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 we're going to start it off the same way we start every show off with the moan of the gratitude. I can't tell you how happy I am that you tune in. I'm so grateful. It's heartwarming. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you are choosing to spend it with us really does mean the world to me. So on that note, Tanner hit them with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:29 Oh, she caught me, loves near listen to the next any morning show.
Speaker 0 00:00:38 All right, now we've got a fun one today. I love this guest already because, uh, she brought me a gift, a nice new sweater. I'm going to let her explain the sweater to you, but anybody who brings me a gift obviously is top-notch in my books. So as you know at home already, I do not introduce my guests. I let them do it themselves because they can do a better job. So on that note, can you please introduce yourself? Who are you what's your about? And then we can get going.
Speaker 2 00:01:04 Oh, sure. So I'm Andrea Hayley and, um, I'm a proud team member of the Fort McMurray with Buffalo economic development and tourism team.
Speaker 0 00:01:14 Okay. Very cool. So that's what this shirt represents them. So really cool. Um, we had a chat a few weeks ago, which was really awesome. And it was a good one because you guys, it was a team. You and, uh, Jordan, you guys told me all about Fort MacMurray, wood, Buffalo, which I think is crucial because as a local growing up here, um, I didn't know that in regards to, I never really understood the wood Buffalo component until literally I spoke with you last week, which is embarrassing for me, but that is the honest truth before I was just like, I know I have to say it, but I don't know why. So you guys are crushing it on explaining it to a, a local who never got it. And now I do so good job.
Speaker 2 00:01:58 Thank you so much. Yeah, you're
Speaker 0 00:02:00 Welcome. So let's talk about, uh, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, economic development, and tourism. So what is your goal? What are you guys trying to achieve?
Speaker 2 00:02:09 Um, well, one of the primary reasons our organization was formed is actually to change our image and reputation. So the rest of the world does not know who we are. Um, our reputation has a lot of the time been, um, developed by outsiders, people that come here and leave or media and, um, and they don't actually really know us. And so, um, our goal is to change that reputation. And that's how we began on this whole journey of creating a community, a place brand for our region to really share with the world who we are, are an authentic self identity for our players.
Speaker 0 00:02:49 Yeah. What I love about what you guys have started to do is you really did involve local community members because when you went through, when I went through that PowerPoint with you on and raised, I'm like, Holy crap. Like I resignate with this in regards to sometimes I feel like, uh, people have tried to make Fort MacMurray something that it's not like you guys have put together something like as a locally, like yeah, you nailed it. This is good. So you involved a lot of people. How did that process work?
Speaker 2 00:03:19 Firstly, that's just so amazing to hear that it resonates with you like that. Every single time I hear it, I just, I, it just makes me feel so good because this is the communities it's not ours and an army and role was actually to listen, um, and to be able to put it together. And it actually took a lot of listening and a lot of refining and listening and refining. Right. Um, and the nuance so that you know, that it gets right. Um, I forgot the rest of your question.
Speaker 0 00:03:50 That's okay. That was it. You answered it, you nailed it. So now myself and Tanner were born and raised here. We're local, we're as local as they come, but I have to assume you've come from somewhere else. So where are you from and how long have you been here?
Speaker 2 00:04:03 Okay. Well, I was actually born in the peg
Speaker 0 00:04:06 And Winnipeg. Okay. I love it. Okay. Go on
Speaker 2 00:04:10 14 brothers and sisters. Yeah. And they all just around that area. And so we were, I was born in the peg, but when my, we moved to Edmonton, as soon as my brother was born. Yeah. And so, and he's three years younger. So I basically was an Edmontonian before that I knew here, but, um,
Speaker 0 00:04:30 I was just going to ask you tons of stuff about Winnipeg. Okay. Go on though. Kate, go on with them until let's hear it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:04:35 Um, I moved, uh, my husband actually moved here about three years before me. And then once we got married, I moved here. So, um, and then we've just, we've built our life here. Nice.
Speaker 0 00:04:48 So how long have you been in the community for?
Speaker 2 00:04:51 I can't remember what year it is. It's either. I think it's 2012.
Speaker 0 00:04:54 Oh, wow. Yeah. So a very long time. That's great. And you're a very, very proud mom. Yeah. We were talking about our children prior to, and you're like, yeah, I don't mind talking about my kids. So boys, girls, what do you got? I have a five-year-old girl. Okay. Yes. Okay. We have, uh, our children are close in age. I have a six year old boy. His name is Keegan. Yeah. He's uh, he's the best.
Speaker 2 00:05:19 It's amazing that you get to like breed little, best friends. Like literally you get to like, make your own little best friend. And my daughter's name is Madison and she's turning six soon, but what,
Speaker 0 00:05:31 Uh, what school does Madison go to? Okay. I was going to say, this is getting really creepy if, uh, he goes to St. Paul's the French school, French emergent school. And he has a little friend named Madison that he talks about all the time. I'm like, what would the odds be? That our kids
Speaker 2 00:05:49 I've been here? I would believe that that would happen. It'd be like, Oh yeah, they're in the same class. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:05:53 That's right. Okay. So, uh, what I'm she's on YouTube kids. YouTube potentially. Yes. W do you know her favorite show on kids, YouTube? Something that you're just like shaking your head. Like I don't get it. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:06:05 That's why I was like, I do I respond to this question?
Speaker 0 00:06:07 Yeah. Shake your head. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:06:09 There's this like, kind of, kind of Barbie. I call it a Barbie show, but it's like, like, I think teenagers are acting out Barbies and these like skits and she's just all over it. And then she like, wants to go play with her Barbies and like do all these skits and create these stories. And the only reason why I like it is because then it's like, right now we've been in school. They're learning how to create a story. Right. Megan is antagonists all this. And so, you know, like you, she plays out stories, but yeah, that show it's weird. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:06:42 Cause uh, yeah, my kid watches the same kind of show in regards to it's adults playing with toys and they're like reenacting the cartoon. And I'm just like, Keegan, you could just watch the cartoon of this. Instead of watching, like these people play with the toys. He's like, yeah, the cartoon is not as cool as this. This is, this is where it's at. Dad.
Speaker 2 00:07:04 I like that cooler. I don't get, I love that. They're both into the same kind of like, it's weird. They want to watch other people acting it out. It's crazy
Speaker 3 00:07:15 Cooler because then they get to see that they can do it too. Like a cartoon is unachievable. They see it, but it's not anything they can do. But when they see somebody playing with it, they can go play with it in the exact same way.
Speaker 0 00:07:27 Tanner's deep waters, deep while wise, beyond his years. Nice. It's actually that I'm secretly a child. Yeah, that's right. He is extremely young. So there's that? Um, yeah, that, and he also likes to show called Ryan's world. I don't know if you've seen what grinds world. Haven't Oh man. It's just this Ryan's kid toys review. It's just a kid who like he and his family and they just get new toys, like every episode and he opens them and he plays with them and it's just like one big commercial, but Keegan loves it. And I researched this Ryan kid. And last year, this kid like banked over 20 mil. No, he's just a kid with a family, opening toys and playing with toys. That's all, he's doing 20 mil crazy. Wow. Crazy. Yeah. I don't get it now. Here's my other kid question for you. Okay. Does your child only want to watch the iPad or will they watch the television too?
Speaker 2 00:08:27 Interesting question. Yeah. Um, primarily iPad, but movie nights, family movie nights of course are BD and stuff like that. But there's something about just like, cause like she'll want to watch on the stairs. Like I can have her like set up in like a, like a cute tent and all this. And then it's like, like 15 minutes later, she's like on the stairs watching it, like, you know, we have a landing in the middle of the stairs and you know, cause they want to watch in the most unique places with the iPad.
Speaker 0 00:08:57 All iPad, like yes. During family movie night. Yeah. Like we watched descendants three last night. I don't know if you've seen that on Disney plus. It's pretty good. I'm not gonna lie. Uh, descendants one and two were great to stand three. Pretty awesome. But uh, yeah, family movie night, for sure. We're watching it on a big screen, but I could tell him like, Hey, just go watch the television. She's like, no, I'll watch it on my iPad. I'm like, so it looks uncomfortable. How you're sitting, like go sit on the couch where it's comfortable. It looks uncomfortable. So
Speaker 2 00:09:27 Okay. Have to recommend he had a family movie night last weekend and we rented the Wolf, the Wolf. I think it's called well, if you, if you look it up and uh, maybe it's not forget, I just know what's called Wolf might be something Wolf, but um, it's about this like werewolf that like is actually a poodle. And then like when he like is supposed to do his big change, right. Boy changes into a wearable, which is into a poodle. And then he goes like explorers and finds himself through this whole movie. And at the end he finds his confidence that he's aware poodle. And he was fine with non actually, because they thought that maybe like he would change into a Wolf. If he proved himself that he was so comfortable in his own skin, it was like, my daughter's like favorite movie. She never watches them multiple times right after. And she goes to three times and she was just like, I think there's something about when like you're just comfortable in your own. There was anyways, I highly recommend,
Speaker 4 00:10:22 Okay. The movie is called 100% Wolf. Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:10:26 A hundred percent Wolf. And is that on Netflix or Disney plus? Where are you watching this?
Speaker 4 00:10:31 It, it says it's available on Netflix, but I don't know where else.
Speaker 0 00:10:35 Okay. I will look it up. My kid loves animals. Oh, loves
Speaker 2 00:10:40 Animals. I thought this was a good movie.
Speaker 0 00:10:42 Okay. I'll watch it. He loves anything with animals in it. I'm not a huge animal person. Sorry. I'm just, I didn't grow up with animals. I know. Like I'm okay with it. Like if you have a dog, okay. I'll I'll play with your dog and stuff. Cats kind of creep me out a little bit, but I know
Speaker 4 00:11:03 Your animals are allowed to come on the show by the way, bring your animals. I love dogs.
Speaker 0 00:11:07 I don't want them in my house. And my poor kid loves animals. And his favorite animal on the planet are cats. And when you ask them like, Hey, what do you want to do when you grow up? He'll say, I want to be a cat doctor and own a cat hotel. And I'm just like, Oh, you mean you want to be a veterinary? And he's like, no, no, just cats. And then I'm just like, you're never going to have one in his house. And he's like, I know, don't worry. When I move out, I'll get like a hundred. It's all cool, dad. I get it. So he goes to read before COVID he would go to the SPCA and he would like read to the cats there and play and stuff. And I'm like, that's great. Keep them there.
Speaker 2 00:11:45 Yeah. You fall, you volunteer all you want. I can't believe how much we have in common. So my husband's allergic. And um, my daughter, like out of nowhere, like I like animals. Don't desire to own one, but like, I like them, like, you know, like they're around and stuff, but not, you know? Um, and my daughter had is, has, has like an animal heart. Like literally I call it an animal heart because like, she'll go to her best friend's house who has two dogs. And like, you know what I mean? Like she's just in there with the dogs. Like she wants to be under the table with the dog. She went like, she's just like, she just loves animals. And so I'm almost being persuaded to get her one. My husband's allergic and I don't even want one. She just has such an animal heart.
Speaker 0 00:12:37 That's hilarious. I'm the same way where like almost got him a dog. And I'm just like, and luckily I keep saying like, cause I want to meet them halfway. I'm like, you're never going to get, you're never having a cat, but like, Hey, do you want a dog? He's like, no. I'm like, would you like dogs? He's just like, yeah, but I want a cat. And I'm like, well, Keegan, it's not gonna happen. You gotta meet me halfway. I don't even want the dog. Like, I'm doing something for you here, kid. And he's just like, I appreciate it. That Evan. No, I'm good. It's like, okay. But if you would've asked me prior to a kid, if I would've ever contemplated having an animal in my house, the answer would've been like, are you out of your mind? No. And yeah, you get a kid and all of a sudden you're like, Oh
Speaker 2 00:13:19 Yeah, cause it's important to them. And if they have like, it sounds like he has a cat heart. So it's like, he's never gotten one though.
Speaker 0 00:13:26 Never. Uh, he had a cat jump on his lap, like literally in our driveway and putting them in his car seat. All of a sudden the cat just like jumps into his lap. And I shriek like a girl, just like, just like it scared me. I jumped back and he's just like, Oh kitty. I'm like, no, get the weird cat out of the chair. We got to go. And he was like, okay. And he's like, well dad just pick up the cat and like move it. I'm like, I'm not touching that cat. It's a straight. No. And then he's like, Oh dad. And then he takes it out and rolls. I'm like, yeah, you're not getting a CAD kid. Love that you screamed. Like, yeah,
Speaker 2 00:14:00 That sounds like my household, but was spiders. Oh, like that for spiders. Oh, I, they just reek me out. And my like, my husband has this, like put them back into the wild philosophy, but if he's not home and there's a spider crisis, right. I use the word crisis very strongly. And there's a spider crisis. Once there was one on the ceiling and I was like, you can't just let that, like, it's not like I can put a glass over it or something. So I had to use the vacuum and that made my daughter crack. Cause she's like, we should release it into the wild.
Speaker 0 00:14:36 Can't do it today. I think with spiders is, um, my parents are from South America, Guyana. And so, yeah. So we used to go back as kids to, to visit family and we'd go into the Amazon jungle and uh, just camp. But it was like in a house and stuff. Right. But I remember one day going into the kitchen and then getting a cup, like a mug and picking it up and having a transla crawl out on my arm and being that made me scream like a girl. Um, and so I ran out of the house and everybody laughed at me because they're like, Oh, that's Rancho is not poisonous. You get to go. I'm like, I don't care poisonous or not poisonous I'm out. So when you deal with a spider of that size as a youth spiders in Canada, they don't bother me once. It's not a trench. Like we're all good. So on that note though, we have come to the part of the show where Tanner has his segment, it's called the Mac city minute. He's going to ask you five questions, do your best to answer them. I don't know what he's going to ask. Tanner hit him with
Speaker 5 00:15:43 Number one for you today. What is one tourist attraction you've helped create that people might not know for? McMurry has?
Speaker 2 00:15:52 Ooh, that's a great one. Um, I have to say, and it was played out in the big backyard, camping and um, the summer version, uh, right now we have the winter went out is the sand dunes. Not everyone knows they're here. They're such a heading jam. Um, and so that'll just be further developed out, but it's just amazing because you can take a plane there and they're developing an experience around it. And I'll admit that I have not been yet and I cannot wait to go. Like I'm dying to go. Whatever family always comes to visit us here because they just love it. And like, we'll take them on a jet boat or, um, you know, just all like, or we'll take them to Vista Ridge, like the aerial park and all these places. But I cannot wait,
Speaker 5 00:16:36 Question number two. What is your favorite development? You've taken part in
Speaker 0 00:16:42 Development. What do you mean by development?
Speaker 5 00:16:44 Well, tourist attraction. Oh, okay. But like development, like you do tourism and development. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:16:51 Economic development. Cool. Fair enough. Look at this guy. Look at this guy with his questions. All right. Okay. You stumped me on that. I was like, I don't understand what you're saying anyways. You probably got them. You're much smarter than me, so yeah.
Speaker 2 00:17:01 Oh. Um, so I would say two, um, one is old school and, uh, the people that remember will laugh at me about it. But, um, when we were forming, uh, the wood Buffalo regional innovation network, um, yeah, that was, it's a long time. Like it's still around right now. And, um, it's wonderful. But, uh, I was part of forming that with the other, um, uh, community leaders that were at the table and it was just, it was really special time in my career and I loved it. The everyone that was at the table was just so incredibly, um, collaborative and just, uh, yeah, so that was one of my favorites. Um, and then the second I would say is this, um, is this place brand? It is just, I love hearing from people what makes this place home for them. And I just, and it's been incredible to get to, to work on this. I feel incredibly blessed that I'm in my role getting to do this. So I met that one
Speaker 5 00:18:02 Question. Number three. What has working with so many generations of locals changed how you see for McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:18:18 Um, I, I guess I'll interpret the question, um, in a sense of having ch like, um, having my daughter here. So I think a community really changes for you too, uh, personally, um, when you raise your kids here. So that's when generational difference. Um, this is, this is my home and my daughter loves it here. And yeah. So I would say it's just, it's really home. And you have the next generation
Speaker 5 00:18:50 Question number four. What is your favorite part of raising your daughter in Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:18:57 There's actually so much trying to decide which thing to say. Um, I would say the quality of our life. So we get, um, our family time together is incredible. Um, I used to always, I'll be honest brag that how, like, um, just before where I worked, um, the building and the daycare in our home, there was literally a five minute radius. Um, so I was just like, Oh my gosh. But even if it's, you know, even if some of the commute changes a little bit, there's nothing that's really that far away. If you work, um, within the urban service area with informing, where are you? So, um, I would just say our quality of life and the people that you meet here. Like, she, she loves her life. Like, you know, she's just like, I love Fort McMurray and, you know, it's everything from like our amazing neighbors to the best friends that we've made here. That, yeah. So
Speaker 5 00:19:53 There you go. And question number five. What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday informing Marie?
Speaker 2 00:20:00 Oh, wow. That is very easy.
Speaker 6 00:20:03 Okay. Let's hear this.
Speaker 2 00:20:04 Um, it is a hot summer day on our deck. Um, I have a big, you know, one of those inflatable water slides out and have a ton of kids over in the backyard. We do have, we're very lucky we have, um, for the whole was we have like a watt, a hot water tap. So like, you doesn't matter, even if it's a chili or if it's, you know, as soon as the, uh, the grass is green, that water slides out all summer. And then to top it off or perfect Sunday afternoon, my husband makes freshly squeezed margaritas. And that is my Sunday.
Speaker 5 00:20:40 Those have been your five questions. That is a great Sunday. I, uh, grew up in a house. I call it. It's a thing
Speaker 0 00:20:48 That you have in regards to the hot water tap outside. But I grew up with a two. And so when we used to have water fights or we film filled up the plastic pool, warm water, instead of the cold outside, tap water game-changer game-changer. And my friends used to like, our house was the spot for like water fights or something. Cool. Cause like the water was just beautiful. And I think it drove my dad nuts though, because our water bill in the summer was so high and it's like, whew, sorry, old man in this awesome, like warm water tap that's what's going to happen. So your daughter, I am 38 now and I still talk about it. And I have fond memories about warm water coming from a tap. I guarantee your daughter in the future will be like, Oh, I remember when I was a kid, we used to have warm water. Cause not everybody has that.
Speaker 2 00:21:42 No. And we only got to do it because our basement's not developed yet. So then it was just really easy, really super easy to do it because we have hot water on demand so that we don't have a tank. So yeah, it was easy and actually like very like cost-effective to do, but game,
Speaker 0 00:22:00 Game changer. So yeah. Get ready for high water bills in the summer and your daughter bragging in her old years about the hot water. So now on that note, those it 20 minutes, it's short and sweet. I know people get nervous when they come and like, what are we going to talk about? I'm like, trust me, it's going to fly. So the reason it's designed like this though is because you're so interesting. I want you to come back again and again, so 20 minutes, like you have so much more to talk about, so please do come back again and again, anytime you want to promote anything or just come and chat and some towners baked goods, you know where we're at now, tatters. Awesome. Tanner is awesome. But before you leave, I do want you to do one more shout out for Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, economic development, tourism. Please tell them what you guys are about, what you're trying to achieve about the place black brand. This is your shameless plug.
Speaker 2 00:22:53 Ooh, shameless plug. Okay. Um, I would just like to encourage people, um, to go to www dot wi, which is w E R a R E a F M WB, which stands for Fort McMurray with Buffalo. So we are FMW b.ca. Um, and really just go and check out the place Brown. It is. It was developed by the community and it is the communities. Um, and we just hope that you're able to use it, that you resonate with it. And we'd love if people reached out to us, like if you're interested in doing something, you know, today there's, um, um, having a brain blank for a moment, but, um, someone's running 200 kilometers around and there, you know, and on, and they, they have the regional, our new regional icon performing Murray Buffalo. So we also love that people connect
Speaker 0 00:23:46 In with us on it. So, so that's how people get in contact and support and they can start calling it Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo. There you go. Awesome. Well, on that note, we all finished, uh, everybody at home. Thank you so much for tuning in today. Really do appreciate it. I say this every day, but I do truly mean it. It warms my heart that so many people are watching. Um, thank you for spending your busy time with us. It does mean the world to me. So have a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
Speaker 7 00:24:15 <inaudible> talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
