There are two salvations of my morning drive. One is a smoothie. The other is a radio spot promoting NorthStar Ford, which is owned by Marty Giles.

In a market fraught with lackluster radio spots, the NorthStar Ford commercials are smart, compelling, and original. Giles writes the ads himself, which proves that you don't need an MBA to be a marketing hero (you don't even need a degree-Giles is a self-described "University of Calgary drop-out").

8 a.m.    Nine people wait outside the Centre of Hope, on Franklin Avenue.  It’s minus 23C.  Some walked over from the Salvation Army, where they slept the night before. Others slept in apartment building lobbies or around cars. It’s referred to as “sleeping rough.” One man says that he slept in the snow, and he invites you to feel his hands. They’re warm.

6 On

Tommy Gun’s

Want a real man’s haircut? Hit up Tommy Gun’s and take advantage of their great services. Free drinks, snacks, and arcade games to boot, plus a wide selection of men’s grooming products. It’s a win-win. They also own Fat Franks. What a company!

6 ON

The Tavern on Main
Great service, great location and basically any beer in the world at your disposal. If you haven’t been there yet, check it out. Also, it’s Fort McMurray in a nutshell. A place where blue collar meets white collar and everything in between.

DURING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, NOBODY BITCHED ABOUT NOT HAVING A GO-KART FACILITY NEARBY…

For the most part, everyone was just pretty stoked about the potential to strike it rich. Well, not everyone. In history books and in folklore, there are records of people losing their minds: either from the extreme temperature, the crippling homesickness, or the gamble gone bust.

Sound familiar?

An untapped business market, a high-paying job, a rich husband: we all came to Fort McMurray in a quest for our proverbial goldmine. Maybe you were born here. No matter - your parents came here for the same reasons.