The NDP did not win the Athabasca seat. I can't say that I'm surprised; in a region where people come to make money, who wants to share it with others? The Conservative candidate got something like three times the votes of any other.

This last week hasn't been very exciting. My research tactics need to change up, I think. The people at the Friendship Centre are all very nice, but are more interested in suggesting people I should talk to than actually talking themselves. I have had a good chess lesson this week, though. It's a tough game. I thought I knew how to play, but then a man at the Friendship Centre who did not appear to be completely awake beat me in about four moves. Apparently I don't think about things for long enough--not really something that a budding social scientist wants to hear, but it made for a good lesson.

My chess partner was unfortunately not interested in talking about health, but he did talk to me about his life, offering a view into the population of Fort McMurray that is not hauling sacks full of money to the bank every month. He told me that he walks around during the day and talks to people; pretty simple. A buddy that was with him says that he likes to get in fights, so that others know that he's the toughest guy in Fort McMurray. They drop by the Friendship Centre sometimes to have coffee and chat, then go out again to walk and talk and fight. There's a couple that comes in and helps out while they aren't collecting bottles; another man who lives in a tent, and complained this week of how people were knocking it down and going through his things--the shelter here is closed during the summer, and the homeless put up tents in the bushes. The police try to move the camps as far away from residential areas as possible, saying that their occupants are too messy--the campers say that the people in houses are worse, the way they throw all their garbage into the bushes by the river.

I'm not entirely sure where the municipality's money goes. Social programs and infrastructure both seem to be lacking, and based on the cost of property up here, it seems they shouldn't be. Residents talk about having to go to Edmonton for proper health care, and must visit the emergency room to see a doctor unless they want to wait a couple of weeks to see a family doctor. Population growth is expected to outpace dwelling construction at least for the next few years. Instead of focusing on such issues, the municipality's 2004 budget indicates that it is putting more money into reserves and debt reduction than into community services; it's kind of like the provincial government on a smaller scale.

Despite the lack of interest in building community, there is a YMCA here. It's proving to be the saviour of my sanity. Most mornings I can go and have a swim to wake up, and then have a shower there instead of at my smelly camp--there seem to be more women there now, which means less access to our washroom. The Y has a lot of young people in the fitness center in the morning, and next to nobody in the pool; sometimes I have it to myself. There's no outdoor pool here, which definitely sucks when it's in the high 20s. From my favorite lunch spot at Snye Park, I can see people on jetskis and tubes in the Clearwater River, but I've never quite believed that it's okay to swim in a river. Having grown up around Edmonton, where touching the river water is more of a dare than a relief from summer heat, I just don't trust river water. And from what some of the residents here have told me, my apprehension is well founded. They report that water dwellers are no longer to be found, and that the water itself will eat through the chrome on boat parts rather quickly. I feel no urge to test this myself, and will stick to the YMCA (although I'm not entirely sure if the chlorinated water is all that much safer).

I made another trip back to Edmonton on the weekend. It can be frustrating sitting in my smelly room on a Friday night, knowing that my friends are having tons of fun just a few hours away (although in reality, they're probably talking about how boring Edmonton is, and how they go to the Black Dog waaaaay to often). I tossed myself back onto the Greyhound on Friday morning, and was surprised to find no crying children. My visit home was nice and hot and just what I needed. Returning to my Fort McMurray room almost made me turn around and head back down to the bus station, but the smell inspired me to work as fast as I can and get to a nicer smelling home ASAP.

To add to my wildlife tally:

            Deer: 1 more

            Dead deer: 1

            Birds* standing on dead deer: 2

*I thought these birds were hawks when I rode by, but now I think I remember being told that hawks don't hang out together, so I'm not sure...