From the Parking Lot to the Ballroom: Guillermo Rodriguez’s Remarkable Journey to Dancing with the Stars

Some success stories are carefully planned. Others happen because someone notices talent where no one else is looking. The journey of Guillermo Rodriguez is one of those rare Hollywood stories that proves authenticity, hard work, and a sense of humor can open doors no one ever imagined.  I enjoy Dancing With the Stars, but being away for 23 days, we missed his episodes.  I am now getting caught up with my PVR.

Today, millions know Guillermo as the lovable sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and, more recently, as a fan favorite on Dancing with the Stars. But long before the spotlight, sequins, and standing ovations, he was working multiple jobs just to support his family. 

Humble Beginnings

Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Guillermo moved to the United States in search of opportunity. In 2003, life was anything but glamorous. He worked as a parking lot security guard for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio while also holding a full-time job as a hotel room server and taking on additional weekend work to make ends meet. 

The schedule was exhausting. Guillermo often worked from early morning until late at night, earning modest wages while trying to provide a better future for his family. Few could have predicted that this hardworking security guard would one day become a television personality known across North America.

A Chance Encounter Changes Everything

Hollywood careers often begin with auditions. Guillermo’s began with a nap.

According to accounts from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Guillermo was discovered after being caught sleeping in a co-worker’s vehicle between jobs. Rather than seeing a tired employee, the show's staff recognized something special: Guillermo’s natural charisma and humor. Jimmy Kimmel and the production team invited him to participate in comedy sketches. 

At first, Guillermo was reluctant. He was shy and had never appeared on television before. Eventually, producers convinced him to give it a try, and audiences immediately connected with his genuine personality. 

Becoming a Television Favorite

What started as a few comedy bits soon evolved into a permanent role on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Guillermo's good-natured humor, infectious laugh, and ability to put celebrities at ease made him one of the show's most beloved figures. 

Michael Caine

When Michael Caine's Mother Asked "How Much Is That?" His Answer Changed Everything

At the peak of his fame in the late 1960s, Michael Caine sat down with his mother Ellen and told her something that should have been exciting news: he'd just earned a million pounds for a single film.

Her response? "How much is that?"

Ellen wasn't asking him to repeat himself. She'd heard the number. She just couldn't comprehend what it meant.

This was a woman who'd spent her entire life as a charwoman—a cleaning lady—scrubbing other people's floors in South London. She'd raised Michael and his brother in genuine poverty. No indoor plumbing. Clothes so worn they barely held together. Children going hungry. During the war, she worked herself to exhaustion just to keep her boys fed.

Ellen's entire frame of reference was pounds and shillings carefully budgeted to buy groceries. A million pounds for a few months' work? It might as well have been Monopoly money.

Michael paused. He realized the vast gulf between their worlds—him in luxury hotels and film premieres, her still counting coins in her mind.

So he gave her an answer she could understand:

"It means, Mum, that you never have to work again. You won't have to clean or worry anymore."

That, she understood immediately.

Michael wasn't just offering money. He was offering freedom. Freedom from the brutal labor that had defined her entire adult life. Freedom from worrying about rent and bills. Freedom from scrubbing floors until her hands bled.

And he delivered. He bought her a house. Made sure she had everything she needed. Ellen lived her final years in comfort and security—everything her decades of exhausting work had never been able to give her.

Now Sir Michael Caine, with two Oscars and countless iconic roles, he's never stopped talking about his mother. He named his production company after her maiden name. He frequently says: "Everything I am, I owe to her."

That conversation—"How much is that?"—captures something profound about the distance between poverty and wealth, between those who've known real hunger and those who haven't.

Ellen couldn't comprehend a million pounds. But she understood instantly what "you never have to work again" meant.

For all his fame and fortune, Michael's greatest achievement wasn't captured on camera: ensuring his mother never had to scrub another floor.

"How much is that?" she asked, unable to grasp the wealth.

"It means you're free, Mum," he answered, giving her the only thing that truly mattered.

A Medical Emergency at 35,000 Feet

On our recent flight from Toronto to Vancouver, a medical emergency unfolded just three rows in front of me.

At one point, the cabin crew made the announcement no one likes to hear: was there a doctor or nurse on board?  Fortunately, a retired physician was seated in the row beside the passenger who needed help and immediately responded.

From where I was sitting, I couldn't see much.  The aisle quickly filled with crew members and those assisting.  I remained seated, not because I wasn't concerned, but because there was nothing I could do except stay out of the way and hope for the best.

I did notice medical equipment being brought forward, including what appeared to be an AED case and an oxygen tank with a mask.  Seeing those items reminded me that flight crews are trained for situations most of us hope we never experience.

Thankfully, the passenger stabilized.  After consulting with medical personnel, the decision was made not to divert the aircraft.

What happened next surprised me even more than the emergency itself.

I overheard a flight attendant speaking with a passenger who had taken a video of the incident.  The passenger wanted the captain to see the footage, so he handed over his phone.  A short time later, the flight attendant returned from the cockpit.

The conversation became difficult not to hear.

"The captain viewed the video, appropriate action was taken, and he deleted the video," she said.

The passenger was clearly unhappy with that outcome.

I sat there wondering why anyone would film a stranger experiencing a medical emergency.

Perhaps he thought he was being helpful.  Perhaps he wanted documentation of what had happened.  Or perhaps he intended to share it elsewhere.  I don't know.  What I do know is that my first thought wasn't to reach for a camera.  It was simply to hope that the passenger would be okay.

In today's world, almost every moment can be recorded.  Phones are always within reach.  Yet not every moment needs to become a video.

A person suffering a medical crisis is someone's spouse, parent, sibling, friend, or grandparent.  In those frightening moments, dignity and privacy matter.  If I were the one lying in that seat, I certainly wouldn't want my worst day becoming someone else's content.

As we deplaned in Vancouver, I saw the passenger in the waiting area with the paramedicts.  He declined medical transport, which suggested the situation was not as serious as it first appeared.  That was good news for everyone on board.

Still, I left the flight thinking less about the medical emergency and more about how we respond to the emergencies of others.

Trade Mission to India - National Post

I have never read or knew any details about trade missions other than what I read in newspapers.  It was great to know someone who was a delegate!  Yesterday, I blogged an article from Dan Brodie who was one of the delegates who represented Canada on this Trade Mission.  I thought this Article in the National Post was worth sharing.

Canada's Largest India Trade Mission in 30 Years Delivers 34 Agreements

The October trade mission brought together nearly 300 Canadian delegates, making it the country's largest commercial delegation to India in more than 30 years. According to Global Affairs Canada, the initiative generated 34 agreements and partnerships with a combined estimated value approaching $300 million. Eleven were announced in Mumbai, while another 23 were announced in Bengaluru, two major centres of Indian business and technological development. The delegation included representatives pursuing opportunities across aerospace, energy, information technology, education and other growing industries.

The agreements vary considerably in their structure and purpose. Some involve commercial partnerships and proposed manufacturing ventures, while others are memorandums of understanding, research collaborations or foreign direct investment announcements. That distinction is important because the nearly $300 million represents an estimated combined value, not money already received by Canadian exporters. Sidhu described the mission as an opportunity to strengthen Canada's relationship with one of the world's fastest-growing major economies. The next challenge will be converting those commitments into recurring orders, productive investments and lasting employment opportunities.

Inside Team Canada: What It's Really Like on a Trade Mission to India

When you are on vacation, sometimes news from home is so awesome, I just had to share.  I've known Dan Brodie since he was 2!  We are long time friends with his parents.  He was chosen to accompany Team Canada for a Trade Delegation to India.

If you follow my blog, I've written about Dan before.  He just wrote a best selling book "Lead With Clarity".  I couldn't be happier this fantastic guy had the trip of a lifetime!

An inside look at Canada's largest trade delegation to India in more than 30 years, and the people who made it an experience to remember.

Three hours of sleep, two cities, hundreds of delegates, and more meetings than I could possibly count. Somewhere between a late night reception in Mumbai and a 5:15 a.m. departure for Bengaluru, I began to appreciate just how much goes into bringing a Canadian trade mission to life. The days were long, schedules ambitious, and the opportunities to connect seemingly endless. Yet despite the pace, or perhaps partly because of it, something wonderful was happening among those of us fortunate enough to participate.

I've attended many conferences and business events throughout my career, but there's something different about travelling halfway around the world with people representing your country. We arrived from different provinces, industries, and organizations, each with our own ambitions and reasons for being there. During those first couple of days, between jet lag, market briefings, and introductions, everyone was finding their rhythm.

By our third day together, something had shifted. At the magnificent Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, conversations flowed more naturally, laughter came more easily, and people were taking a genuine interest in one another's work. There was a growing camaraderie among the delegates, an unmistakable sense that we were becoming something more than Canadian business leaders attending the same event. We were beginning to feel like Team Canada.

And we weren't experiencing this alone. The warmth of our Indian hosts, their openness to new relationships, and the extraordinary range of business leaders and entrepreneurs we encountered brought an entirely different dimension to the experience. Having spent considerable time in India over the years, I've developed a deep affection for the country and its people. Watching fellow Canadians experience some of that same generosity and enthusiasm was particularly rewarding.

So, what actually happens on a trade mission?

The October 2026 Team Canada Trade Mission to India brought nearly 300 delegates to Mumbai and Bengaluru, making it Canada's largest trade delegation to India in more than three decades. Led by Canada's Minister of International Trade, the Hon. Maninder Sidhu P.C.,M.P., the mission brought together entrepreneurs, business executives, innovators, educational institutions, and government representatives to strengthen commercial relationships between our two countries.

It was an extraordinary undertaking, and participating gave me a much greater appreciation for what goes into making something of this scale possible.

My own involvement began several months earlier, when Martin Barratt, CITP/FIBP, Canada's Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in Bengaluru, and Grace Dsouza introduced me to the opportunity during a visit to the Consulate General of Canada in Bengaluru. I was immediately interested. Representing Charitable Impact, I saw opportunities to introduce our organization to new relationships, explore potential collaborations, and support the growing interest in corporate giving. And personally, having spent so much time in India, I welcomed the opportunity to help strengthen relationships between two countries I care deeply about.

What followed was considerably more intensive than I had imagined.

Our first day in Mumbai was largely about introductions, understanding the market, meeting fellow delegates, and preparing for the days ahead. Many had arrived directly from Canada and were still adjusting to the time difference. There was a noticeable mixture of excitement, curiosity, and exhaustion as everyone tried to absorb an extraordinary amount of information while remembering who they'd just met.

The following morning, things accelerated considerably.

My day began early, responding to messages and attending to work with our Charitable Impact team back in Vancouver. After a quick networking breakfast, the business meetings began around 9:30 a.m., with a new conversation roughly every thirty minutes until 1:30 p.m. There was little time to pause, and often other people hoping to connect between scheduled appointments.

One conversation might involve artificial intelligence or digital transformation, the next financial services, cybersecurity, or an organization working to improve people's lives. The calibre and diversity of the Indian business leaders we met were impressive. Every meeting opened another window into the scale of India's economy and the ambitions of its entrepreneurs.

After a hurried lunch, delegates dispersed into industry programming and site visits, with opportunities to engage organizations such as TATA Power, Yotta Data Center, and Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.. I had existing work commitments that prevented me from joining those particular visits, but the breadth of the program was remarkable. Evenings brought further networking opportunities, presentations, and receptions, often extending late into the night.

And then you did it all again the next morning.

One evening in Mumbai, I returned to the hotel around midnight, packed my bags, caught up on work, and finally got to sleep around 1:30 a.m. By 4:45 a.m., I was awake again, preparing for an early flight to Bengaluru. After the flight and the journey into the city, we were straight back into briefings, industry sessions, and meetings with Indian business leaders.

Arriving in Bengaluru, I was greeted by three familiar faces: my Charitable Impact colleagues and good friends Avinash Durge, Avinash Viswambharan, and Sandeep Shet, who had come to the airport to welcome me and drive me to the hotel. I'm convinced I could have had CSIS arrange a covert arrival, and these three would still have somehow tracked me down at baggage claim! It was such a thoughtful gesture, particularly given the early hour, and a wonderful reminder of the friendships I've been fortunate to develop with our team in India. After very little sleep, seeing them was exactly the welcome I needed.

From there, it was straight back into the pace of the mission, with briefings, industry sessions, and meetings with Indian business leaders filling the afternoon and evening.

That evening, we gathered for a beautiful outdoor reception surrounded by tropical greenery. It had been raining, and Bengaluru's famous traffic had made getting there an adventure of its own, but by then the energy among everyone was extraordinary. Somehow, despite running on very little sleep, people still had plenty of enthusiasm for another conversation, another introduction, and another opportunity to connect.

I eventually returned to the hotel around midnight, with another full day ahead.

If you've ever wondered whether a trade mission is simply a collection of formal meetings and diplomatic receptions, I can assure you there's considerably more to it. And perhaps the most interesting things happen between the scheduled events.

The conversations you never could have planned

One of my favourite experiences began when I stepped outside to finish a telephone call.

I found myself chatting with Anil Rawat, Managing Director of Sukma Industries Limited, and what began as a casual conversation became one of the most memorable encounters of the mission.

Anil shared his passion for supporting tribal communities in Chhattisgarh, India. His organization is developing an ambitious approach to creating economic opportunities through agriculture, manufacturing, traditional crafts, and other industries, while preserving the cultural identity and knowledge of those communities. Its long term vision includes creating one million livelihood opportunities over ten years.

The ambition was impressive, but what stayed with me most was Anil himself. He was gentle, compassionate, and genuinely excited about what he was doing. After decades of meeting people at business conferences, you develop a sense for when someone's passion comes from somewhere deeper than commercial ambition. For Anil, helping others seemed less like a business objective and more like a calling.

I had stepped outside to take a call and ended up in a conversation that, for me, captured some of the very best of India.

There were so many moments like this throughout the week. People sharing stories about their families, their journeys, their businesses, and why they had chosen to pursue the work they were doing. Some were visiting India for the first time. Others, like me, had longstanding relationships with the country. Some had been born in India and built careers in Canada, while others had travelled in the opposite direction.

As we got to know one another, the conversations increasingly moved beyond what our organizations could do together to who we were as people.

The Canadians who made it special

A large part of the enjoyment came from the other Canadians participating in the mission.

My longtime friend Sukesh Kumar FCPA, FCA, FCGA, who leads KPMG Canada's India Practice, was among the familiar faces. We've known each other for roughly twenty years, and despite both working in Vancouver, we somehow seem to see each other more often at events in India than back home! It was wonderful to reconnect and to get to know his colleague Rakan Aown, Executive Director at KPMG Canada. Rakan has become a particularly good friend over the course of the mission. His warmth, humour, and genuine interest in others made spending time together an absolute pleasure.

Rakan also introduced me to Vandit Verma, Partner and CEO of Enervoxa Inc., a Canadian company pursuing innovative clean technology solutions. Vandit and I hit it off almost immediately, discovering common interests and enjoying some fascinating conversations. It's another example of how one introduction can lead to unexpected connections and possibilities, and I'm looking forward to getting to know him better.

It was equally enjoyable to share the experience with Ashley Martis from StartupFuel, whose work supporting entrepreneurs and investors is opening up interesting possibilities for collaboration, and with Sumona Banerji and Blayne Kumar of MindShield-CyberPsychology & Cognitive Security, who are advancing an important conversation about cognitive security and protecting people from manipulation in the age of artificial intelligence.

Another person who left a wonderful impression was Sobhana Jaya-Madhavan, MSW, Founder and CEO of MuchMagic Global® Consultancy. With a background spanning Canada, India, and the social impact sector, Sobhana has a warmth and enthusiasm that makes connecting with her almost effortless. Our conversations were a lovely reminder of how much common ground people can discover when they're genuinely interested in one another.

These were just a few of the extraordinary people I had the pleasure of meeting. The delegation included leaders from technology, clean energy, education, aerospace, agriculture, financial services, and many other sectors. There was a real willingness to help each other, share introductions, and celebrate one another's ambitions.

In many ways, that was one of the most rewarding aspects of the entire experience.

The extraordinary people behind Team Canada

I would be remiss not to recognize the tremendous work of the Canadian diplomatic and trade teams, both those based in India and those who travelled from Canada to support the mission.

Bringing nearly 300 delegates together across two major Indian cities, coordinating meetings with business leaders, organizing industry programming, receptions, briefings, transportation, and countless logistical details is an enormous undertaking. From the perspective of a participant, the organization was exceptional.

What impressed me just as much was the personal approach of the people leading it.

I had the pleasure of spending time with Chris Cooter, Canada's High Commissioner to India, whose knowledge and perspective on the evolving relationship between our countries were fascinating. Ed Jager, Minister (Commercial) at the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi, brought an extraordinary warmth and enthusiasm to our conversations. And Sara Wilshaw, Canada's Chief Trade Commissioner, was gracious, engaging, funny, and remarkably approachable.

These are people with significant responsibilities and exceptionally demanding schedules, yet they made the time to engage with delegates in genuine conversation. Just as importantly, I noticed the kindness and appreciation they showed to the people working around them. That says a great deal about the character of the people representing our country.

The same spirit extended throughout the Trade Commissioner Service | Service des délégués commerciaux. Martin Barratt, Grace D'Souza, Joachim Rocha, and so many others contributed to an experience that felt both professionally valuable and personally welcoming.

There are countless people whose names I never learned, from the teams coordinating business introductions and transportation to those quietly ensuring every event ran smoothly. Their efforts deserve enormous recognition.

And I want to acknowledge our Indian hosts and business community as well. Their hospitality, openness, curiosity, and enthusiasm for developing new relationships were essential to the success of the mission. The experience would not have been nearly as special without them.

More than a week of meetings

The mission produced tangible results. According to Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada, 34 commercial agreements, partnerships, and investment wins were announced, with a combined estimated value approaching $300 million. That's an impressive achievement and an encouraging reflection of the opportunities emerging between Canada and India.

For Charitable Impact, the week also provided valuable opportunities to introduce our work to business leaders and organizations that may become future collaborators, particularly as we continue developing our corporate giving programs. Just as importantly, it helped raise awareness of our mission to make charitable giving more accessible and to encourage greater participation in generosity.

But there is another outcome that is harder to capture in official announcements or economic statistics.

It's the relationships.

Some will undoubtedly develop into business opportunities or institutional partnerships. Others will lead to introductions, collaboration, and ideas that neither side had considered before arriving. And some, I genuinely believe, will become lifelong friendships.

As the mission came to a close, I found myself reflecting on how fortunate I was to have participated. I felt tremendous pride in the Canadians who represented our country, in the diplomatic and trade teams who brought everyone together, and in the wonderful Indian people and organizations who welcomed us.

I've always felt a strong connection to both Canada and India, and this experience deepened that appreciation considerably.

For anyone considering participating in a future Team Canada Trade Mission, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to explore the opportunity. Be prepared for long days, little sleep, an extraordinary number of conversations, and perhaps a few adventures navigating local traffic. More importantly, arrive with curiosity, generosity, and a willingness to get to know people beyond their business cards.

And for everyone back home who might never participate in a trade mission, I hope this offers a glimpse of the extraordinary work being done to bring our countries closer together.

It was a privilege to be part of Team Canada, and an even greater pleasure to experience the warmth, ambition, and generosity of the people we met in India.

I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Here is Dan's book.  I've not only read it, I got him to sign it for me!

Alberta Referendum

I've been outside Canada for over 3 weeks.  I'm so happy they've decided to keep us united.  For those who want to break up our country, move.  I hope you find a paradise that makes you happy.

I knew there were 10 questions but I didn't know what they said.  This was on Facebook from someone I know.   He grew up in Alberta.  I loved his comments:

How Alberta voted vs how I would have voted had I opted to cast an illegal ballot which would have been really really really easy to do... but I didn't.

Question 1 - AB Govt getting increased control over immigration

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

Why... because Alberta wants and needs top tier new talent and should be able to seek them out and prioritize them. It doesn't limit federal immigration programs, and doesn't limit the constitutional right to move to any province you want to. Alberta wants more doctors - right now Alberta can't say.... put them at the top of the list. I have a friend who tried FOR YEARS to immigrate to Canada as skilled worker - she passed all the tests - she learned french - she had an education and the means to hit the ground running and be a net contributor... the process took so long she aged out and gave up.

Question 2 - AB Govt making it so that only citizens, permanent residents, and other AB approved status holders are eligible for provincialy funded social programs.

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

Why... this is normal - social service tourism isnt. When I step off the plane in a new country I don't expect to receive social care services - Albertans complain that government services are stretched too thin as it is. This was spun into taking away services from immigrants - it's not.... if you choose to come here on a tourist visa and then stay.... you're not going about it the right way. if you choose to come in on a student visa and then never go to school and stay.... you're not going about it the right way. If that's the case see above... my friend should have just applied to a fake strip mall "college" and then never attended. PR's, Refugees, are all recognized and statuses and receive and will continue to receive access as they should. But if you come in on a 4 year student visa in 2003 and never went home.... sorry fella.

Question 3 - Require non permanent residents to reside in Alberta for 12 months before accessing public services.

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

Why... Again those with status (refugees etc) continue to receive services as it's funded federally so the vulnerable new arrivals continue to be covered. I don't expect to step off a plane somewhere and qualify for government social suppoort. Is 12 months a bit long - yeah I think so. Do I think that social services are currently stretched beyond their means - yup. 

Question 4 - A fee for those without permanent status to access healthcare and education.

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

This isn't a foreign concept. My brother moved to the UK on a student visa.... his passport was stamped "no recourse to public funds". he was restricted to how many hours he could work. he had to pay a fee to access a healthcare system he'd never paid into. I went to a hospital in Turkey once.... got a bill. My sister ended up in a hospital in the USA... got a bill. The fee for new arrivals to access healthcare in the UK. The current fee is $1,941 per year of your visa.

Question 5 - Proof of citizenship to vote

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

Why... This should be a no-brainer. Heck at the federal level I once voted with an expired pill bottle from a pharmacy outside of my riding, and a property tax estimate (not an actual bill) for bare land issued before my house was even built. Just to prove a point of how dumb some of the acceptable voter ID items are.... I voted with actual garbage. Also.... there was literally nothing stopping me from voting in this referrendum other than my own willingness to abide by the rules. I have a canadian passport. I have an Alberta Drivers Licence. I could have requested a ballot and voted. I could have simply lied about my residence status. Given that actual ID is easy to obtain - and services exist for completely free ID for those who have difficulty - this is just some administrative cleanup in my opinion.

Question 6 - Allow the province to appoint judges to the Court of Kings Bench and Appeal Court

Alberta - Yes

Me - Yes

Why... Simple - we have had a federal government who for a dozen years rarely bothered to fill vacancies while at the same time we have a Supreme Court ruling which has forced the dismissal of charges if cases arent heard fast enough. Alberta when I last looked into it had 4 federal vacancies still.... Carney appointed one a few weeks ago (we had 5 at the time). On average federal judge vacancies sit empty for 14 months. On one trudeau let the vacancy sit open for 22 months. So you read about very serious cases where the whole case is tossed out because it didnt go to trial fast enough.... well.... fill the seats. And if you won't... we should. Alberta and all provinces should join together to push for this change.

Question 7 - Abolish the senate

Alberta - Yes

Me - No

Why...... we should abolish the unelected part of the process only - not the senate. So the wording of this one I disagreed with. Had they asked do I support making senators an elected position - yes I support that.

Question 8 - Allow Alberta to opt out of new federal programs that are provincial jurrisdictional areas and opt to take the money instead.

Alberta - No

Me - Yes

Why.... Simple.... Quebec has had this veto over federal programs for decades. What's fair is fair. When the $10 / day daycare program was rolled out Quebec said - no thank you, we'll take the cash and apply it to our provincial daycare program. Trudeua said... OK sounds good. A few weeks later when Alberta's terms were being negotiated (first of all why is each province negotiating different terms) Kenney said to Trudeau... we will take the exact same deal Quebec signed - copy and paste - we'll take *points at Quebec* that... Trudeau.... nope you're not allowed. And it's not limited to that one program - for decades Quebec has been granted the ability to say no to federal programs and take the cash equivilant instead. It's a matter of national fairness.

Question 9 - Allow Alberta to force provincial laws to override federal laws when both laws touch on the same jurrisdictional area.

Alberta - No

Me - No

Why.... There ultimately needs to be a top dog in a federalist system. When there are areas of SHARED jurrisdiction and there is conflict - there ultimately needs to be a top national interest. In areas of provincial jurrisdiction the feds should stay in their lane - when there's a shared lane, the province should be expected to yeild to the national interest.

Question 10 - that good ol separation should we have a referrendum to leave Canada 

Alberta - Remain

Me - Remain

Why... Every single promise made by the separatists is based on some pretty wild fantasy assumptions. No more taxes.... Billions paid from the federal treasury... Immediate access to export oil and gas... The faxt that the half dozen seperatist groups can't even get along tells me I want nothing to do with that clusterfvck. Has Alberta been screwed by successive federal governments with one in particular for a decade - yes. Is becoming a landlocked country without access to tidewater (oh but the seperatists will tell you the UN guarantees you right to tidewater... it doenst) a smart idea... absolutely not. Should Alberta roll over and let the federation continue to take advantage of it - nope. Which is why on the other items above I would have voted the way I did while also promoting really... the Quebec approach - refuse and demand and sue... challenge everything. But leave.... no.... I just look at who the seperatists want to join down south and know that's not what I want. It's also.... a big part of why I left.

I'm a Canadian living in Scotland. I own more Canadian flag hoodies than Scottish. Outisde of my home is a decorative Canadian Flag at the door. My car has a maple leaf on it's bumper. There's a whole lot wrong with Canada that needs fixed - hopefully this whole exercise begins the process to do so. Right now I am not convinced that the federal liberals are genuinely interested in long term cooperation vs short term "elbows up" or something because of what's happened with the US. Had it not been for the trade war I don't believe for a second they'd be putting on the sudden pro-alberta oil song and dance they've been performing the past few months. Time will tell. In the meantime... I'm over here and you're over there and my vote doesnt matter anyway.