Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac city morning show. I'm your host, Elliot Pierre. And we're going to start the show off the same way we start every episode off with a moment of gratitude. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time, and the fact that you spending with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:20 She caught me loves you're listening to the next anymore.
Speaker 0 00:00:29 All right. We're back. I'm excited about today's guest over the last few weeks. We've had a lot of politicians on last few weeks in the month, to be honest with you, but this is our first candidate running for school board trustee. So I'm really excited to learn a little bit more about that. As everybody knows at home, I don't introduce my guests because they could do a better job at that than myself. So on that note, sir, can you please tell everybody at home who you are and what you're about?
Speaker 3 00:00:52 <inaudible> my name is Tarell Metta and living in Fort McMurray since 2007. And like being a last 14 years in the community, I made a strong roots between the communities, right. And seen community very closely. And this is the postseason I was thinking my daughters are in the public school board and I'm the oil, gas, oil, and gas sector worker business owner. Then I was a volunteer. So I thought let's start with something. And this is the school board trustee came in my mind from that.
Speaker 0 00:01:36 Very cool. Good for you, man. So you're running for trustee of the public
Speaker 3 00:01:40 School board? Yes. Public school.
Speaker 0 00:01:42 Okay. Right on. So 14 years in Fort McMurray? Yes, sir. Where were you before? Four minutes.
Speaker 3 00:01:47 Uh, three and a half years in Toronto. And where? Toronto? Ontario, Toronto. Okay. And before that in India. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:01:56 And so first off, let's talk about what brought you to Canada. So why did you leave India to come to Canada? What was that draw? What was that pole
Speaker 3 00:02:03 Like? Uh, in the 2001, that was an earthquake happened in India. And we are just, uh, it was no plan to come to Canada and just, we were chatting to each other family members and they said, oh, Canada is open up these immigrants and system and let's see how's your education basis. And experience will come up too. Right. We just throw our educators and experts, everything inside and numbers came about 70 and it was required minimum 70 points to come on education and experience business. Why not? And on that time, my brother-in-law was here in Canada. So we were getting family and prance points. So we did it. And, uh, well, like it was not much hardware, but like others there, I did just simple thing and I got the Canadian immigrant isn't.
Speaker 0 00:02:59 Okay. And so when you came up, what did you, uh, what did you do initially when you started?
Speaker 3 00:03:03 Initially? I started, when I came to Toronto, I was working for the Royal group of companies. Ultimate classic. Okay. So it was a door, window, sex and manufacturing, easy. It was a big unit there and I was working on the one of the unit. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:03:21 And so then all of a sudden he heard about Fort McMurray and he decided to move here. How did that transpire?
Speaker 3 00:03:25 Uh, 2007. I did a meantime. I was doing the job plus I did a work for corporate experts as a broker courier, and I was a civil engineering background. So I did AutoCAD in George Brown college. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:03:43 So
Speaker 3 00:03:43 Meanwhile, my brother-in-law move again here. Okay. And he said, oh, this is the requirement. AutoCAD Suncor was looking from contractor. And as a, why don't you apply this job? And I said, okay, let me do it. No doubt. And it was a, they took the interview and I was selected. That's awesome. And then to hear from 2007,
Speaker 0 00:04:05 And so AutoCAT, that's a good program to know, like I've hired lots of engineers prior to doing this. I used to be in human resources. I've hired a lot of people with AutoCAD experience. That's a great course now,
Speaker 3 00:04:16 But I think one of the toughest software can say like AutoCAD is a, one of the intelligent one.
Speaker 0 00:04:22 Great. So how did you get involved in that? Like what about AutoCAT, um, interested you to learn that technology
Speaker 3 00:04:28 Or target like basically civil engineer and uh, in Israeli we want to struggling to get our full job. So AutoCAD was one of them to start something, to bring food, your food into the system. That's right. So that's why I did that course. And it was 3d modeling included into that course. So we did 3d modeling, rendering, and basic 2d drawings as well. And that brings me to the, into the job.
Speaker 0 00:04:59 Yeah. So you moved to Fort Macquarie 14 years ago. What's keeping you in the community, obviously, like you don't mind traveling, you have an adventurous spirit. So like what about Fort McMurray? He said, you know what, I'm going to put roots down here. Like,
Speaker 3 00:05:11 Uh, initially started job with the Suncor. And after three months I got another offer from SDS focus as a Q a technology. So I bought with them, work with them, but I used to do business in entire my, like I, in 91, I passed my engineering three years. I did job after that. I did a construction business in India. Right. So always thinking like something to have my own. So 2009 I got laid off then went one year I went to India, stayed with my dad. Yeah. Then came back, started again as the technologies. Right. And on that time it was geo technologies. I was working after that. Like I said, oh, this is now start something my own. And I worked for one month, uh Teakwood uncle bill Putnam GT is my friend. So I want them, then I said, let's start my own business.
Speaker 3 00:06:11 And meanwhile, I got the spin on that time. It was a problem with, to get the dental space or the commercial. It was hard to get in 2011, 2010. And I got one space in a light now service is that will leak. Okay. So then I started from scratch from there. Okay. And what's the name of your business? Everybody's convenience and food. Okay. So that was I then at seven years. And that time I was with the community, like a daily meeting, new people and every day, like I seen the struggle, like particularly during the fire. Yeah. I was there with the community, like a solar to solar. Yeah. And I still remember that fire day, my only store was open up to the seven in the evening. Right. Like everybody was evacuated. I was at store. And so the community, I feel very proud about that day.
Speaker 3 00:07:12 I was at work. Actually. My plan was, I don't want to leave the town. I don't want to be very good myself. I want to serve the community. Like those who are firefighters and those guys are here. I can offer them call daily coffee and desktop. That's right. That's right. But it was not allowed. So yeah. I had to leave the town. But on that time, and after fire, I seen like lots of struggle between the community. Like daily people are coming, they have some issues and they come to the store, they talk. So I said with them, I laugh, they cry. So sometimes I'm sold or some I'm laughing to each other. That was the thing. There you go.
Speaker 0 00:07:57 So now you said you have two daughters? Yes. What are your daughters up to? Are they still in high school?
Speaker 3 00:08:00 Who are they? The one already passed from the public school system. Okay. And the second one is right now in the school system. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:08:08 That's the public school system. I was just going to ask, what schools did they
Speaker 3 00:08:12 Go to though? Yeah. Public schools,
Speaker 0 00:08:14 But what, what schools?
Speaker 3 00:08:15 Uh, one was Timberly public school. Okay. And the second one was in a Metabase. Oh, okay.
Speaker 0 00:08:22 Yeah. So up in Timberly then. Nice. Okay. And so after graduating, especially like in today's climate with COVID and like schools traveling, like being virtual and whatnot, what is your eldest daughter decided to do?
Speaker 3 00:08:34 Like see, finish with a bachelor of science. With psychology. Okay. And after that, she wants to join, uh, public health, but, uh, our program doesn't match with the professor. So he's joined a ultrasound and she's going to finish in, uh, like December.
Speaker 0 00:08:52 Okay. And your youngest daughter, what grade is she
Speaker 3 00:08:54 In? So grade
Speaker 0 00:08:55 10. Okay. Yeah. Nice. So like, they've been through like the full system they're in high school now. So, so you've definitely seen what the school board looks like from kindergarten or IEP or whatever you call it nowadays too. Like the end of it. Okay. Phenomenal. So you definitely know kind of what you're getting into.
Speaker 3 00:09:13 Yeah. And the thing is, uh, the eldest one gone through was little bit simple thing. Now the youngest one sees in the file flawed. Right then COVID that's right. So right now the situation after COVID situation is totally changed. The demand chain, their mental condition is totally changed. Like right now school needs more mental support. Teachers need more simple support. Right. Right. And they dissolve, we owe to our teachers basically like they are working very hard and they are doing their best. Yeah. Teachers and students are doing their great, but like they're struggling. Like now sometimes online sometimes of the school. That's right. So they are gone through very rough time. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:10:05 Yeah. No doubt. All right. My man. Well, we're at the part of the show called the Mac city minute. Tanner's going to ask you some questions. I don't know what he's going to ask you. So I wish you nothing, but the best luck Tanner hit him with the max 30 minute.
Speaker 4 00:10:16 Uh, Alrighty. Question. Number one. What is one thing that makes you want to be a part of the local school board?
Speaker 3 00:10:27 Yeah, basically my part of the species, like I'm here lost my roots, strong Lucy within the community. Then a big experience business owner allowed me to handle many difficulties, use less I'm strongly positive thinker. So all the times there is a issue or something we have to solve. And our solid sun is all trying to be so positive. And main thing is I would like to stand for our teachers, our students, and our parents for the welfare of the students, parents and the teachers. That is the main goal of this running for the trustee.
Speaker 4 00:11:21 Question. Number two. What is one thing from your first day in Canada that you were not expecting?
Speaker 0 00:11:31 That's a good one. So when you first moved to Canada, what, what surprised you?
Speaker 3 00:11:35 Uh, surprised? Like when we came here, it was, we, when we thought, like it was an imaginary world, like we were dreaming all Canada is these like entire foreign is totally different for us. And when we came, we started those labor jobs. Yeah. That was like never expected that any Sally, those labor and hard work, because where we are coming from, we used to be a boss. And then suddenly you are starting for working somewhere with under, and that totally labor that's right. Like a, sometimes sipping, deceiving sometimes in manufacturing. So it was a hard one. And that was like, like kind of nightmare in Israeli. No doubt.
Speaker 4 00:12:24 Question number three. What is one thing about raising your children in Fort McMurray that reminds you of your own childhood in India?
Speaker 3 00:12:34 It's a totally different environment. Like, uh, if you look at the season India as a, like more is a hard part, we I'm coming from like a hot 39 degrees is our normal temperature there. Right. Right. And from there to here, it is a cold and we used to play outside all the time. Apart from that here, most of the six months they are in the house. Yeah. So like mental condition, they are not getting sunlight. What we used to get. Yeah. And being inside, you don't have much friends, mostly you are either talking on the phone or on your TV or your video game. So those are the parties basically difference between like what mostly we played outside and lots of friends. So that is the basic difference. I feel like it should be more friends and more Hangouts with the friends.
Speaker 4 00:13:36 Question number four. What is one thing about Fort McMurray that helps keep you here?
Speaker 3 00:13:42 Oh, I love this town. I, when I came here personally, I like small towns. I grew up in a bigger city, but I like a small town and everybody is a small community. People know you when they made the greet you, they welcome you. And everybody's happy. Yeah. And this is a very helping community. What McMurray Maria is like very helping anywhere in the wall is a problem we are stand up for. So it is not like that. Uh, take, take and take. We are giving community. And that is the most proud thing about this community.
Speaker 4 00:14:19 There you go. And your final question, what is one thing you think could, you could bring to the school board that is unique to yourself
Speaker 3 00:14:29 Personally? I think I'm very positive thinker and I'm coming from Indian background. So we have a loss of like centuries and years of our history there and like a thousands of years history. And right now in COVID condition, I will suggests like, uh, there's school include meditation and yoga into their program. They start with the teachers and then they include the students, whoever wants to join. So that is the best condition for the, all of them. If they start focusing on the things we call Don, basically Don means focus and folk, Don Marita son is the same thing. And once they go into the soup, they get more mental balance. Okay. In current condition is what is required is a mental strong community. Right? We don't want anybody like lose their mind, but we want everybody mentally strong and happy. There you go.
Speaker 0 00:15:34 And those have been your five questions. Thank you. Awesome. That's awesome. Okay. So as a local business owner in Fort McMurry over the last little bit, what, what, what are the struggles that you've found yourself in
Speaker 3 00:15:47 As a business? The first thing is a hard to find out as a individual. You won't get the space. Okay. If you are a franchise, you can get the space right away. That's right. That's right. But as a individual, if you want to open a business, nobody will give you the, uh, their property because you don't have a background. They are worried for their rent. That's right. Of course. So that is their part. And we are like, we want to start something with, from the scratch. We don't want our overheads much high. Yeah. So we, you want to keep your words low plus you want to solve the community. That's right. Plus you are converting when I was in convenience store. Yeah. You are competing with the big giants, like a Superstore is doing convenience stuff, then all circle K on that time it was a different name. Max was that that's right? Yeah. So now it's circle K, but all those are your competitors and you have to penetrate into the market. Yeah. So that was the bigger challenge. So
Speaker 0 00:16:49 What makes your place different from those?
Speaker 3 00:16:52 I would like, my place was different. Like I used to, so my price was low. Like come those convenience, Ned, like cigarette. Yeah. So cigarette, I was trying to keep lowest in town and I did that. So many brands and so many years that I had a proud about that. Plus a people used to love my sandwiches, send me sandwiches and soup. I used to do over there. That was little bit, uh, other stores are not operating those things. That's right. They are all the premier sandwich is coming from outside. That's right. But on other, our side, we used to do phrase in front of you. Yeah. So that was the people used to load my sandwiches. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:17:33 So now in Fort McMurray with, uh, what's going on, how are you keeping yourself busy outside of running for school board trustees?
Speaker 3 00:17:39 Right now I have a registered company I'm struggling for that. Okay. I have a registered last two years. I'm trying to get into the oil sensor for my, uh, stopping company. Okay. So I have a stopping company. I'm doing AutoCAD drawings and a uniform cleaning. Okay. So these three things I'm engaging and trying to get my contracts into the oil sands. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:18:06 Okay. Well hopefully somebody at the oil sands is seeing this show and say, Hey, I need some help with AutoCAD. It's one of those programs where it's a challenging one to find individuals who actually are proficient with that program. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:18:18 Uh, I'm very good with that. Plus I got a good connection with it. So like if I were to take big contract or something like that, someone knows right away. Yeah. And my rates are up. What rates I heard from are giving right. Compared to the, my rates are very competitive.
Speaker 0 00:18:35 Yeah. I have a question and discuss, cause I just don't know. So I don't know the answer to this question. So I'm going to ask it. You're the first person that's reached out to us. That's running for a school board, trustee from the Catholic and the public. Are there a lot of people running for these spots? Oh,
Speaker 3 00:18:51 Uh, poor public school board. This, uh, this year there is a 13 total candidate, 13
Speaker 0 00:18:55 Candidates it. And how many seats are
Speaker 3 00:18:57 There? Seven seats.
Speaker 0 00:19:00 Wow. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Um,
Speaker 3 00:19:04 And I five suits for Catholic school board and seven people are running for that. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:19:10 Yeah. Okay. Wow. Yeah. You're the first one that reached out for this one. So I don't, I have definitely got up to speed on the, um, election for counselors in the mayor, but like yeah. With the school boards, like I have zero knowledge of what goes into it.
Speaker 4 00:19:25 I feel like you got a few like generic reach-outs what do you mean? Like just mass text messages that you got from people reaching out.
Speaker 0 00:19:32 Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah. I have seen a bunch of that lately, man, whoever I know how much it costs to send a mass text message out to a random number. It's not cheap. Nope. So those, some people are spending some money on their campaign for sure. Um, throughout this campaign, what has surprised you in regards to like what, obviously I think most people who run don't know what they're getting into initially. Cause it's their first time. What about, uh, this process has surprised you,
Speaker 3 00:19:58 Uh, when I started this process first to surprise me when we are selling this port, magma is a multicultural town. I went to fill up my, take my oath to the detaining officer in a Greg wire. And they bring some holy books in front of me, three books. So they bring it. And which one is yours? I say, none of them is mine. And I asked, do you have a stream of <inaudible>? Yeah. See, never heard of it. Right.
Speaker 3 00:20:26 So I said, okay, then I do my pledge by my raise my hand and I do it. But then I, after I came out, I think that we are in, in commentary last so many years. Right. And we failed to introduce ourself, like, doesn't matter, Irene or lose, there's a different story, but we should introduce ourselves to the community, to who we are. Right? Like every year we are doing community functions and all the MLA, MPS all are visiting our forum, but nobody knows what we are doing. Basically. I like, we are the, one of the oldest symbolizes in the world and still we are unable to introduce ourself. So that part, I found a little bit crazy.
Speaker 0 00:21:15 Okay. That is nuts. All right. Well, listen, my man we're at the end of the show, but before, uh, we cut you loose. Everybody gets a shameless shout out or plug. So the camera's on you, the Mike's on you have fun.
Speaker 3 00:21:28 Uh, like I would like to say, when you go for your vote, please choose your trustee wisely and I'm your voice and I'll be stand for you. Like you can trust on me. And my record is very clean. I can work for a community. I did volunteer so many times and I would like to do again and again. And that's my message. Please do vote for me and check mark on third Matta. Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:21:59 There we go. Awesome. Well, my man, thank you very much for coming on the show. I really do appreciate it. And please feel free to come back again and again and again. Thanks
Speaker 3 00:22:06 A lot for
Speaker 0 00:22:07 Having me. No worries, my man. All right. Well Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo in the rest of the world, that's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Thank you so much for tuning in. I really do appreciate it. I hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
