Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Good morning, Fort McMurray, 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'll start this show off on the same note we always do with a moment of gratitude. Thank you so much for tuning in. 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 on that note, Tanner hidden with you.
Speaker 1 00:00:22 Oh, she caught me, loves near listen to the next city morning show.
Speaker 0 00:00:32 All right. And we're back. Okay. We have a fun guest today. Uh, he's running for council. Um, we've bumped into each other once or twice before, but we've never actually had a long conversation. So I'm excited to chat with him today, as you guys know, I do not introduce my guests because they can do a better job at that than I can. So on that note, sir, can you tell everybody who you are and what you're all about?
Speaker 3 00:00:52 Good morning, Fort McMurray. Yeah. Thank you for inviting me here. My name is Joseph <inaudible>. I'm writing for cancer. Uh, I've lived in this city for the past 12 years. Okay,
Speaker 0 00:01:06 Nice. So running for council. So you are definitely an individual who's active in our community for a while. So give us a little bit of background about yourself. Cause honestly, I, I know nothing about you, my man. So, uh, you came to Fort McMurray at 12 years ago. What brought you to this community?
Speaker 3 00:01:23 Uh, I like traveling so I'm, <inaudible> traveled a lot. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe. Okay. And then the, after my graduation and working a little bit in Zimbabwe, I moved to China. Oh wow. And I was working, there is a, is a teacher there teaching English. Then I moved to us in Dallas, Texas, then from there I moved to Canada. So it's a long, long, yeah. And in Canada it fits, I said, oh, dinner in Calgary. Or as working as an assistant manager there. Okay. Then the, I got an opportunity to work here in Fort McMurray and the, uh, took the position to work as a manager here in what field I work for, be clean. Okay. And this one site is ugly and be clean is, um, almost on every site. And do we take care of most of the sites here in Buffalo? So I'm the area manager. Okay,
Speaker 0 00:02:26 Cool. Cool. So that's what brought you to Fort McMurray
Speaker 3 00:02:29 Or? Yes.
Speaker 0 00:02:31 When you were traveling, you said you were a teacher. Is that what you studied in school education?
Speaker 3 00:02:35 That's true. I did the education and also I have a master's in business administration and I majored in leadership and sustainability. So that's why I thought with my leadership skills, which I learned at school and also working as a leader in my work, in my daily work And also living in this place for a long time. I decided to just take a back seat and take one step further and started to take action or to take part in what is happening around me. And I ran for council. Nice.
Speaker 0 00:03:17 So have you had any involvement in council, um, prior to this?
Speaker 3 00:03:22 No, I was just a, I'm just somebody who goes and listens to what is happening and sees what's happening every day. And I've taken part in different programs when they are, and just as a listener or watcher and not exactly being part of them. Right,
Speaker 0 00:03:42 Right. Hey, just being a fly on the wall is good. You can collect your information and kind of sit and wait and make an objective decision after that. Right. Yeah. Okay. Very cool. So what is it that actually prompted you after 12 years? Because as you've said, you've like, you've been listening, you've been taking part what's different now in the last 12 years, what's pushed to the point that you, you feel this is the time to be on.
Speaker 3 00:04:05 Okay. A number of four reasons why I have seen, like when I watch these programs on cancel, I see this more, which can be done, which is not being done. Right. And also if somebody who lives here, there are some things I need to see being changed. Okay. And some of these things, like, for example, I see that, uh, we don't have a lot of recreational facilities for our kids. Okay. So that needs to be also looked into them. I see that we rely too much on oil. Right. But I'm looking at diversifying the economy and say without oil, what else can we do? For example, I see we have a lot of timber around here. Why don't we think of having companies or like a care come and study manufacturing factory here, something like that. And I see, for example, always very expensive here. Why don't we bring like, uh, instead of for having a refinery, which might be very expensive. Right. We might look at seeing other ways of making it cheaper for the people who live here. That's
Speaker 0 00:05:26 Right. Yeah. Oil is, gasoline is not cheap
Speaker 3 00:05:29 Here. Oh yeah. Guess it's expensive here. And I'm looking at seeing what can we do to make it a little bit cheaper for the people who live here because we might oil here.
Speaker 0 00:05:39 Yeah, that's right. That's right. So with the 12 years that you've lived here in the community, what have you been up to? Like you, you work obviously, um, managing, uh, your organization, what else keeps you busy from day-to-day?
Speaker 3 00:05:53 I took part in a number of four, eh, community groups here. Okay. I take part in the black history. I take part in the Fort Mac Murray, the African Fort Mac Marine community. And also am the president of this Barbara community also here. Yeah. There's Zimbabwean communities and the president also here. Okay. So, and also I took part in many different social organizations here. Right. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:06:24 Are there a lot of people from Zimbabwe, Fort McMurray? Yeah. That's awesome. Um, I know when I grew up here, although Fort McMurray has always been diverse. Um, we've always had people from around the world come in and live in this community. Just like my parents moved from south America. Um, here, um, the numbers definitely weren't there. Um, and it's definitely a different, uh, uh, different, different visual that you see when you see Fort McMurray now in regards to, uh, the colors and the, the different races and different people that are in Fort McMurray. Although growing up here, you did have a friend with parents from the same place. Didn't you? I did. Jason Phillips. Yeah. Your business partner. Yes. So Jason, big shout out to Jason who will not watch his show, but yeah, it was great to see the diversity of the community now. So there's a lot of people from Zimbabwe, huh?
Speaker 3 00:07:09 Yeah. So that's the diversity of the diversity we have here. So it also need to be shown in our cancel, correct? Because that will show who we are here in Fort McMurray.
Speaker 0 00:07:23 Yeah. Def definitely. There's been an, uh, a number of different people who are running for council this year and on the show over the last few days and weeks. And diversity is something that is definitely being shown, um, with the people who are interested in kind of getting involved in politics. Yeah. So with these other candidates, have you had a chance to kind of communicate with anybody else who's running and you feel they're, they are,
Speaker 3 00:07:48 I've talked to most of the male candidates. Both of them, the three of them are running right now. Right. I've met them and discussed different issues with them. I've also discussed with a number of counselors who are running in ward one. Right. And yeah, we have a chat because if you see on my platform, um, Mike, I'm campaigning on the notion that together we can together. That means as a group, it's not a one man job. It's something which needs all of us to put our heads together and move this city forward. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:08:24 Awesome. Now you mentioned you you're a fan of traveling. Yes. Obviously for the last 12 years, you've decided to stay put. Yeah. So what is it about this community that makes you want to stay here?
Speaker 3 00:08:37 Okay. When I came here at first, I hit the plan to live here for about three years. And then after three years you say, oh, let me add one more year. Right. And one more year has been after one more year after the other. So now we are taking off 12 years. So after 12 years, definitely it becomes my home.
Speaker 0 00:09:01 Right, right. Yeah. So you've built a community around yourself here. Yeah. So in all the places that you traveled though, like living in Dallas, living in China, living in Zimbabwe and all the other travels that you've done throughout the years, what is it about Fort McMurray that you find special?
Speaker 3 00:09:18 The deficit of the people, the friendliest of the people and the unique, the uniqueness we have here. Yeah. Mix it outside. The outstanding, compared to the other places I've lived. That's awesome,
Speaker 0 00:09:32 Man. 12 years in.
Speaker 3 00:09:34 Yeah. So after 12 years I have friends here and my family here and all this. Right. So yeah.
Speaker 0 00:09:42 There you go. Well around the corners winter. Oh, how do you deal with winter?
Speaker 3 00:09:45 My goodness. The first time it was, I don't know the worst thing to happen to me. And the first time I came here, we had something like minus 50. I couldn't start my vehicle. So I couldn't go to work. I just stayed, put at your house. And later on, you get used to it. And now after 12 years, I'm used to it. Now
Speaker 4 00:10:09 What's your secret? I've been here for 22 and I'm not,
Speaker 3 00:10:12 Well, it fits like my fifth year was the Western because it was minus 50 that year. And I couldn't drive out some of the days. I couldn't go to work because of the weather, but the way that, and later on, it becomes a better and better. It's not every year we have this minus 50 with us
Speaker 4 00:10:32 Baptism by freezing.
Speaker 0 00:10:35 I know my dad, like he's been here in Fort McMurray since the mid seventies. That's a long
Speaker 3 00:10:42 Time. Long time.
Speaker 0 00:10:43 He still is not used to the winter. He still does not enjoy it whatsoever. Yeah. All right, my man. Well, we're at the part of the show. Uh, this is Tanner segment. It's called the Mac city minute. Counters is going to ask you a few questions. I don't know what he's going to ask. So I wish you nothing, but the best of luck tan hit him with the max minute are 80 questions. Number
Speaker 4 00:11:02 One, what is one thing about Fort McMurray that made you want to run for council?
Speaker 3 00:11:08 And when I looked at the last cancel, I see that there was this joint movement. In some of the council meetings, there was no unity and togetherness. When these people were debating, I think you can bet somebody, eh, without attacking each other. And I saw that with my leadership qualities. I can comment, make a change to some of these debates and some of the things going on in cancel. So if you are always paddling and arguing, you can't make progress. We need to progress. We need to forward. We need to move this city forward. So that's why I'm thinking. It's time for change. It's time to bring new people with new ideas, you blood, and to move the city forward together. We can help each other. See before today,
Speaker 4 00:12:09 Question number two. Uh, you've lived all around the world. What is one of your favorite foreign dishes you've ate?
Speaker 3 00:12:17 Oh, that's hotspot. And that's a Chinese hotpot. Oh, that one. I like it. Every time I move around. If I go to Edmonton, I guess Google to see where I can get Chinese hotspot and I love that dish. Okay. Awesome. I hope next time you see a Chinese restaurant asked for Chinese hotspot
Speaker 4 00:12:42 Question number three. What is it like to have so many people from your home country in the city you now live in,
Speaker 3 00:12:50 It makes the city a home and it makes the life easier for my kids to have friends who can have the same culture with them. And although we have to adapt to the Canadian culture, it won't be a big shock to them when they have so many people from the same place together.
Speaker 4 00:13:14 Right. Question number three. What is your favorite part of putting yourself out in such a big community?
Speaker 3 00:13:24 Uh, I think if somebody has, we has been in leadership for a long time, it's better. I take part than just being a bystander or somebody to watch from the terraces. I think if I take part, I can help one or two things and help move the city forward. We need people with new ideas. We need people who have leadership qualities to take these positions and make this city great.
Speaker 4 00:13:57 And your final question, how does Fort McMurry remind you of all of the places you've lived?
Speaker 3 00:14:04 Fort McQuarry is a unique place. Fort McMurray is different from all these cities. It's a smaller city compared to all the cities I've lived in, but the togetherness we have here, the kindness we have from the people around and the resilience I have seen when the people had these phenomenal is like floods and wildfire. Oh, makes it a unique place for me. And I love this place and I want to see it move forward.
Speaker 4 00:14:40 And there was a venue, five questions. Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:14:44 So let's talk about D cause you're you lit up when you're talking about that, that dish that you love so much, what's
Speaker 3 00:14:49 In it. Well, the Chinese hotpot. Okay. It's uh, you'll be like cooking your own food whilst eating it. So there'll be all kinds of food put on the table and do be, and there a small plant and a small fire onto, uh, in front of you. Okay. And just like a hot plate. And then they'll put soup into it. You choose your own kind of soup and you'll be taking different kind of dishes and putting them into that spot. And it will be cooked once you are eating there. So you need more time to eat when you are eating this kind of, it's not like you just walk in and you eat like what you do at McDonald's. You should have time to, when you want to have this kind of dish, that's called Chinese hotpot. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:15:38 I gotta check this out. I've never heard of it before. I love eating. Definitely going to check this out. And there's places in Edmonton and Calgary, like in Auburn,
Speaker 3 00:15:48 I've visited a number of places in Edmonton and Calgary. Yes.
Speaker 0 00:15:53 I'll have to get you to jot some of these down for me. So, uh, you mentioned you have some, you have some children. How many kids?
Speaker 3 00:16:00 Yes. I have three boys and the two of them already graduated from holy Trinity. And they're taking trades on site doing apprenticeship. And I have the young boy is about seven years and he's doing primary. It's awesome, mother. Nice.
Speaker 0 00:16:15 That's awesome. Keeping busy.
Speaker 3 00:16:18 Oh yes.
Speaker 0 00:16:20 How did you find, uh, having all three of them home during the lockdowns and pandemic last year?
Speaker 3 00:16:26 Uh, it was the two boys are grown up and they had their own, it was hard to keep them indoors because one of them is very active in basketball. So it was very hard to keep him inside the house. So he went into the garage and she, she makes changes in our garage and make it a, a playing place for him. He plays some hoops in the, doing a lot of gym and all kinds of stuff. The other one likes computer stuff is always on his computer stuff. Yeah. He was easy. Yeah. And the young boy is always on my lap, probably me.
Speaker 0 00:17:04 That's awesome. So it was a full house of activity. No doubt. That's
Speaker 3 00:17:08 Awesome.
Speaker 0 00:17:09 All right, my man. Well, we're at the end of the show now, 20 minutes flies. That being said at the end of the show, you have the microphone. Did you ashame the shout out or a plug? So the microphone is yours. You can talk about or promote whatever you want to
Speaker 3 00:17:22 You're up. Thank you. Uh, as I said, I'm running for council. We're doin, I hope Fort McMurray. You can forward me in so that I can put my own knowledge, which I have learned through the traveling around the world. My knowledge I have gathered whilst I living here in Fort McMurray for the past 12 years and help make this city move forward again. I hope you will vote me as one of the six candidates who are running for council, who are supposed to be in the council from one, although we are many of us, can you make me one of the six candidates? Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:18:03 There we go. Awesome. I love it. Okay. Fort McMurray, wood Buffalo. That's another episode of the Mac city morning show. Once again. Thank you for tuning in. I really do appreciate it. And on that note, I hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
