Full Transcript for Dr. Phillip Hoffmann: Community Builder

I I remember the floods and how uh Marinenchi had to go on TV and say, we have too many volunteers. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:22.399 Like we need to slow down because we're starting to run into too many people trying to help. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:28.240 That doesn't happen in every community, but right, but when I see something happen in Airdrie or a need, so many people step up. 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:29.839 Yeah, yeah, I agree. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:31.839 It's a it's a really great place. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.319 So let's talk about some of the ways you're stepping up. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:34.800 All right. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:38.480 So I we mentioned the library, so let's talk about your library journey. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:39.519 Uh sure. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:41.839 So as an academic, uh PhD. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:43.759 Natural connection. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:45.199 Yeah, right, right. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:46.879 Uh not much of a stretch there. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:49.279 So um, you know, PhD in philosophy. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.560 That's what brought me to Calgary and the University of Calgary. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:59.040 Anyway, so um, you know, literacy, I headed up Literacy Alberta for a while in Calgary a long time ago. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:03.839 And uh so literacy is uh something close to my heart, uh, books and so on. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:12.959 So uh one of the first stops I made when I moved to Airdrie was um the library to check it out at what is now the the previous location, right? 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:20.959 And anyway, so um the volunteer coordinator at the time looked at my resume and said, you know what, I think we have a role for you. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.319 In other words, not sort of stacking shelves, but something else. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:31.199 And it was um advocates for the Airdrie Public Library Society, so kind of like a friends of the library group. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.759 And um, so I said, yeah, sure, sure. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:44.399 And so joined that and before too long ended up uh taking that on as um as the president and did about oh a six or seven year stint there. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.759 I've just recently stepped down from leading it. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:51.120 I wanted to get through the transition to the new facility, which we did. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.079 I know, it's been a runaway success. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:58.639 You know, the the the numbers of people attending are just off the charts. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:00.639 So that's been a huge success. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:06.160 The whole Inspire concept and the building, the way it works, uh I think is working out well. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:12.079 So, yeah, so that was one piece, the advocates for the library, and then there's a few others just sort of followed. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:22.319 Yeah, when I look at that Inspire Center, uh we just we were just uh you were volunteering, I was volunteering for Culture Fest yesterday at the time we're recording this. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:28.560 Um 20 some odd meetings were held at Inspire that led up to that event. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:31.920 Prior to Inspire opening, uh, we didn't have any meeting space. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:41.920 So it was either at somebody's house, which was really inconvenient for a larger group, or online meetings, or where you lose a lot of collaboration. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.279 Uh having a space where the community can go is so important. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:46.879 Yes, so important. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:47.920 For sure. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.680 And for quite a while, meeting spaces in Airdrie were very limited. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:53.519 Yeah, it's better, it's a lot better now. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:58.879 Yeah, and so great work on on being an advocate for for what came of that. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.600 So, and and now you're with the food bank. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:09.680 Yes, well, that's also been six years, uh the ending my third term, two-year term, pretty soon in October. 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:11.759 Um, and that's been fantastic. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:22.399 I've been on a number of uh not-for-profit boards over the years in Calgary and uh here in Edry, and it's far and away the one I've loved the most uh for all kinds of reasons. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:30.639 Um, the cause itself, uh, which uh is you know greater than ever, sad to say, but the need is is greater than ever. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.920 And plus just the morale uh on the operations side and on the board side. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:42.720 I love our board, uh it's really functional, it's high-level functioning, and we get a lot done, and I'm really proud to be a part of it. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:45.360 So you you touched on the need. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:50.319 Um everything's getting more expensive, everything seems to be getting harder. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:51.920 Uh talk about food insecurity first. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:52.639 Yeah, sure. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:54.399 Why it should be front of mind. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:08:10.560 Yeah, so food insecurity, and who would have thought, you know, I mean, originally when food banks started back in the United States, uh, I'm gonna say the 1950s-ish, uh, around that time, they were always only ever meant to be a temporary band-aid solution, right? 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:22.560 Now they're so entrenched in not only in North the United States, but in Canada and other parts of the world, that like here, they're an essential frontline service. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:22.959 Yeah. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:23.360 Right? 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:26.639 Regarded as essentially like an emergency service. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.680 And so so they've really become part of the fabric. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:34.159 Um, there are many, many reasons uh that we could go into around that.

00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:39.200 Uh but you know, most recently, I mean, COVID was was a factor. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:43.200 The demand was already and the need was already increasing, though, regardless. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:52.159 Um, we've got uh lots of uh new families, new Canadian families, uh in Airdrie, of course, in Calgary as well. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:09:05.200 But lots of people trying to make mortgages, two parents working, uh sometimes up to three generations in a house, in these big houses we have, and so on, and not always being able to quite make those ends meet. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:05.840 Yeah. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:12.799 Well, and and and people making decent or what was considered decent salaries too, still struggling. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:13.279 Exactly. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:17.120 It's getting so much harder for that middle to make things meet. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.279 Yeah, the middle class is being squeezed for sure. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:20.639 Yeah, yeah. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:31.440 So here in Airdrie, I I mean I've had the pleasure of coming out and seeing the facility, uh, and getting to know some of the people doing the work, but what does it take to run a food bank? 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.519 What goes into that for people who don't know. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:36.960 Yeah, yeah, so a lot, a lot of logistics. 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:45.360 Um, so I mean, the essential m model, the business, is fairly straightforward in that food comes in and food goes out. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:45.600 Yeah. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.000 Right? 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:53.120 So we we receive food or we go out and get it or buy it, uh, and then we distribute that food. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:59.600 But that, you know, the in-between part, the food bank part, there's a lot of moving pieces in there, right? 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:05.519 There's there's the constant turnover, uh, fresh produce coming in and out, and how to manage that. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:09.840 There's, you know, wastage and spoilage, which of course we try to minimize, right? 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:22.000 There's um and and there's also that balance, Chris, of maintaining privacy and dignity for our clients, uh, and but also needing to get minimal information as well, right? 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:22.399 Right. 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:28.879 Um if we if we well, one model is ask no questions. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:34.559 We're not quite there, but uh if you do that, you get you tend to get a bit more abuse of the system. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:37.039 There's not much of that, but there's gonna be a little bit. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:43.120 So we just basically asked to show that our clients are from this area, um Edry area. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:44.399 Yeah, not driving from Red Deer. 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:45.039 Yeah, yeah. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:45.759 Exactly. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:46.080 Yeah. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:58.080 And then uh one of

the other things, when you talk about the logistics side of it, you know, uh, if you haven't had the opportunity to go suit sort food or or donate some time, I I suggest people do it if they can. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:08.480 Uh I was shocked with how much work goes into uh the sorting and then and even sourcing food that is food bank ready. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:10.559 And that was something I didn't know about. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:11.360 So yeah. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:15.759 So sourcing is always uh an ongoing you know work in progress. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:19.679 We need to find sources, you know, some come, some go, and so on. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:30.159 We're lucky to have uh a strong support from the corporate sector and also in the private sector as well, and and resonances, um, uh resonance of Airdrie. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.759 So we get a lot of support. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:49.679 Um, but uh just back to the point you made, yeah, it's a really eye-opening experience, Chris, to go to the food bank and do some volunteer work, do sorting, because you know, we get these big watermelon bins or gaylords, they're called, uh, these massive bins, huge, and they're full of tins or cans, right? 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:55.519 And other stuff, cardboard, uh boxes, whatever, from you know, mac and cheese to you name it. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.120 Well, it all has to be sorted. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:11:59.919 I mean, you've got this massive container of food. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:05.440 It needs to be, before it can be distributed out the door, we need to organize it. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:07.679 So that's a lot of sorting that goes on. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:15.679 Um, a little less so when you get the pallets from the Costco's and so on, and it's all just one pallet of whatever watermelons or whatever. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:19.759 Uh, so then there's a little less, but then there's still always storage involved. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:25.120 So it's a constant, uh, a constant moving you know, warehouse project. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:30.960 Now, when somebody donates money to the food bank, uh where does it go? 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:36.720 Because it I I know it goes to covering the costs of the sorting and whatnot, but what other expenses are the food banking? 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:37.840 Well, sure, sure. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.720 So there's there's obviously operational expenses. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:48.559 So, you know, it is a non-for-profit, but we you know, we have to remember that um it's a business in the sense that some people are paid. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.600 We have hundreds of volunteers, but we have a staff as well. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.720 So there are there are staffing costs, there's ongoing uh maintenance costs, of course. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:00.000 Uh I mentioned that we do need to buy some food. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:01.519 You know, we're fairly fortunate. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:08.320 We get a lot donated from our corporate partners and so on, but there's still um uh food that we need to buy. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:16.960 For example, um baby food, uh baby formula, that kind of stuff, it's in high demand everywhere, and it has been for several years. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:22.080 So um, you know, we just don't get that donated, so we have to go out and buy it. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:32.720 And even things that used to be always on our shelves tomato soup, mushroom soup, that sort of stuff, cans, yeah, you know, we've had shortages of those as well in recent years, amazingly. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:42.080 Yeah, that's uh that's uh disheartening to hear, but at the same time uh that somebody's filling that service is is good to hear. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:46.559 Uh what challenges right now is facing the Yergy Food Bank? 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:48.320 What's our biggest uh challenge here? 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:54.960 Um just the uh the the growth of population and the need that's gone along with that, right? 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:55.360 Right. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.919 And so in that sense, we're not alone. 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:00.879 I mean, the city has growing pains in all kinds of ways. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:03.200 You know, on the city, right? 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:06.399 So kind of similar kinds of growing pains, right? 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:11.039 Where you've got you've got needs, demands uh to to meet, right? 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:18.720 They're different from the cities, what you have to provide, but uh but there are just needs across the board because we've got a growing population. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:28.720 So um, so just keeping up with uh the demand, we're we're sort of there, but it's you know, from week to week, it can be pretty close at times. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:29.519 Right. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:34.159 In a perfect world, uh and obviously in a perfect world the food bank doesn't exist. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:34.720 Yeah. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:45.120 Uh so I don't want you to put yourself out of uh out of a uh responsibility here, but in a perfect world, what would support for the food bank look like from the community, from levels of government? 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:51.120 Yeah, well, I I think um advocacy, um awareness, right? 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:52.720 Uh stepping up. 00:14:52.879 --> 00:15:09.200 I mean, um, and really, Chris, it really comes down to uh philosophically, right, for a society, um, where are the society's priorities and how does a caring, responsible society support people who are most in need? 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:09.840 Right. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:15.919 And I've got a little story I'd like to tell around that as a sort of segue back to that point. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:27.120 So this is a a story that happened a couple of years ago, and for the most part, uh, as I mentioned, because of privacy concerns, we don't know the stories of our clients. 00:15:27.279

--> 00:15:30.879 They come in, we ask for a little bit of ID, and what do you need? 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.639 How what is your family size? 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:33.759 First, first question. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:35.279 How big's your family, right? 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:36.480 Uh, and then we go from there. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:39.200 And there's hampers and pantry and so on, right? 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:44.080 And so um, so we mostly don't hear the stories of our clients. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.480 This is a different uh occasion. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:53.919 So our warehouse manager, Robert, was um was out the back, got a call that there was someone coming in for a food hamper, right? 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:54.240 Right. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:56.960 Family of three coming in for a food hamper. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:10.639 So the the person came and it turned out to be um uh a man, uh younger guy, uh, with two boys in the front seat of his truck, about age four and six, something like that. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.679 Robert thought. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:18.399 Anyway, Robert takes a look at this truck, it's a pickup truck, and figures this is a tricked-out, you know, truck. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:20.399 It's probably worth 150,000 bucks. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.919 I mean, you know, not a poor person's vehicle at all. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:26.399 A newer tricked-out pickup truck. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:26.720 Yeah. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:39.039 So the guy comes over and they they uh he says, Yes, I'm here to pick up my hamper, and uh, you know, gets the the boys to sort of help out with him and make room for this, and you know, and so on, and the boys are being very respectful. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:52.000 And anyway, so Robert helps the guy, gives him the food, the hamper order, and he's about to walk away, and the guy turns at him and looks at him and says, You have no idea how much this is helping. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:52.399 Right. 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:58.960 Robert just says, Oh, you know, and he's a ch Robert's a friendly chatty guy, allowed this person to tell a bit of his story. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:16:59.279 Right. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:05.920 Story is that a few weeks previously, uh, his wife um died in a car accident. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:06.480 Okay. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.880 Um with so they have two boys, right? 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:16.640 Now no immediate family close by, so he's now primary caregiver to these two young boys. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.279 Okay. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:22.640 So primary caregiver has to do everything for them, loses his job, right? 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.799 Because he can't keep up with both. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:25.519 Right? 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.720 Couldn't keep up with his uh job, got laid off. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:37.599 Uh he was getting desperate um to make ends meet, and until he found someone else, another employer, who was willing to take

him on. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.960 Okay, so he you know, gets on with this new employer, but he's still near the end of his rope, right? 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:46.640 Because it's been weeks and weeks and he's got not much money and whatever. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:51.599 And so he's just in the front office and just sort of, you know, going, What am I gonna do? 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:55.599 And the the woman at the front desk uh uh said, You know what? 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:58.000 Go to the food bank, they'll take care of you. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:58.559 Yeah. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:05.599 And the boss, who is standing nearby, uh overhearing, said, Yeah, do that and take my truck, and flips him the keys. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:12.559 So so there's a few things around that that that jump out again. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:14.880 Like I said, we don't know the stories of our clients. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:17.359 Another lesson is assumptions, right? 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.079 Be careful about the assumptions we make. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:25.039 We we have this stereotype of who goes to a food bank or who needs the food food bank. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:25.920 We don't know that. 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:26.880 You don't know that either. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:30.000 It could be anyone, could be right next door to you. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:30.880 You don't know. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:56.160 Um, so there's that, and then going back to uh the point about um what sort of society we want, you know, my view, Chris, is that uh the measure of a of a society, of a true, caring, and responsible society is not how well we take care of millionaires and billionaires, but it's how well we take care of people like that guy with those two boys. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:56.640 Right. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.039 Right? 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:02.480 Because um in life, we're all good until we're not good. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:03.279 Yeah, right? 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:04.319 It's all good until we're not good. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:06.640 Exactly, exactly. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:11.119 And so, right, and that's why society has to be responsible for that, right? 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.680 I I love what you're saying about assumptions. 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:20.160 Uh I I'm a pretty positive person and I I live a pretty stress-free life because of positivity. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:29.200 You know, I I don't uh I don't try to assume that everybody's out for bad intentions, and that usually leads to good relationships, right? 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:38.720 Every now and then you're gonna meet somebody who is abusing the system or is uh having bad intentions, but for the most part, people are just trying to do their best, yeah, trying to make ends meet. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:47.119 And if you meet them on a bad day, it might be a bad experience, but to not assume the worst in that person and not assume something that you don't know. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:49.839 If you're going to assume something, assume that they mean well. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:50.400 Yes. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:53.839 It's not always easy to do, but no, it's sometimes it's really hard. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.240 But if we can make that our default assumption to assume the best, you're right. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:03.279 We have better lives, we have better relationships, we have more fun, and life is less stressful, right? 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:03.759 Right. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.160 It just it it works out better for you as a person. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.039 That's right. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:07.599 That's right. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.480 Couldn't agree more. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.039 Yeah, I I think uh that's a great way to go. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:18.880 And uh it's interesting to have uh somebody with a doctorate in philosophy agree with my personal uh way of going. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:27.680 Uh tell me a little bit about how your background in philosophy helps you navigate these real-world situations because I don't think they're disconnected. 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:34.960 I don't think uh having a good uh philosophical background doesn't work operationally. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:36.079 So tell me about that. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:36.880 I agree. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:47.680 So um, you know, in universities, there's again, there's this stereotype about philosophers or a philosophy department of yeah, how can you get a job with that, right? 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.680 Yeah, you'll never get a job with that. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:59.359 Well, actually, employment rates are quite good for philosophy graduates, and they they have been all along, and not just good for the humanities, but good, you know, period. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.319 Right. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:02.799 And I think a couple of things. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:20.559 Um, one is um critical thinking, um looking, tending to look at the big picture, being able to sort of stand back and and look at the big overall picture, and uh look at um underlying causes, of course, um ethics and morality, right? 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:22.160 Uh that comes up all the time. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:27.039 How do we how do we uh address ethical and moral challenges? 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:37.279 Um, and that comes up uh you know in life in general, but particularly when we're trying to balance resources, yeah, which we always are in you know in all aspects, right? 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:39.759 So yeah, that's a really good point. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:56.720 So let me pick on this a little bit because I'm a nerd and I go down rabbit holes, and uh I really got into the good place, which created uh the show on NBC, The Good Place, and it sent me down a rabbit hole of philosophers and finding out some of the backgrounds of some of the things I heard on the show. 00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.839 When it comes to philosophy, what are some of

your influences? 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:03.440 What are some of the things that you've taken from your your education? 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:05.279 Well, thanks very much for asking. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:14.960 I could I could really go off on a tangent because my PhD dissertation was in philosophy of science, in philosophy of quantum mechanics. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:21.519 So I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole as much as I would love to, because you might lose all of your listenership right there. 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:21.839 Yeah. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.440 Because it's, you know, it gets fairly technical fairly quickly. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:40.640 However, um I am a bit of a generalist as well, Chris, and uh um you know did ethics as well and logic and uh uh you know critical thinking, as I said, and um took something from all of that. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:51.680 And I would say um, you know, for for ethics, uh, for example, um, there's different, you know, theories and schools of thought about how we should be. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.839 Uh it's easy to say, yeah, just do the right thing. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.640 That's easy. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:56.079 But Google tried that. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.200 Yeah, yeah, exactly. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.319 But what does that mean? 00:22:58.480 --> 00:22:59.759 That's where it becomes hard. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:01.759 What does it mean to do the right thing? 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.680 Or what does it mean to be a good person? 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.079 Because there's different conceptions about that. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:09.680 So um we don't we can't lose sight of the questions. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:22.319 They're important questions, and they're hard and they're tough, and we're all always going to keep coming back to them, but we have to keep um, you know, uh asking ourselves what that means for us personally and for our communities. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:36.240 So um, you know, the basic Kantian ethics thing of uh uh treating other people the way that you would want to be treated, which is like the golden rule, which is common in religions, uh that's a that's a pretty good starting point. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:40.079 So, you know, uh I like that as a as a basis, right? 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:41.839 That reversibility principle, right? 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:46.720 I treat you, how do you how do I want you to treat me the same way in the same situation? 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:48.720 That's right, that's right. 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:50.960 And you do that, Chris. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.119 Uh you give people the benefit of the doubt. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:24:01.279 And yes, you can get kicked in the butt every now and then, as you said, right, just before, but in the long run, it's still a good way to live. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:05.839 So yeah, you know, it's it's been quite rewarding for me. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:11.039 One of the things I've had the ability to do with a career in aviation is travel a lot. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:11.440 Right. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:16.400 And you hear about this country being dangerous or that country being dangerous, you're the worst about everything. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:23.440 And then when you get there and you start talking to people and being curious and learning their stories, you get rewarded with such a rich experience. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:24.000 Yeah. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:26.079 And I find that's the same way with people. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:33.119 Like if you give people the benefit of the doubt, you're more than likely to have a deeper relationship with them than just that surface transactional level. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:33.680 Sure. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:42.480 And also just that being open and the openness when you travel, you know, you know, step in you you got to step outside your comfort zone a little bit and meet people halfway. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:46.079 You do that, people recognize that they and they respond to that, right? 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:50.640 And they'll meet you halfway and they'll tell you about their situation and their country and their life. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:52.720 And that's why we travel to find that out. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:53.680 Of course. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:01.359 Yeah, you can go to an all-inclusive resort anywhere in the world and get the same beer and the same thing, but learning that waiter story and that like so. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:03.440 Like, I I've I could go on a rabbit hole one day. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.359 I'm gonna do a whole episode on my experiences in Cuba and bring on a Cuba expert. 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:18.480 But, you know, I've developed uh friendships with people that have lasted 20 years in two countries uh as they've immigrated to the United States or other countries, and we're still friends to this day. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.839 That all started with a conversation and getting to know somebody. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:23.519 So you never really know where it's gonna go. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.319 Yeah. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:28.400 Well, that's uh I didn't expect to go deep into philosophy here. 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:30.960 Well, it's been a shallow dive so far. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:37.680 So far, well, the quantum mechanics side, uh quantum uh uh philosophy of quantum mechanics, yeah. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:44.799 That uh keeps me up at night in a way my brain just doesn't understand it, and I try to, so that'll keep me up all night. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:46.000 So that'll be off camera. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:46.880 I'll ask you about that. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:47.599 Right. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:48.160 Yeah. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.000 I'll give you the Cull's notes when we're done. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:50.559 Okay. 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.559 Uh I want to pick on something uh about you personally when it comes to philosophy.

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:59.119 Uh you have seemed to dedicate a life of service. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.079 Why? 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:07.680 Yeah, so I mentioned my father's service ethic, and um, yeah, it's always been part of my DNA. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:11.839 Uh um you know, he was an immigrant too. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:20.319 He was uh uh an immigrant from it was then Palestine to Australia, right, during World War II as a civilian internee. 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:22.799 That's a whole whole other long story, right? 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:30.400 Um, but brought to a not a prisoner of war camp, but a civilian internment camp, like the Japanese were held here in World War II. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:40.720 So he was uh um a German Palestinian, transported to Australia with a bunch of you know relatives on a ship and and kept in a camp. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:48.640 And when he was released in 1947, you know, um he had a suitcase and that was it, and made his way in Australia. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:52.799 And in retrospect, he said, you know what, it's the best thing that could have happened to me. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.160 I didn't choose it, right? 00:26:54.240 --> 00:27:05.039 Yeah um, but I ended up in this amazing country, Australia, and you know, another of one of the best countries in the world, and started from nothing and made a life for himself. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:12.720 But uh because of his good fortune that he realized, um, he gave back to Australia, right? 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:17.119 And so here I am in Canada giving back to Canada, right? 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:21.839 It's it's just to me what what you do, right? 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.240 Right. 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.359 So yeah. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.039 And in the ways we can. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:26.319 So right. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:29.680 And uh, you know, finding a way to contribute in the way you can is so key. 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:32.400 You know, it doesn't always have to be starting a foundation. 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:36.799 Sometimes it's just a step, sometimes it's just a little volunteer shift to get things rolling. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.440 Yeah. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:42.960 And and while I'm at it, Chris, I'll just put in a quick shout-out for Volunteer Airdrie, which is another of the groups I'm in. 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:45.759 Yeah, I'm on the board for that. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:52.640 And uh, you know, again, um really shows the volunteering spirit in in uh Airdrie. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:28:05.759 Uh hundreds and hundreds of volunteers registered, and then we sort of act as a sort of clearinghouse to match um volunteer needs with volunteers who are registered in a nutshell, right? 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:09.839 There's more to it than that, but but it's that matchmaking service that's important. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:22.400 Now, without that, um organizations can do it themselves and find their own volunteers and and scramble and and do that, and many um many towns and cities do that. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:28.240 But to have um an organized group that does that as a service, yeah, that's a good thing, right? 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:32.640 Um just as we experienced this weekend with volunteer injury at Culture Fest. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:35.680 Yes, and next to Culture Fest, right? 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:45.119 The Culture Fest staff working together, yeah, helping make sure things run smoothly with traffic control and just you know general maintenance and all that kind of stuff. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.799 Yeah, I mean that was an example of how things work, right? 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:49.200 Right. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.240 And work well. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:50.960 So yeah. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:57.200 So just just an incredible uh depth of giving back to the community. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.960 I I really like to thank you for that. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.000 Uh thank you. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:05.119 I I hope more people look at these examples and go, uh, I could help, I could be a part of it. 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:11.759 So what's your advice for somebody who's listening to this, going, I I feel a bit disconnected from my community and I want to get more involved? 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:24.240 Well, I the first thing is, Chris, and this is maybe not what you're expecting me to hear to say, but the first thing is is to look around at your neighbors on your street, get to meet them, right? 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:30.799 Personal relationships, get to get to know your neighbors, what are their needs, if they have any, and you know, uh what's going on? 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:31.759 What are they involved in? 00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:33.599 What are the kids involved in, and so on. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:35.279 Start building those connections. 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:41.519 And from there, right, it's uh, well, I know, you know, the person who needs this or whatever. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:46.960 Oh, and I have that skill or that, you know, competency or whatever, you know, I can follow up. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.799 So, you know, it starts at home. 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:53.039 It starts from where we are and reaching out to the people around us. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:30:02.720 And then in an organized way, there's um volunteered, you know, volunteeredry uh.ca, um, edrifoodbank.ca, and so on. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:04.960 Uh go online and start looking around. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:08.480 And before you know it, you'll you'll get hooked up with lots of people. 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:11.680 You know, it's there's as much there as you want to get involved in. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:15.519 Well, that's that's a great way to end the pod. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:18.079 Uh, I really appreciate you coming on the show. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:22.400 Like I said, I've been an admirer of you seeing you do so much in the community. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:25.599 I'd like to thank you for that, and thank you for being my guest today. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:27.359 Thanks very much for having me, Chris. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:32.079 And I want to thank you and the exciting new city council we have for all the work you're doing. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:32.720 Seriously. 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:34.000 I do appreciate that. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:35.440 We're we're working hard, my friend. 00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.319 I know, I know. 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:37.359 Thank you very much. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:40.319 And thank you for joining us here on Airdrie Inside. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:43.200 We're gonna be back with more great episodes coming up shortly. 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:44.400 That's the one. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:45.279 Yeah, there you go.