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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.
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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).
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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...
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