Sleeping In

I woke up seeing pictures on Facebook of friends attending various Saturday night Halloween parties, all kinds of costumes, positions and inhibitions on display for all to see. I'm not embarrassed to say that we were in bed by 9 pm. It's shortly after 8 am, the coffee is made, and I'm sitting down to start my day after an 11 hour sleep. Whew! I haven't had one of those in memory.

All of the candidates knew that victory in the election would mean a whirlwind of meetings, team building sessions, governance workshops, budget presentations and reading. We won't really be able to catch our collective breaths until the Christmas recess in mid-December. In the New Year, the schedule becomes much more manageable.

I'm enormously grateful for a full day at home, doing all those mundane tasks that I miss so much when the merry-go-round of external responsibilities is spinning too fast: laundry, dishes, cleaning, organizing, and banking.

The other task on my plate is to put away my election lawn signs to make room for the vehicle in the garage for the winter season. Now that the temperatures are consistently dipping below zero at night, it's far more efficient to go through the effort of making room than having to scrape the window every morning. Our garage, insulated though not heated, makes an incredible difference when things get really cold outside. We have seen a temperature variance of up to 30 degrees between inside and outside the garage. Stratford Contracting did an incredible rebuild of the structure about 5 years ago, solid construction, great workmanship.

So, here we are, a frosty October 31st, the tops of the trees across the Clearwater covered in a fine dusting of snow, Halloween 2010. Ben is eager to squeeze into his devil costume and pounce through the neighborhood collecting sugar treats. I will sit bravely behind at our house, dishing out a sticky stew of fruit and chocolate bars.

Dylan Surgery Adventures, Part 5

I took the stairs up to Unit 201 at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, eager to see Dylan after what had been a long, long month. Coming in the big double doors of the recreational common area, it was strangely silent, not a nurse or patient to be seen, just large empty tables. So, I continued on to the nurses station to find out where he would be at 10 o'clock in the morning on a Wednesday.

"Let me check," said the diminutive nurse, as she checked the patient schedule etched out on a whiteboard on the wall opposite to where I was standing. "He's in OT right now, Occupational Therapy."

"You're Dylan's dad," said another nurse, starting to walk by me in the hall. "He's so excited to see you. You just missed him walking. He did over 100 metres today."

She escorted me to a different part of the hospital where we found Dylan in a back room working on a computer with the occupational therapist. His face lit up with a big smile and his arms reached out as we reconnected with a big hug. I knew in that instant that the long drive, dangerous curves and near death experience were all worth it.

He was working on a typing program, learning to use all his fingers on the keyboard while looking at the screen. While he was going slow, he was doing it! From OT we drifted into PT, or physical therapy, where Kristen and Kelsey put him through his paces, stretching, pulling and eventually, walking.


For now, walking means using a walker and having both legs in Zimmer splints, locking the knees in a straight position. The bending of the knees is confined to the PT mat in small and careful increments. The list of procedures he had done in the OR is long and involved some intricate work on ligaments associated with knee function. All of that said, he stepped into the walker and with legs locked straight, began ambling his way from the PT room back to his bedroom, Kelsey following behind with his wheelchair.


Dylan is right at home here; it is obvious! He engages each nurse as he passes them, often by name and always with a bright smile. His room is neatly organized with WWE action figure collectibles lining the window sill, as if on guard over his territory. A box set of Marvel movies sits proudly next to his bed, a gift from his new friend Sharon, who popped in for a visit the week before. (Sharon is a former student at Keyano who painted the large abstract that has been on my office wall for the past four years)

We have a family conference planned with his docs in about 10 days, a chance to find out about his progress from the clinical point of view. Dylan says that the jury is still out on whether he'll be able to come home permanently by Christmas. If the physical therapy is not quite finished, he may need to return to Unit 201 after the holiday for the final leg of his recuperation journey.

His condition seems a stark contract to two years ago when he had his first surgery. He seems to have progressed much more rapidly and he appears to be entirely comfortable and content in his surroundings. Mind you, he is two years older, and wise beyond his years; that makes a big difference.

We were sitting enjoying our last few minutes together when Kim, the social worker, came in with a print out of the front page story from the Fort McMurray Today the day before about the Swearing In Ceremony. He had highlight the parts about Dylan and my emotional speech. It was a nice touch. While I had told him the story, seeing it in print made it a little more special.


One final hug, and by 3 pm I was going down the stairs, out to the street and back into the car for the long trip home.

Going the Speed Limit

Had I not been going the speed limit yesterday, I'm almost certain that I wouldn't be alive to write this blog today. I was driving 100 km/hr on my trip down to Edmonton early yesterday morning; I had left at 5 am from Fort McMurray. It was a day carved out of a busy schedule to drive down to visit Dylan at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital; I had not seen him in a month.

Earlier on the drive, the guy in front of me, way off in the distance, had his hazards on. It was still dark at that time so I wasn't sure what was happening. I slowed down to a crawl to go around him, as the fellow stood on the road right next to his truck door. In a flash and a bump, I had driven over the deer he had hit only moments before.

A little shaken, yet undamaged, I continued on as the sun began to rise in the east. My life flashed before my eyes a bit further down the highway. Someone had decided to try an illegal pass and emerged out of nowhere and swerved back into his lane just missing me by a few feet.

It happened so fast, I wasn't sure at first if it was real. Had I been going just a little bit faster, 105 km/hr or 110 km/hour like everyone else, he would have lost his opportunity to swerve into his lane in time. Instead, he would have hit me head on.

Leave a little earlier. Plan for a floating arrival time. Do whatever it takes, but SLOW DOWN. And THINK before you PASS. Is it safe? Is it really safe? Is it worth the risk?

I stared death in the face yesterday and he decided to blink. It certainly could have gone the other way and the Middle Age Bulge blog would have come to an unfortunate end.

The Swearing In

Ben was pretty excited about tonight; he was going to see his Papa swear on stage. He was also pretty excited about the food, too. We thought that things would wrap up by 8:30 or 9:00 pm at the outside, but put a group of 11 politicians in front of a microphone and things are bound to go long.

In my head, I thought we would take the oath of office then say a few words of thanks. Instead we were all sworn in before they started with the speeches. I now completely understand why Council meetings go way too long. We were all given clear instructions to keep our remarks to two minutes. (I'm an event planner, so I appreciate the need for brevity in keeping the flow of things going.) In the end, only a handful of Councillors and the Mayor stuck to the prescribed allotment of time.

I was touched and inspired by many of the comments and visions shared by my colleagues. I was especially humbled to be mentioned as a kindred spirit and a good friend of Councillor Scott. We not only have a striking physical resemblance, we share of love of this community, of public service and of family. I'm so glad he is part of this great team.

I had full intentions of holding things together and to get in and out of my remarks well under the two minute mark. But, the moment I opened up my mouth to acknowledge the role my family played in this journey that pesky lump returned to my throat. I'm sure it was only a second or two, but emotional moments feel like a lifetime, a mountainous hurdle to overcome in front of a theatre full of people. I pulled it together and shared a quick story of Dylan being in the hospital and talking to him about my failing confidence a week before election day.

"Papa, you can't lose your confidence," he said. "You have to be confident." The audience gave a generous applause at this point as I continued on with my prepared notes. Ashley MacIsaac, listening backstage, would go on to mention this portion of the speech in his repartee.

I acknowledged all the candidates who ran but did not win, specifically pointing out the wonderful lady who was neck and neck with me to the announcement of the last polling station results.

"The only sad part about this election for me was beating Christine Burton," I said. "I just wish we could add an extra seat to bring her along for the ride."

There is no question that the high point of the campaign for me was working side by side with my candidate colleagues to build the Vote Project. "We did it on Thanksgiving Monday as a show of thanks for the right we have to vote," I shared. "There are millions of people around the world who die every day fighting for that right. We should never take it for granted."

I concluded my thoughts with words of thanks for Mayor Melissa Blake and her continued strong leadership. "Together we will take Wood Buffalo into a very exciting future, eleven voices coming together as one, in common purpose."

While I wish I wasn't such a sap, I was pleased with the content of my message and the naked sincerity with which it was delivered. I talk about the things that are the most personal, the most important to me, and I get emotional....always have.

We were led from the stage by the honour guard and Angus Campbell on the bagpipes and back into the rehearsal hall for our group photo. Then, it was into the audience for the surprise performance by Cape Breton fiddle genius, Ashley MacIsaac.

By the time everything was done and I reunited with Ben in the lobby, his eye lids were drooping fiercely and he had resigned to a spot on the floor underneath one of those bar tables. Family comes first, before festivity, and I gathered up my wife and son and got them home and into bed. Regular life and the business of governing starts bright and early tomorrow, and I'm going to be ready.

Sweet Silence

It is quiet in the mornings as fall flirts with winter. At 7:30 am, the sun is still well behind the horizon and darkness seems to absorb all sound. It is sweet silence.

I spent yesterday afternoon dismantling the big highway election signs. And being the particular soul that I am, I perfectly pile them all up and stacked them neatly behind my shed, ready to emerge in the summer of 2013 for the next election race. First the 4' x 8' coroplast sheets, then the plywood, and finally all the 2 by 4's that held everything together. Of course, always thinking ahead to the possibility that someone could come along and upset the apple cart, I strapped everything together.

Today I tackle all the lawn signs, or at least the ones that made it back to the house. I'm hoping to do one final driving tour today to ensure that all the orphans are collected and stored before the end of the weekend. I suspect there are a few that I missed on my first swing through the neighborhoods, but I just haven't had any time to do a double check until today.

After all the signs are packed up and put away, we complete the transition from running to governing. Tomorrow night is the swearing in ceremony, when I take the oath of office and move from being Councillor-Elect to Councillor. It'll be an important milestone for all of us, a chance to thank our supports, families and friends. It will give us pause, as we reflect on the responsibility that has been handed to us by the voters.

Morning taxi ride

Heather needed the car on Friday and I needed to get to work, so I called a taxi. One of the great benefits of living relatively close to work is that the cost of a cab ride is only $10. So, when time is short, I take a pass on walking or public transit and catch a ride.

Yesterday's driver was a Somalian.

"It sure is nice to have all those election signs gone," I said.

"Yes!," he replied, shaking his head and smiling.

"I think Mohammad still has some up though," I said.

"Dogar!" he replied brightly and laughing!!!

"He did such a great job with his campaign. He got 1,500 votes you know. That's fantastic."

"Fifteen hundred? That's good," he said. "How did Scott do?"

"He won," I said.

"How about Thomas?"

Oh, that was me. I won, too.

"Oh! Ha ha ha," he laughed. "I voted for you!!! That's good!"

A complete stranger from across the planet voted for me. That's quite a feeling.

Election Night Ride

I just hadn't given it a whole lot of thought. As Election Day wound down and the regular Monday work day came to an end, even then I wasn't trying to imagine what watching the results come in would be like. I had no sense as to the ride I was about the enjoy.

Our guests started arriving after 7 pm and by 7:50 pm, most everyone was there. As the clocked ticked away to the top of the hour there was a noticeable pit in the bottom of my stomach, a lump that didn't know if it wanted to be a good lump or a bad lump.

Renee and Summer arrived, as did Cindy, Norm and Sheila. Kelly was there, one of my oldest friends and a great supporter of the campaign. Sana came, as did Brad, Mark and Stephanie. Mike sat next to the TV, loving the excitement, while my mom, dad and Heather circled the room making sure everyone had enough to eat and drink. Claude came in a little later to bask in the anticipatory tension.

When the first results popped up on Channel 10, Mayor Melissa had a 4 to 1 lead on John and the room erupted. Then they show the Ward 1 race graph, with me in 6th spot and in the race for a seat on Council. The room erupted a second time.

At this point I sent a text message to my candidate colleague and friend Don Scott who I found out was parked at election central seeing the results in the real time. So, he started feeding us the numbers as to what my lead was over my nearest compatriot Christine Burton. At first it was a rather small number, perhaps 70 (my memory is a little foggy in this regard). Then it stretched out into the hundred then two hundred range. By the time the last polls were closed and the unofficial numbers had been announced, I was 336 votes up and Councillor-Elect for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

I was thrilled beyond measure as you might expect, but inside I was truly torn; I had wanted Christine to be at the table. She certainly had my vote.

It's 48 hours later and I don't know if the news has really sunk in yet? The past couple of days have been a blur with hundreds of congratulatory messages (THANK YOU for every single one of those!) and lots of work.

I called my 11 year old son Dylan as soon as was reasonable the morning after the results, to share with him the news. We connected at the stroke of 9, just as he was wheeling himself off to school at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

"What happened," he asked excitedly. "How did it turn out?"

"Noboby has told you?" I asked.

"No, I haven't heard a thing."

"I won," I said. "It was very very close, but I won!"

"Oh Papa, that is so great! I'm so happy for you."

"I dedicate this win to you Son," I said. "I know you wanted to be here."

"Ah, thanks Papa."

There was a pause as I heard him smile and catch his breath.

"I'd like to talk longer," he finally said, "but I'm already late for class."

He hung up. I smiled.

We did it, and this was now real.

October 21, 2010 - 198 pounds, 30.8% body fat

Pins and needles, pundits and pontifications

Everyone has an opinion, especially on Election Day. No matter who I've talked to, a different painting of the election portrait emerges. It's been a fascinating experience.

In a sense, I feel like I'm one of the finalists in Survivor, and that the power has shifted over to the jury, the electorate in this instance. Everything I've said or done is out there in the universe and the voters will respond accordingly. It leaves one feeling rather powerless in a most delightful way.

I've been remarkably calm today, going about my work at the College, as if it was any other day. Tickles of anxiety creep in from time to time, but mostly I feel good, confident that we did lots of things right and that our chances are fair to middling. I feel that we are solid in the top 7 or 8, quite conceivably in the top 6, and potentially in the top 4.

I'm sure all my colleagues are rolling things around in their minds as we drive past the 3-hour mark before polls close. Is there anything more I could have done? How will I react if I lose? How will I feel if I win? What am I going to feel like tomorrow? Where am I going to store all these election signs till 2013?

For those of my candidates colleagues who have been through this before, I'm sure this experience is old hat. For me and my fellow newbies, this campaign has been a real learning experience. It's been fun.

So, whatever happens when the results come rolling across the radio or across the television screen, I rest in the knowledge that I did pretty good for my first time out. I revel in the fact that I was able to campaign alongside a passionate group of people who are committed to this region and its future. It's been a pleasure and a privilege.

The night before e-day

My dad and I were doing the final sign check in Timberlea when a stranger drove by on her bike yelling "Tomorrow's the big day!"

"Yee haaa," I yelled back.

"I'm voting for you," she said, stopping her road bike to chat with us for a few minutes.

What was reassuring is that she knew all about me, my dedication to the community, my performances on the Keyano Theatre stage and my platform located on my website. I had never met this wonderful lady before, yet she was completely convinced that I need to be on the new Council.

I'm sure that every candidate has had these kinds of encounters and I'm cautious about getting too confident on the eve of this very important day. But, I'm feeling good about our chances, and the chances of my colleagues who I would be proud to serve with on the new Council.

It was great to get a call from Dave Kirschner this evening, wishing me the best and sharing a mutual passion for our region. It's also been a pleasure getting to know Don Scott through this campaign. "A kindred spirit," he calls me. I feel the same way, and not just because we look like brothers. I'm convinced we share a similar vision for Wood Buffalo and a style of leadership that honours, respects, listens and learns.

Doing the math, there are 15 hopefuls for 6 spots in Ward One. I think there are a group of 8 of us that could end up with enough votes to be successful. But, one never knows. If there is one thing that history has taught us about elections, it's to expect the unexpected.

I'm grateful for all the folks behind the scenes at My Community My Voice who envisioned a new way of engaging the voters and made it real. I'm grateful for our friends in the media who have told our stories and shared their perspectives. I'm grateful for Zafar Iqbal and the work of Express Media for stimulating discussion and debate with our growing population of new Canadians. I'm grateful to all the candidates and their support teams for their efforts and their friendship. It has been an honour working with you to hopefully inspire more participation in this election than we've seen in years.

Finally, I want to thank my family and my team for standing behind me in these many weeks since I announced my candidacy for Council. Without your encouragement, sacrifice and understanding this would not have been possible.

The good ole hockey game

Hockey. Is there anything more Canadian? Some might say maple syrup, or poutine, but on average most would say that there is nothing more Canadian than the game of hockey.

Tomorrow morning we go on sale for the BIGGEST hockey game in Fort McMurray history. In fact, it will be the first junior hockey game played outdoors, ever! This is going to be the quintessential Canadian experience.

The farm where my father grew up, the piece of Saskatchewan farm land that was homesteaded by my great great grandfather in the late 1890's and the five generations to follow, has an old lean-to shed attached to what we called the Blacksmith Shop. Hanging up on an old spike were a pair of skates, blades actually, with straps that would wrap around your boots. Covered in spider webs and decades of dust and neglect, they hearkened back to an earlier time when my dad played hockey on the frozen slough, using cow pies for pucks. Battered by the south wind, nose dripping and cold, the kids would play for hours under the light of the winter moon. Pond hockey, the way it was meant to be played.

I'm listening to David Francey's "Skating Rink", thinking ahead to November 26th when this four-time Juno Award winner will set the tone for the Northern Classic in Fort McMurray. It's going to be an incredible night, with great Junior B hockey, outstanding music (Mike Plume and The Trews are also playing), and the biggest gathering of junior hockey fans ever to gather in Alberta.

As the Fort McMurray Oil Barons make their grand entrance on this frozen sheet of ice wedged between bleachers filled with 5,000 screaming fans, winter's chill will be forgotten and the good ole hockey game will take centre stage.

Tickets for this historical event go on sale tomorrow morning (October 15) for only $10 each. Imagine that: the FIRST outdoor junior game in history, the LARGEST crowd for a junior game in Alberta, David FRANCEY, Mike PLUME and The TREWS-the band that will sing O' Canada the next day at the Grey Cup. Can it get any better than that? Actually it can! Clark Robertson, in the guise of Don Cherry, and a featured contestant next week on the CBC's Dragon's Den, will be adding an amazing dose of fun, while TSN's Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole will add first-class colour commentary. Whew! That's a pile of entertainment value for $10.

Starting at exactly 8 am, tickets will begin going on sale at MacDonald Island Park. DO NOT WAIT to buy yours as we fully expect to SELL OUT within days.

The race to the finish

We are in the final days of an election campaign that officially began the day we went down to Edmonton for Dylan's surgery, but truly began months before that in one form or another. You may wonder what a candidate goes through as the day gets closer that will determine his or her fate. Excitement mixed with fear, confidence peppered with doubt, elation followed by anxiety, it's all there floating in and out of my psyche, unannounced and uncontrollable.

A high point for me was the construction of the V-O-T-E Project with many of my candidate colleagues. I'm thinking of the smile on Christine Burton and Phil Meagher's faces as they pounded in the stakes for Mayor Blake's sign. I'm thinking of Don Scott walking up and down the steep hill, beads of sweat rolling down his ample forehead in the hot October sun. I'm thinking of Dave Kirschner, rolling up his sleeves alongside my good friend Julio to fill in all the empty spaces in the letters. I'm thinking of Ross Jacobs and John Vyboh rolling in to the rescue with the last few signs to put the finishing touches on what turned out to be a great show of teamwork.

Ross called me earlier this afternoon to let me know that the letter E had been all but destroyed. At first, I was ready to raise the white flag and give up on the project. But Kyle Harrietha, the sign King volunteer with the Blake campaign, said that it wasn't as bad as it looked and that fixing it wouldn't take very long. He was right. It took about 40 minutes of putting and pounding signs back into place, and the E was put back in V-O-T-E.

The hardest part of this thing is the inevitability of elections, that there will be times when you don't get picked. That takes some getting used to. But, at the end of the day, win or lose, I will hold my head up high and know that we ran a solid "us" campaign. I was proud and honoured to shine a light on my colleagues and the process.

In all ways, Monday will mark a crossroads in my life. I'll either get swept up in the business of Council or find myself with an incredible amount of time on my hands. The decision of which fork in the road I will take is up to thousands of voters in Ward 1 of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Into your hands I commend my future!

The V-O-T-E Project

The idea popped into my head on Friday. By Saturday afternoon I had thrown it by Don Scott, Mayor Melissa Blake and several others. On Saturday night I tossed it by a few more candidates. By Sunday morning the invitation was sent out and on Monday at noon we began the V-O-T-E Project.

Side by side, we put up our assortment of election lawn signs over top the letters V-O-T-E that had been traced out with string and rope on a hill alongside Highway 63 in downtown Fort McMurray. Several hundred signs later, representing many of the campaigns for Mayor and Council, the message was spelled out for all to see.

It felt like a real community effort, as we celebrated Thanksgiving Monday reminding the public of the enormous gift we have to be able to vote in Canada.

"We absolutely need to get people out to vote," said Zafar Iqbal, organizer of the Express Media Mayoralty Debate on Saturday night. "There are a millions of people in nations around the world who die fighting for the opportunity to choose their leaders."

So, for several hours, we put aside our differences and focused on the things we have in common, including a passion for our community, our region and the democratic process. We picked up sledge hammers and staple guns and put up signs, some were ours, many were those of the competition. We walked up and down the big hill, happily sweating in the hot October sun, intent on working together to turn a vision into reality.

It was a simple idea that was embraced (and enjoyed) by many, proving once again that we can do so much more when we do things together. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tears fall, heart fills

I had no warning that I would break down and cry in front of church full of people this morning, no glimmer of possibility, no indication that a whole bunch of emotions had piled up. The McMurray Gospel Assembly had invited all the candidates to attend one of three services this weekend to introduce ourselves and our families to their congregation. I can't tell you the last time I'd been through a church service, but I can pretty much guarantee it was attached to either a wedding or a funeral. Despite that reality, I was pleased to be there and felt completely at home surrounded by friends and familiar faces, and others who were strangers but totally welcoming.

After a number of beautiful worship songs, Pastor Glen Forsberg invited the candidates in attendance for the upcoming municipal election to the front: Mayor Melissa Blake, Councillor Phil Meagher, candidate Jane Stroud (Ward 4) and myself-mayoralty candidate Joe Nebesny would arrive a few minutes later.

The microphone was handed to me.

"Hello, I'm not Don Scott," I began, "though many people mix the two of us up; we go to the same hair stylist." As the similarities between Don and myself are indisputable, pointing out the obvious always seems to loosen up the crowd. Laughter filled the church.

"I'm Russell Thomas and I'm running for Council in Fort McMurray, Ward 1 of the Regional Muncipality of Wood Buffalo," I continued. "My family and I are actually neighbors of the Gospel Assembly Church, we live two blocks that way," as I thrust up my arm and indicated the direction of our house. "I'm married to Heather and we have two sons, Dylan who is 11 and Ben who is 7. Dylan had a major surgery about a month ago and Heather and Ben are down in Edmonton with him today..." Then it hit me.

Like a crashing wave, my eyes filled with water and I was left unable to speak. I dipped my chin, trying to summon my voice back and my lost composure, but I couldn't do it. I passed the cordless mic over to Melissa who carried on brilliantly.

My candidate colleagues have been very supportive and empathetic about our situation. But as things have been moving so fast, so constantly, I hadn't felt the emotional weight until this morning.

As a group of pastors and church elders gathered behind the candidates to say a blessing over us, my eyes were still wet, my heart filled with this group of friends and strangers who had connected to something intensely personal for me.

"And we pray for 11 year old Dylan," Jack prayed. "That he may enjoy a full recovery in hospital in Edmonton."

As I pulled up my calendar today, trying to find an opening when I could swoop down to Edmonton to visit my son, the first ray of hope was November 11th, Remembrance Day. There is maybe one weekday before then when I could theoretically fly down in the morning and return the same evening. I may look at doing that as November 11th is a full month away, far too long.

Heather sent this picture of Dylan and Grandma Wagner this morning. His playful eyes lifted my spirits and soothed my soul. I'll be thinking of him lots as we go through the final week of this campaign, knowing he is off in the distance, cheering me on from Unit 201 of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

October 10, 2010 (10/10/10) - 199.8 pounds, 33.3% body fat

Campaign Blur

Heather said to me, "I hope it isn't like this when you win." Every night this week I've had to dash off to committee meetings, campaign events or celebrations.

It's absolutely clear that in a dynamic community like Wood Buffalo you could be out doing things every day of the week. But, I'm going to make sure to carve out a healthy amount of dedicated family and spouse time; it is essential.

Last night, my friends from JuneWarren-Nickles Energy Group and Westbrier Communications (Rob, Agnes and Phil) hosted the annual Oilsands Banquet, this year celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It was an impressive gathering of current and past leaders, industry representatives from near and far, and elders and leaders from our First Nations and Métis communities. It was particularly nice to have a brief visit with 93 year old Elsie Yanick. She shared an eloquent and heartfelt blessing to begin the evening.

The story of the formation of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo was told by former CEO of Syncrude Canada Ltd., Eric Newell, in his keynote address. Discussions began in 1992 when it became clear that something would need to be done as the fiscal realities of declining government funding on the horizon and a taxation and governance system that was ripe with challenges combined to paint a bleak picture for the City of Fort McMurray and Improvement District No. 18.

Chaired by then Mayor and current MLA Guy Boutilier, a committee was struck to discuss solutions. Around the table were luminaries like Doug MacRae from Keyano College, Iris Kirschner from the school board and Eric Newell from Syncrude. Working closely with Steve West, Minister of Municipal Affairs, amalgamation occurred in 1995 creating the largest municipality in North America.

Mayor Melissa Blake was articulate and compelling in her address, sharing her sense of awe of being at the head table with leaders who she looked up to in her youth. Scott Sullivan, President & CEO of Syncrude, expressed appreciation for being able to hear the amazing story of the formation of this great region from the man who lived in his shoes for so many years.

It was great to see the return of Glen Laubenstein to Fort McMurray. He will assume the role of CAO at the beginning of November, transitioning from the City of Winnipeg where he held a similar role. During his time as Regional Manager, Glen and I had three connection points: on a public relations level as I was Program Director of the OK Radio Group, on a community level as I was President of the interPLAY Festival, and on a personal level, as I performed on the stage with his daughter Sarah, now a reporter with CBC in Manitoba. Talking with him, it was crystal clear that he is excited to get started and face the challenges and opportunities of the future. There was a definitive sparkle in his eyes.

The week of evening activities that included The Global Address with Dave Collyer at Keyano College, the Mayoralty Debate in the Recital Theatre, a Northern Classic committee meeting, a visit with the residents of Waterways and the Oilsands Banquet, will wrap up tonight with the opening of Dracula at Keyano Theatre. Then, we drift into Thanksgiving weekend, election sign repairs and a visit to the McMurray Gospel Assembly. Whew!!!

October 8, 2010 - 198.2 pounds, 35.6% body fat

The Poke and the Pitch

After Woody Guthrie died, Bob Dylan was asked to submit a piece for a book that was coming out. "Something about Woody," Bob said. "Sort of like: what does Woody Guthrie mean to you in 25 words." He wrote out 5 pages and it became a spoken word piece called "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie". Trying to condense your thoughts is difficult, especially when it's something you're particularly passionate about, like Dylan was about Woody.

Shaw Cable is offering the candidates in this election the opportunity to share our "25 words" about why people should vote for us on the 18th; we actually get three minutes. If the completely ad libbed www.mycommunitymyvoice.com interview was the poke, the prepared Shaw Cable interview is the pitch. It's like that final question in the job interview when they ask "Why should we hire you for this job?" Here is what I came up with:

SHAW CABLE ELECTION PROFILE

Hi. My name is Russell Thomas, and I’m running for Council in Ward 1 of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. I am the Director of Marketing and Communications at Keyano College, President of Events Wood Buffalo and a member of the board of Leadership Wood Buffalo.

I’m married to my beautiful wife Heather, who is a certified massage therapist and yoga teacher and owner of the Ananda Centre for Balance. We have two sons, Dylan (11) and Ben (7) who are students at Dr. Clark School. We live in downtown Fort McMurray, just a couple blocks from the river and my favourite fishing spot.

I came to Wood Buffalo in the dead of winter in 1996, just before the oil sands industry took off again and this community and region began to grow at an unparalleled rate. From the very beginning I got involved with the community, joining the interPLAY Society, participating in the food bank drives, organizing the Canada Day Fireworks concert (back when we used to do it on the hill next to the bridge) and performing on the Keyano Theatre stage.

I want to be on Council because I know that I have a lot to offer. I have a proven track record of being successful in a team environment, of being collaborative, creative and getting things done. I believe that as Councillors we need to seek first to understand. It is our job! To listen, to learn, to debate, to challenge the process, to inspire a shared vision of what is possible in Wood Buffalo. We need to encourage, demonstrate leadership, be respectful of one another, and honour and embrace the responsibility we’ve been given.

My platform is rooted in the belief that this great region can be even greater. We need to turn the vision of the Riverfront Master Plan into reality. We need to continue focusing on our infrastructure, always working ahead of the growth curve so we don’t have play catch-up again. Quality of life initiatives need to be brought to the top of the priority list to ensure we have a region that attracts and retains families and people who want to build a life here. We need to continue working with the province to build facilities for our seniors, they are the backbone of our region and need to be honoured, respected and served.

I believe that we live in an incredible region, and that BIG SPIRIT is more than a fancy catch phrase. It truly defines what is absolutely unique about Wood Buffalo. As the 2010 Big Spirit Ambassador Award recipient, I pledge to continue telling our story and shaping it, as Wood Buffalo becomes the envy of Alberta, Canada and the World. On October 18th I’m asking for your support. Thank you.

October 4, 2010 - 197.6 pounds, 35.4% body fat

Leadership Wood Buffalo Retreat

Leadership Wood Buffalo alum, Jody and I drove Highway 881 to Christina Lake Lodge in Conklin yesterday for the opening retreat of this community leadership program. Jody was in the third cohort, along with Karen who joined us there and Annette, who was in the first cohort with me. This is an annual tradition with the opening retreat, to invite alumni to spend an hour sharing their recollections and perspectives about the journey with the new gang.

I try my best to participate in as many Leadership Wood Buffalo activities as I can; I am not only an alum, I also sit on the board. I am passionate about this program, always have been, always will be.

The new group is made up of 19 emerging leaders from all walks of life. There is a business manager, fire and safety inspector, community liaison officer, procurement specialist, project manager and many more. They come from the nonprofit, public, retail and industry sectors and range in age from young adult to aspiring senior. The three-day retreat gives them an opportunity to learn about the program and each other. It also provides the tools for the facilitators to figure out how to group them into smaller teams of four and five.

Within their groups, the participants will select and begin planning their all-important "case studies". This is the experiential portion of the program that is often talked about as both the most challenging and the most rewarding part of the 8-month adventure.

Leadership Wood Buffalo began being talked about in 2005 by a group of leaders who were nearing retirement and recognized that there would soon be a leadership gap in Wood Buffalo. Debbie Robert, Marylea Jarvis, Pam MacGillivray, Ed Kamps, Linda Ball, Sana Elache and others were instrumental in shaping the program in the spring of 2006 and recruiting participants and sponsors to get it up, running and funded by the fall of that year. They inspired a shared vision which has already resulted in the graduation of over 70 community-minded leaders in four years.

As I contemplate a flurry of activity over the next few weeks getting ready for Election Day on October 18th, I'm pleased to be joined on the ballot by another Leadership Wood Buffalo alum, Allan Vinni; he is running in Ward 3 representing Saprae Creek Estates and Draper. While there is so much to be proud of about the Leadership Wood Buffalo program, seeing two of its alumni on Regional Council would be a real feather in our cap. I'm hoping that's a picture that comes into clear focus later this month.

OUR HOME OUR FUTURE. www.russellthomas.ca