.
Speaker 0 00:02:57 That's awesome. So you were saying you moved here 10 years ago. So back in 2012, roughly you moved in 2011. And so where did you move from? I love to hear the story of immigrants. My parents were immigrants, so I did fascinates me.
Speaker 2 00:03:13 Nice. I saw I was born and raised in Nigeria and that actually scored after my university. I walked, um, a little bit before I left the country. I stayed in Chicago, Illinois, Another eight years or so I moved to Toronto in 2009. Right. Um, and, um, I was brought to fuck mark Morrie higher and, uh, brought by the company on next thing,
Speaker 0 00:03:46 Knock.
Speaker 2 00:03:46 Yes. So they hired me and brought me to the city. That's how I came to fuck McMorris. Nice home for us.
Speaker 0 00:03:56 So 10 years. Yeah, that's awesome. That's a nice journey. So hands down, Chicago is one of my favorite places to go in the United States. Living there must have been amazing,
Speaker 2 00:04:10 Amazing, uh, it phones sitting by any standard, nice place, uh, different demographics, different people, different cultures, right? Not good entertainment,
Speaker 0 00:04:27 Food, unbelievable. Shopping
Speaker 2 00:04:29 My finger up. It's a good place though. You hear some negative things about any city that's right. Well, I think it'd be, uh, I believe it's, uh, it depends on who your circle is. I enjoyed Chicago
Speaker 0 00:04:48 Go. So I'm, I'm always fascinated in regards to how brave people are to leave their home, leave their country, and then try something, a different country out in regards to, we're not just talking about climate change in a lot of cases, you're talking complete culture shock. So what was and weather shock. Yeah. So what was the driving factor for you initially to want to leave your home country?
Speaker 2 00:05:12 I think, um, I've always been braver than an average child.
Speaker 0 00:05:19 Uh,
Speaker 2 00:05:21 Uh, my parents were educated. My mom was a teacher that was, uh, um, in the judiciary system in Nigeria. Um, so we were as opposed to traveling. Um, and, uh, I was also fortunate it very early H immediately after university, I was hired by Shaw, Nigeria, and, uh, and we traveled a lot. Shell is basically Dutch is the mother company. So would go to Holland, we'll go to England and, uh, also to the states. And I really liked some of the differences. Um, um, I don't like the cold weather too much. Oh, I didn't know. It's difficult for me to live in a hot weather in Chicago, Fort McMurray. Yeah. So, um, yeah, so I just, um, like to see other places connect with other people, other cultures. And, uh, and so I went and I got exposed to that with my career, um, earlier on in my life. So when I was ready to try anything and so, and then, um, we like it here.
Speaker 0 00:06:43 Yeah. So that's my next question. You just kind of dovetailed right in there. So you've lived in some pretty amazing places and you've moved to Fort McMurray now, and you've been here for a long amount of time. Obviously you're brave. You don't mind traveling, but you've decided to stay put here. So what is it about this community that makes you want to continue to live in Fort McMurray and get so involved as a you're choosing to do?
Speaker 2 00:07:07 Yeah. Thank you. So first I'd like to say Fort McMurray is a good place in terms of what you aim. Right? So, and I've always been in the oil and gas industry, like I said, right after university. So this is where I actually belong somewhere around here, cadre or anywhere where I can find my feet and I utilize my skills. Um, so add value. So that attracted me to come here. Um, and this is where they, they caught of the oil production to, to be here, uh, for that war. All that factors for me is the fact that the city is so close together when I was walking out next and my kids were, I think, 14 and 12. And, um, they could, my son used to actually walk to school sometimes 15 minutes walk, otherwise they could drive. Uh, when my daughter started driving, I believe at 16.
Speaker 2 00:08:15 And then she could drive to, to school four minutes, five minutes go to downtown 15 minutes. And you know, those kinds of things, apart from that, the size of Fort McMurray is not as small as what people think, correct. Someday thousand people live in a city. It's not too small. So I see get to meet great people. I worked with great people, a lot of professionals in the city. And, um, and, uh, I've been so connected with great, awesome people since I got here. And my kids though, both of them outside of Fort McMurray, they both love Fort McMurray and they don't want to live. Yeah. So I would, I mean, I did point, especially when there was economic, downtown and loss of jobs, because it's not always been an easy road. I thought of leaving, well, guess what they want to be here. And so, um, the, we actually like it here to sum it up. Yeah, nice. We like it. Or the kids, they leave me here to go to school. They want to come back and see their friends. That's right.
Speaker 0 00:09:28 Yeah. This is home to them. Yes. There you go. Now you're very active, as you mentioned before, and I've, I've heard about you before and I've seen you around, we've never had a chat, but you were very active in actually volunteering your time. So where does that come from? Where's that passion for giving back? Um, where does that originally come from you and where'd you get that spirit from?
Speaker 2 00:09:47 Um, I will say even from my background as a child, my mother was a secretary to the secretary to that at the charge and in the community. Right. And, uh, so, uh, most times the children take after what they see you do not, you teach them. So I think that has always been in me, do things for, or other people. And please like that. And I, I am not comfortable with sitting down complaining, like to make things up. I think we could do these I'll step up, but I was in charge of anywhere, then I'll step up. So, and my idea, and to make things happen. So I guess naturally I just want to get involved. Right. I want to be head and I also want to help. One of the best things that can happen to me in any day is to help somebody else, another person happy that makes me happy. There
Speaker 0 00:10:55 We go. That's awesome. I love
Speaker 2 00:10:57 It. So I guess that's, that's uh, that's, that's something
Speaker 0 00:11:02 That's awesome. No, that's phenomenal. Yeah. All right. Well, listen, we're at the part of the show called the Mac city minute. This is T Tanner segment. Uh, he has some questions for you. I don't know what he's going to ask. So we're going to throw it over to Tanner Tanner. Please hit her up with the Mac CD minute.
Speaker 3 00:11:19 Um, question number one. What is the biggest difference you noticed between living in Canada and the us?
Speaker 0 00:11:26 Hmm, good question.
Speaker 2 00:11:28 Good question. Um, once you cross the borders for both countries is amazing how different things are. The first thing I would say is positive about Canada. People are much more friendly in Canada, right? That's the first thing that you will notice. And then, um, I also think when we bought here, we had to change some of our, uh, way of thinking, you know, not trusting too much because of crimes and things like that. So it's relatively more quiet and, uh, uh, and, and, uh, you can actually trust your neighbors a little bit more. Right. Nice. Yeah. So that's what I would say. I, in the states, of course, the differences that you can get, all the stores you can wear the designer eye test. I don't know if you know, but I'd love to, to look good. It is, uh, is a bit different, but, uh, thanks to internet shopping. I, we, we, we can do it. You make do
Speaker 3 00:12:42 So. Question number two. What is your favorite part of bringing your daughter with you on your worldly adventures?
Speaker 2 00:12:51 Oh my God. Um, the favorite pie pot of having has my daughter on your
Speaker 3 00:13:01 Worldly adventures. I
Speaker 2 00:13:02 Wadley I've been toast, generally speaking. She is full of energy. I think she's has more energy than I do. Uh, she's kind hearted. And, uh, she's also an activist. I think it runs in the family. So, so she's, uh, there's no dull moment with, with her and, uh, she makes life interesting. So I think that's, that's what I would say about how
Speaker 3 00:13:30 Question number three, having been all over the world. What is your favorite restaurant you've dined at?
Speaker 2 00:13:38 Uh, well, well, I'm very careful with what I eat and I don't really do adventures, like try something new so much, so I'm a bit boring. Um, so, uh, I say, uh, I need Tahlia restaurant. Uh, there's a paper place we had back then in Chicago on the not side. Uh, it was good. Other than that, the last, uh, red lobster in, in, in the states, it's a good place, but generally, generally speaking, I do any, uh, seafood.
Speaker 0 00:14:26 Okay. Yes. You can't beat the biscuits. I'd read law.
Speaker 3 00:14:31 Question number four. What is one factor that made you want to run for council?
Speaker 2 00:14:38 Good question. Just like I said, uh, I've always volunteered. I've always given my time and I don't want that to stop. So I want to set, and I think if I go to the console, I'll be head, it'd be more Clara. I'll be able to contribute more. I don't want to sit by the car and complain. I want to be a part of the change that I want to see happen in fuck mark Morrie. I've realized that in my 10 years here I talent is Hubble chain March, right? Um, but we need to change the approach, how we strategize to make those changes happen. So I acknowledge the walk of the current administration and they want the past, or it's time for us to have fresh ideas. Because like I said, the challenges, they're almost the same. We need to retain our population. We need to have resources in the city. We need to make the people who walk so hot, happy to live here. That's one thing to leave here as long, I know that is to leave here happily. That's right. So if we could have more entertainment, we could have more stores, as you already know. I love to shop. So when we walked so hard in this community, but we have to walk hard to even spend the money, right. People have to drive to admitting concrete to even even entertainment. Yes. So I'm looking at all sprinkled resources. So the people that walk so hard
Speaker 3 00:16:18 And your final question, what were some of your first thoughts on Fort MacMurray on your first day here?
Speaker 2 00:16:27 I thought it was going to be boring. I thought it was going to be actually, when we, when I got the job, uh, with next thing, my friends were asking, my kids would love to want to come here. And I told them, it's very easy. Just show them the current paycheck. And they, yeah, They were still very young. So anyways, so I thought it was going to be talented in both. Uh, for me, I'm one of those school can say, yeah, we are not bought in Fort McMurray. We have enough to do. We have friends. We've made lots of friends in the city and I'm connected to organizations. I'm busy, I'm walking. And my children have also been very involved in sports and activities. So I, I almost can't keep up with what to do. Yep. So
Speaker 3 00:17:28 Beautiful. And those have been your five questions
Speaker 0 00:17:30 And you go, well, Tanner, this is a first, you stole one of my questions. You put me out. As soon as you asked that, I say, man, that was my next
Speaker 3 00:17:39 Question. Yeah. It feels, it feels good.
Speaker 0 00:17:43 And they can't see it at home, but my face literally frozen was like, dude, what are you, what are you doing? That's my question. What people don't know about this is when people, uh, myself and Tanner do zero preparation. When people come, like I go out of my way, not to look at people's Facebook pages or do any research so that the guests at home can kind of meet the people for the first time as I do. And same with Tanner, all those questions he just asked, he literally just made them up on the fly. So usually I'm the one stealing his questions, not vice versa. So he got me. So, um, we are running low on time and that's okay. It's 20 minutes. But what I want to know from you before you go is I guess, kind of what's your platform. What do you stand for? What do you think is going to make you different from any other of the candidates who were
Speaker 2 00:18:30 Running?
Speaker 0 00:18:31 Yes. So, oh, this is it. Yeah. This is, this is what the show is all about. So,
Speaker 2 00:18:35 And new, but it's not, we are known the recording now.
Speaker 0 00:18:40 Yeah. So this is what I want to know. What, what, like, I want the people at home to know, like there's, there's some other candidacy dates that they can vote for. So why do you feel that they should vote for you? This is your shameless plug at the end of the show to tell people why you okay. And you can talk as long as you want.
Speaker 2 00:18:57 All right. Uh, again, thanks for tuning in I'm from Cuban Choco. And so for me, why you should be voting for Frankie is, um, I have a clear vision of what I want to seat in this city. It's one thing to have the vision is another to have a clear vision. I want us to take the city to the next level. And, uh, what sums up my plan is attracting people to the city is not enough, but we need to retain the population and how we can do that is to bring resources to the people who work hard. Um, so I will be walking collaboratively with other leaders to ensure that we actually connect, looks like there's a disconnect. Currently connect to the people, um, find out what we need to bring to the city to make people happy. There are a few things that are ready.
Speaker 2 00:20:00 No one out. I start with the critical ones, which is medical in Fort Mac. Marie is good to end the morning, but if one should have a serious challenge with medicals, you, if you need to be seen specialists regularly, you have to be prepared to make trips to admitting or other cities. We need to make that change. And I've heard it from all that telling me all that challenge or that is for the province to under, uh, part of what I'm bringing to the table. Being a supply chain professional is army trench negotiator. We need to negotiate. We need to collaborate. Whether it's coming from the Phaedra or from the province we need to bring, we need to try and meet the needs of the people. So that's, uh, in terms of resources and I talked briefly on, um, entertainment or meeting the needs of junk adults in the community.
Speaker 2 00:21:01 When I started my company, I started from home. I have two young adults, my children, and I asked them what they would really want to see in the city, right? Like, uh, having, um, theater to go to, to have, for instance, gyms, we had a gym. Um, I fit which also I used to be a member. And that closed. That is so dear to my heart YMCAs center, John kids go there to swim and different activities. We meant Zumba classes. I would like to see it for us to lose that for the city has to intentionally try to meet the needs of the people. All of us can go to mark island or gym. We don't have enough. I, I, they, um, um, they Optum. So we need to look at those, um, um, that we think might be soft needs or that they become challenging.
Speaker 2 00:22:03 When you have children, you can take them for swimming and you can have enough activities for them. So that is a, some of these soft ones. I'm also in terms of one of my vision is to be able to, um, attract investors for this city. We need to have stores where people can spend money. After I walk in 10, 12 hours shift, people should be able to do their grocery shopping here. And I've had a Costco, or they tried Costco before eating walk. I don't believe in giving up if Costco wouldn't come here, I bet other stores that can fill the gap. We need to intentionally walk on that. Right? We need to have winners. I don't see any reasons why children, children, young adults and teenagers can shop locally, right? So those are the kind of changes that I want us to walk on.
Speaker 2 00:22:58 And I also believe we need to collaborate across board. Like I said, with the government, with the indigenous communities, we can't afford to ignore it any longer. Some of the hots, some of the things that were done in the past, it was difficult to watch. It was difficult to read about them. So I can imagine those who can relate with them personally, it's time to start the reconsolation Johnny, you stand for the city. So, so just like the, uh, the province does like the federal government to pay attention to the needs of the indigenous community and to see where we can start to, um, to right the wrongs of the past, we can start from Fort McMurray. So we need to look at homelessness in the downtown area, Fort McMurray. And those are the things that I want to bring to the table. I'm ready to, I'm prepared to collaborate.
Speaker 2 00:23:57 We all have great leaders and bring the changes that we need in this city. When people come here, they walk, we need them to leave here. Or militia is key to any economy. Yes. And we need stability for families. We need to support families to be able to happy Lee recite here and weighing up some of my ideas. What are the argument we've had in the past is to talk about the camp. Um, also we, uh, I read in the papers this week or so that even some of our industry, they, they, they, they, they, they all industry, the producers in the region, they don't have enough workforce. They don't have the label. So let's change the narrative come. Yeah. Why don't we have one course we are not retaining the population. So we need to make Fort McMurry a place where children graduates and they want to see stay here. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:25:04 Sorry. No, no. Those are, that's some great platforms that you have. That's a, like you said, a very clear, like you said, a very clear vision and thank you very much for coming on the show. I truly do mean that. Um, please, please, please come back as many times as you want. So, uh, hopefully this is not the last time that we see you on the maximum
Speaker 2 00:25:23 And we'll try and be back before the lecture will be back before the
Speaker 0 00:25:29 Lecture. Perfect.
Speaker 2 00:25:31 But you did not. You didn't ask about my go. You'll find a place to put it down.
Speaker 0 00:25:41 So you talk about your car. You can talk about it before we go, or you can come back and talk about them again. It's up to you, whatever you would like to do, give your kids a shout out, say you love your kids.
Speaker 2 00:25:53 Okay. It's shout out to my lovely, okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I have, uh, uh, I'm very passionate about my children and, uh, uh, uh, like any more than proud of them. Like my daughter is a, uh, an activist. Uh, she does finish a law degree. I'm super proud of her. My son also, um, is a division one football player at Princeton Ivy league in United States. Why I'm bringing this up is because they were raised in Fort McMurray. Okay. Both of them were raised in Fort McMurray, the school here at holy Trinity. So Fort McMurray is very dear to me. And yes, we can bring this city up to the level where we Diane's can be raised here. I love it. I love it. And my parting shot is the time is now not later, the future is now. Yeah. And our diversity is a strength. There we go. To get that stronger. There you go. I love
Speaker 0 00:27:08 It. I love
Speaker 2 00:27:09 It. Funky fun. Choker
Speaker 0 00:27:14 Murray with Buffalo and the rest of the world. Thank you for tuning in today. I truly do appreciate it. Hopefully you enjoyed the episode. I know I did. Um, and on that note, I hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace. If I like, if I was to talk to Tanner like this, it's not going to pick me up very well. So you don't have to, you don't have to be close. Right. Just talk in the direction of the Michael. All right.
