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 am your host, Elliot Pierre. And as usual, 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. So the fact that you spend with us truly doesn't mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hidden with the intro
Speaker 2 00:00:28 Hey everybody, Keith Simpson here from neuro Alpharetta, uh, just quick chat about, uh, the wonderful community we live in here. As you guys know, we support the L Behrens we've joined the drive-in movie theater. We're involved in the marathon here in Fort McMurray and make sure we're taking care of the kids and all the local businesses, all the local charities and all the local foundations guys. That's what makes this community such an amazing place to live.
Speaker 0 00:00:53 All right. And we are back big shout out to neural Toyota, Keith fad, numer, all the boys and girls down at Norelle for sponsoring the show. Really do appreciate it. Uh, you keep the lights on, so thank you. Um, as you can see, we're not on the side of the Mac city morning show. We are at the Napa facility in downtown Fort McMurray. They are the sponsor for the Mac city minute today, and they are hosting us. Um, we have a very special guest and as you know, I don't introduce my guests because they can do a better job at that than myself. So on that note, can you please tell everybody at home who you are and what you're about?
Speaker 3 00:01:26 Well, my name is Michelle toner and I am currently the executive director of NABA, the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal business association, for those who might not know it, what am I about a lot of things? Uh, I'm a wife, a mom, um, like I consider myself an athlete maybe, you know, not as in shape as I once was a Huskies fan. Um, but yeah, lots of different things.
Speaker 0 00:01:51 Your kids are so big. Like I was shocked as we bumped into each other last week at Boston pizza. Yeah. And I ran into
Speaker 3 00:02:01 Victor.
Speaker 0 00:02:02 My gosh. I remember when your kids were. I remember when Sean Patrick was born and then this kid is almost as tall as me now. Like I couldn't, I was shocked when you guys walked into the restaurant, I was shocked to see how tall and grown up your children.
Speaker 3 00:02:19 Yeah. I got an email from the school last week talking about Ryan's transition to junior high.
Speaker 0 00:02:25 Oh.
Speaker 3 00:02:26 And I was like, oh wow. How did that happen? We're sharing shoes. She's uh, she's 11 and we share shoes. So yeah, they're, uh, they're growing fast
Speaker 0 00:02:35 And it was shocking. And it happens to me with my little boy Keegan, but I remember we were at a corn Fest one year and they, all these kids were upstairs. Keegan was just a little baby and there playing with Legos and things. And I was like, oh, and then when you guys came in and I'm like, nobody's playing with Legos here anymore.
Speaker 3 00:02:53 Yeah. You know, still some Shopkins once in a while, but yeah, they definitely, uh, they have their personalities. They definitely both have great sense of humor. Um, but yeah, they're growing fast,
Speaker 0 00:03:05 Really fast. Unbelievable. So in regards to Navajo, cause I'm not a lot of people know about this facility and what it offers, what you can do with it. There's a lot of people here that we've met just today. Can you please just explain to everybody watching, like what this facility is, how it can be utilized for not just Napa, but for other community members that might be interested in?
Speaker 3 00:03:25 Yeah, for sure. So, uh, I joined Napa in, um, February of late February 20, 20, uh, three weeks before our first big event. Um, funny enough, which is coming up as well, again, a Navis showcase. And on the second day of our event, um, we actually got shut down because of COVID. And then we went into working from home, um, at the time this office was just under construction, right? So Napa had never really owned its own business or had its own headquarters that solely belonged to them. Um, and when I joined the organization, we actually were working out of the WELBRO and Primoris offices. Um, so a great space, but, but not our own. Um, so nearing the end of construction, uh, June, 2020, I was able to start working from this facility. Um, it's a beautiful space. I feel so fortunate and so grateful to come here every day, but we have not really been able to welcome our Napa members to the facility or the community for that matter.
Speaker 3 00:04:28 Um, we're hoping to be finally, now that restrictions are being lifted, be able to welcome people into the office. So, um, couple of different spaces, we have the tuck row executive boardroom, um, of course named from Tucker Oak group, one of our founders, Dave Tucker row, amazing man. Um, and where we host our board meetings for Napa as an organization, but also is a space that our Napa members can come. Um, they can book the boardroom and have that facility as a place if they need to have offsite meetings, uh, if they don't want to meet in their offices or they don't want to meet onsite, um, kind of a neutral location for them to be able to use. So the space, um, w now that we are returning to in-person events, we see it as a space that really will be for training and seminars, networking events, things like that.
Speaker 3 00:05:17 Um, we also have two incubator offices that are sponsored by St. Crude. Okay. Um, and during our first, I guess, two years in the office, um, our partners from the Mat-Su Cree first nation government industry relations and health branch were here. Unfortunately, their offices had flooded, uh, during the 2020 flood, they needed a space to, to live for a little bit. So it was great to have to have some company here in the office. Now we, uh, we have a Napa member, so SCANA, um, is in one of the offices and also the chard made T Denny just, um, joined us as well, as well as TJs group, which is another one of our members. So full offices are full.
Speaker 0 00:05:55 That's also
Speaker 3 00:05:56 Just welcome to new staff member as well, which is awesome. And then we also have the Boucher think tank. So this is a smaller space where people can come in. There's a huge yellow wall in there. It's actually a white board, right. Um, where people can come in and just have a space where they're getting, you know, if they're running their business from home or if they're running their business on site and they just need to get out and, you know, having a new context or a new lens through which to see things brainstorm, smaller meeting space, we have that available. Um, the area that we're sitting in is, uh, sponsored by SanCor it's the community enterprise center. We really see this area as a place where people can come and grab a coffee. Um, you know, just to have a connection, people want to meet up.
Speaker 3 00:06:36 Um, eventually we hope to have the other area, a little bit more of, um, a park in play, if you will, for, for devices where people, you know, you need to come in, um, you need a space to do a little bit of work. Maybe you need to print something, you know, on a, kind of a mobile office, right? Recognizing that the last two years has taught us anything. That being stationary is not necessarily a requirement anymore. Uh, and that people really want to have that flexible workspace. So we are looking to be a support to our members to be able to have that flexible workspace, if they needed to drop in for a couple of hours, they needed a space. Lots of times we have people taking virtual calls here, you know, they were at a meeting they're taking a virtual call. They don't want to be in their car. Um, you know, a great backdrop for any of that. So yeah, that's, that's what we are. That's where we are right now.
Speaker 0 00:07:24 Very cool. And you have events coming up as well. So what's the newest, not the newest, uh, the event coming up first, what's coming on
Speaker 3 00:07:31 The first event. So coming up on April 6th and seventh is the, uh, Napa it's, the 15th annual Aboriginal business showcase. Right. Um, so it was always an in-person event. Last year. We did have to, um, pivot to a virtual event, which was a huge success. Um, it was a two day event this year. Um, I said, because I like to make things difficult for myself. We're going to have a full virtual day of learning and then a full day of in-person events. And I think as much great feedback as we got last year from the virtual event, um, that desire to come together as a community and have that face to face exchange of energy and that connection with one another. Um, that desire is really there. So day one, April 6th, fully online, you can log in from anywhere across the world. Uh, we have a full lineup of sessions, um, being headed off by Caroline Hilton from the indigenous comics Institute.
Speaker 3 00:08:25 Um, so very popular speaker. Great, great insight for anybody who's looking to join us. On the second day, we will have, um, some member to member activities where our full members and our associate members are networking. We have a trade show of our full Aboriginal members. There is a networking luncheon. Um, there are some sessions during the day, and then the evening, we have a cocktail reception followed by a banquet, which will have, um, traditional indigenous, uh, performances. And then also a keynote by the presenting sponsor Suncor, um, regarding some of the things that are happening with the Syncrude, Suncor integration and, uh, business development in the future. And then something I'm really excited about is we have representatives from MNP and ATB as well. There'll be joining, uh, two other women, uh, Jamie harp, who is the Napa president and Rebecca from Byrd. Um, the conversation will be facilitated by Nicole Boucher of the Boucher group. And what we're going to be talking about is a recent study that was released, uh, talking about the economic contributions of indigenous people in Alberta,
Speaker 0 00:09:32 Huge,
Speaker 3 00:09:33 Huge, massive, um, and the opportunity to further those contributions by supporting indigenous entrepreneurs and what that looks like. Right. So having a non-indigenous company up there, but their indigenous representative, really speaking on, what does that look like? How do businesses support indigenous businesses to be able to, to succeed? And I think here in our region, it's very focused on oil and gas, right? But there are so much, there is so much opportunity for indigenous businesses to grow in every different area, not just oil and gas. Um, so yeah, it should be a great conversation.
Speaker 0 00:10:08 And how do you register for that?
Speaker 3 00:10:11 So you can, there's a couple of ways that you can access the event website. We have a separate event website. It's not as easy to remember as our Napa site. So if you go to napa.ca, it will lead you to our feed loop is the virtual platform and where we're selling our tickets. So go to napa.ca to look for the showcase information. You can buy just a virtual ticket from out of town. Um, you can buy just an in-person ticket. You can buy both days and then the bank, what would be a separate ticket on there, but yeah, everything is all on the website for people to buy. Right.
Speaker 0 00:10:42 Cool. Now, listen, Tanner hit me up a little while ago with a cue that he's ready with his questions for the max CD minute. You've heard about it. I know, you know, the drill big, thank you to yourself and Napa for sponsoring the segment. I do appreciate it. Tanner hitter with the max 30 minute.
Speaker 4 00:10:57 Alrighty. Question number one. What is your favorite part of being able to see Napa grow so fast in your time working here?
Speaker 3 00:11:07 You know, I was having conversations about this this morning and, and I was talking to the previous job that I had been in and, um, you know, having left that job, that I was out for a very long time. And, and then being in this new, new situation, there is a whole world out there of business and culture and interactions that I really knew nothing about, and really being afforded the opportunity to be involved in those conversations. Um, learning about our traditional culture and then seeing how by elevating the voices of our indigenous entrepreneurs, what the impacts are in our community and to all people, it really is a special experience that I don't think a lot of people get to have. And that I'm very grateful for.
Speaker 0 00:11:56 Yeah, no doubt
Speaker 4 00:11:58 Question number two. What is one thing you think people would be surprised to find out? Napa does.
Speaker 5 00:12:07 Wow.
Speaker 0 00:12:09 10 with the hard hitting questions.
Speaker 3 00:12:10 Yeah. Well, you know, I think I would hope that if there's something that people don't know that Napa does, it's because we actually don't do it. Right. And so like, I would want them to tell me, Hey, you should be doing this. Uh, what is something that we do,
Speaker 5 00:12:28 God
Speaker 3 00:12:30 People don't know that we do?
Speaker 3 00:12:34 Well, I don't know. I really, I guess maybe the advocacy advocacy on a, on a policy level, um, a lot of the work that I've been doing since starting with the organization, um, has been with our regional miss palliative, what Buffalo. Okay. So a couple of years ago, um, our mayor at the time, Don Scott had made a call to the provincial and federal government to, um, have 5% of all spending be allocated to indigenous business. Now the federal government has that policy in place. Um, the provincial government does not, but our, our own municipal government did not have a policy in place. There was no indigenous procurement policy in place. Um, so we were having some conversations with GAO, Doyle and, um, mayor Scott at the time. Um, and it's just progressed then. So now we, you know, there's a task force or working group that's really working on bringing that policy to fruition. They actually will be presenting at the novice showcase on the developments of the policy. And it really has come a long way. So I guess I would say advocacy from a policy perspective may be something that's not as obvious as some of the other networking and educational things that we do.
Speaker 0 00:13:41 Right.
Speaker 4 00:13:42 And your final question, what is the most rewarding aspect of being part of a place that supports the community like Napa does?
Speaker 3 00:13:52 What's the most rewarding parts? I think it's seeing the impact that it has in people's everyday life and the difference. It really, it really can make. And when people feel supported and they feel heard and they feel seen, um, it really makes a difference in their life. And if I can do anything at any time to try and provide that avenue or that like that mechanism for people to feel that way, I think that that's amazing. I don't know what else you could ask for
Speaker 4 00:14:24 In your questions.
Speaker 0 00:14:26 Oh, there you go. Killing it. So at the top of the show, you mentioned that you used, or you still are an athlete. What kind of sports are we? Uh, what are we still playing?
Speaker 3 00:14:38 Well, I still play volleyball. I play in the women's competitive volleyball league on Tuesday nights. I'll say like, oh, gray and what she used to be, you know, like Wednesdays are a tough go. I normally go to bed at like quarter to nine. I don't get home from volleyball until after 10. It takes you some time to wind down. Um, but yeah, so I played basketball volleyball as, as a youth, I guess we'll say, but still play volleyball today. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:15:02 Are you finding, uh, cause we've had some sports organizations come on the show as of late, they're kind of struggling with attendance and like getting people to come. Uh, is, are you finding that with volleyball and you still,
Speaker 3 00:15:15 We know we struggled, we struggled, I think, as a league this year, but a lot of it related to vaccine passports and vaccine mandates. Um, right. So you had to have had both of those things to be able to participate or have a COVID test. So those rules implemented, I will say. Um, so I haven't, I hadn't played in a few years, came back this year. I think. So the rules were relaxed a little bit this year in the league. And that before, like if you were on a team, you only played on that team and if you were a spare, your only spare for that team.
Speaker 0 00:15:44 And
Speaker 3 00:15:44 So this year, because of the reduced numbers, it was okay, well, Hey, can you play on my team tonight? I'll play on your team tonight. It's really allowed there to be like a calming down, like the nastiness. Like they used to be like, it used to be rough. Like people would be yelling at each other through the net and like kind of snarky. And I really feel like there's an increased camaraderie right now that people have been playing on one another's teams and actually getting to know each other. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:16:12 No doubt. Well, when you're an adult playing these leagues, like you're not making the professionals, you're doing it recreationally for fun. So, and to meet people. So that would make sense if you were able to like jump back and forth. Oh, I there's
Speaker 3 00:16:27 No messing around. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:16:29 Yeah. There's I have some friends to play hockey and I'm getting older, they're getting older and like, they go and they lose teeth and they break bones and I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like, whoa, it's real. I want just play off time. Like it's serious business. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:16:48 Well, there's some like a lot of the girls on my team, most of them played, uh, for the Canto Huskies. Right. Um, but they're all probably six to eight years younger than I am. So sometimes we'll be play. They're like go, I'm like, yo Breaking a hip's really expensive for me. I can't afford to be off work. So like, we're going to let this one fly and we're going to get it back on the next one. Yeah. Like, sorry guys. Like my overhand serve. It's weak these days. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:17:14 Yeah. It's still good to be out there though.
Speaker 3 00:17:16 Oh, absolutely. It's so good for my it's good for my head as much as it's good for my body, even though my body would say other words on the Wednesday.
Speaker 0 00:17:25 That's hilarious. Well, listen, Michelle, that's the end of the show. Thank you very much for coming. It's been a lot of fun, but before I let anybody go, you get a shameless shout out or plugs. So you got the mix to camera lights have fun.
Speaker 3 00:17:36 Awesome. Well, I would like to invite everybody to attend the Napa showcase. It is an event that's open to the public. Um, there are some amazing opportunities to really learn, um, to understand the capacity of the indigenous entrepreneurs in this region. And even beyond business to understand, um, a lot of what's happening in our community in terms of culture and reconciliation and really understanding the truth. So I would really encourage people to go to our website, napa.ca, um, to see what events we're having in the future, but also to register for this one. Um, you know, being that there is a virtual aspect. If you're uncomfortable in the conversation, you're in the safety of your own home, right? So it's a great opportunity. Um, $39 for the day, really reasonable, um, and some great, great speakers that not everybody would normally get access to. So, you know, we really encourage people to come out, to join the event, stop by meet our business owners, learn, learn what they're doing in the community. So April 6th and seventh and our website is naba.ca
Speaker 0 00:18:43 Awesome. Well Fort Murray wood, Buffalo, the rest of the world. That's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Thank you so much for tuning in. It does mean the world to me and big shout out to our title sponsor Norelle Toyota, Yoda for keeping this thing going as well as Napa for sponsoring the Mac city minute. I hope everybody's having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace
Speaker 6 00:19:04 And Dalio Wade. And another morning show later by us.
Speaker 7 00:19:12 You
Speaker 8 00:19:21 Talk about quenching your ugly thirsty.
