Latest / Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam / A Coffee with Thu Parmar, Vice President Alberta & North West Territories Canadian Red Cross

Transcript

A Coffee with Thu Parmar, Vice President Alberta & North West Territories Canadian Red Cross · Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam

• 0:09
  Well, hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the ABA Coffee In The Park.
• 0:13
  My name is Cam Milliken, and I am here with my co-host extraordinaire, Jennifer Herrick, the Executive Director of the Acheson Business Association.
• 0:22
  Hello, Jennifer.
• 0:22
  Hello, Cam, on this a little windy day.
• 0:25
  Little windy, but it's sunny out, it's beautiful, it's warm, it's spring has sprung, and allergies are in full bloom, but it's great, I love it.
• 0:33
  It is.
• 0:34
  Yeah, it's wonderful.
• 0:35
  You know what, Cam, I have to let the listeners know, there were two Canadian geese in our ditch yesterday.
• 0:40
  There were.
• 0:41
  And Cam had a bit of a problem with this situation.
• 0:43
  I did not like those geese sitting in our ditch. He sure did not We named them Fred and Wilma, and they weren't there this morning when I arrived, but they had left some telltale signs.
• 0:51
  Well, Cam tried to shoo them away, and they just looked at him and they were like, no, it was nothing.
• 0:56
  So anyway, the geese are back, I guess, and just kind of landing everywhere, and leaving signs of landing everywhere.
• 1:03
  But nonetheless, I think that's a good sign because it doesn't mean spring has come and summer has come.
• 1:08
  Jennifer, tell us about some very important people.
• 1:11
  We would like to thank our gold corporate sponsors, which include the Myshak group of companies, Genics, Parkland County, and Bow Valley Credit Union.
• 1:19
  Yes, and without them, we would not be able to do what we do.
• 1:23
  So thank you all.
• 1:24
  And I just want to say right off the top, thank you to all our listeners, because we just have a bucket load of listeners.
• 1:29
  We sure do.
• 1:30
  All over the world.
• 1:31
  All over the world.
• 1:32
  It's amazing when we look at the map.
• 1:34
  Yeah, not just here, but all over the world.
• 1:37
  Yes.
• 1:38
  It's incredible.
• 1:38
  However you found out and you're listening.
• 1:40
  That's right.
• 1:41
  Thank you.
• 1:41
  Those listening in the Philippines, thank you.
• 1:44
  Anyway, we need to tell everybody that we are coming to you live from the Wall Coffee Roasters in the heart of beautiful downtown Acheson.
• 1:53
  That's right.
• 1:53
  So if you've never been to the Wall Coffee Roasters, you need to come, you need to grab a coffee and sit back.
• 1:59
  This is actually, this time of year is great.
• 2:01
  It's so bright and sunny in here.
• 2:04
  It's awesome.
• 2:04
  And pretty soon, I think Michael will open the patio so you can be sitting out on the deck over there.
• 2:09
  And that will be awesome.
• 2:10
  So that being said, if you hear any noises in the background, coffee whirring, people talking, kids screaming, although I don't see any kids in here today.
• 2:18
  It has happened.
• 2:19
  It has happened.
• 2:20
  Just know that we're live at the coffee shop and that's what we're doing.
• 2:23
  So it's exciting.
• 2:24
  So I'm excited about our guest today.
• 2:27
  Jennifer, let's get started.
• 2:29
  Our guest today is Thu Parmar.
• 2:32
  Did I say your last name correctly?
• 2:34
  You did.
• 2:34
  I did.
• 2:35
  Thank you.
• 2:36
  Who is the Vice President of the Canadian Red Cross! That's right.
• 2:39
  So welcome.
• 2:40
  Welcome Thu.
• 2:41
  Thank you very much for having me.
• 2:43
  It's very exciting and amazing to be here today.
• 2:45
  Now, fresh off the plane from Palm Springs, California, what were you doing in Palm Springs?
• 2:53
  Well, I was having my firstchella at Coachella Festival.
• 2:57
  Coachella! You were rocking with the rockers in the chella.
• 3:02
  I was. 27 acts in three days in record heat.
• 3:08
  It was amazing.
• 3:09
  Unbelievable.
• 3:10
  And you survived to tell about it.
• 3:12
  I definitely did survive.
• 3:13
  I actually feel a little bit rejuvenated.
• 3:15
  You would think after 30,000 steps every day for three days.
• 3:18
  Yeah.
• 3:19
  Yes.
• 3:19
  But I was prepared.
• 3:21
  I wasn't wearing heels in my 20s.
• 3:23
  I was wearing running shoes.
• 3:25
  This is why I like her.
• 3:26
  She is practical and she knows.
• 3:28
  That's just awesome.
• 3:29
  So like, is it everything that everybody says?
• 3:32
  Coachella.
• 3:32
  It is.
• 3:33
  It's everything and more, I think.
• 3:34
  You just, you're not really prepared for anything.
• 3:36
  So it is beautiful music, outside listening.
• 3:40
  You can be in a corner.
• 3:41
  You can be right on the front stage there.
• 3:43
  You can be anywhere and having a great time.
• 3:45
  You can have whatever experience you want to have.
• 3:47
  Were you in the mosh pit?
• 3:49
  I just, and you weren't, were you like body surfing through the mosh pit?
• 3:52
  That would not be me.
• 3:54
  I don't see that in her.
• 3:55
  I couldn't even.
• 3:56
  I think there's a side to Thu that we may find out a little bit more about today.
• 3:59
  But anyway, I think that's really awesome.
• 4:01
  For those of you who may be listening, who don't know what Coachella is, it is one of the largest annual music festivals in the United States in Coachella, just outside of Palm Springs.
• 4:13
  And so I knew that Thu was going to Palm, this is, you told me you were originally going to Palm Springs to relax and rest with your family.
• 4:22
  And now you tell me this morning, I went to Coachella.
• 4:26
  Yeah, that's pretty awesome.
• 4:27
  I think that's actually pretty relaxing Cam.
• 4:28
  No, I guess so.
• 4:29
  Yeah, no, I guess it's that's pretty cool.
• 4:31
  So that's awesome.
• 4:32
  So yeah, cool.
• 4:34
  All right, let's kick it off like we always do and find out a little bit more about you.
• 4:39
  Yeah.
• 4:39
  Thu tell us a little bit about your story.
• 4:42
  Where did you grow up and where were you born?
• 4:45
  Yeah, well, I was actually born in Thailand.
• 4:47
  Come on.
• 4:48
  Yes.
• 4:48
  So my parents and family actually fled Vietnam in the 1980s and went, they were refugees.
• 4:56
  And so they had to leave Vietnam because my father worked for the wrong side of the government, I guess I would say.
• 5:03
  And so they, so it was my two sisters and my dad and mom left Vietnam in a boat and sailed for three days and three nights.
• 5:11
  And they got to Thailand and they found a refugee camp.
• 5:15
  How old were you?
• 5:16
  I was not born yet.
• 5:17
  You were not born yet, okay.
• 5:19
  Yes, right.
• 5:20
  So my mom was pregnant with me and because we were in the refugee camp, we weren't allowed to get on the flight until I was one month old.
• 5:27
  Yeah.
• 5:28
  And so I was actually born in the refugee camp and then at one month old, in December of 1981, we flew to Edmonton and landed here in beautiful Edmonton, Alberta.
• 5:41
  Now when you say we, your whole family flew here, everybody came, your mom, your dad, my mom, my dad, my two sisters.
• 5:47
  Yes.
• 5:47
  And we, yeah, we came here in, I think it was like the coldest winter ever.
• 5:52
  Right.
• 5:53
  Yeah.
• 5:53
  Welcome to Edmonton.
• 5:54
  Coming from Thailand and dropping down in Edmonton is a shock to the system.
• 5:59
  Hey, welcome.
• 6:01
  Yes.
• 6:01
  But it was definitely for a beautiful life.
• 6:03
  You know, somewhere we were looking for opportunity.
• 6:06
  We were looking for a place to be safe.
• 6:08
  And that's where Edmonton was.
• 6:10
  Well, what an incredible story because, I mean, there could have been so many variables to that.
• 6:14
  Had your mom and dad stayed in Vietnam?
• 6:16
  What might have happened?
• 6:17
  You know, had the trip not gone well from Vietnam to Thailand?
• 6:21
  All of that kind of stuff.
• 6:22
  What an amazing story.
• 6:23
  Yeah.
• 6:24
  Well, actually, interesting enough, in the boat, there are typically two motors in the boat.
• 6:28
  And so when we started off sailing away from Vietnam, one of the engines died.
• 6:36
  And so the operator told my dad, you know, what would you like to do?
• 6:39
  Would you like to go back or would you like to continue sailing?
• 6:42
  And my dad said, if we go back, we die.
• 6:46
  If we go forward, we might survive.
• 6:48
  Yeah, have a chance.
• 6:49
  We might have a chance.
• 6:52
  It's unbelievable.
• 6:53
  And that is just so hard for most of us, probably all of us to fathom.
• 6:57
  I mean, what an incredible choice your dad had to make at that moment.
• 7:02
  But I love that if we go back, we die.
• 7:04
  We don't know what's ahead, but we go forward.
• 7:07
  Incredible.
• 7:07
  It is.
• 7:08
  And it's incredible for them to tell me the story now.
• 7:10
  Because when we got to the refugee camp, we had the option of going to Canada, to the United States, California, actually, and Australia.
• 7:21
  And they chose Canada.
• 7:22
  Why?
• 7:23
  They chose Canada.
• 7:24
  Well, number one, because my grandfather always had a great sense of Canada.
• 7:28
  He said that it was a wonderful country and one that had democracy and a land of opportunity.
• 7:35
  And he wasn't wrong.
• 7:36
  Right.
• 7:37
  And why Edmonton?
• 7:38
  Well, I think we actually had one family that was living here.
• 7:44
  And so although they still were not established and everything, we actually came here.
• 7:50
  And my parents actually and I and the two sisters, we lived in a hotel for a month.
• 7:57
  Yeah.
• 7:57
  Right by Kingsway Garden Mall.
• 7:59
  Really?
• 8:00
  Come on.
• 8:01
  Before they could figure out how to get things done.
• 8:04
  And even they didn't know the language.
• 8:05
  I was going to say they probably didn't know the language.
• 8:07
  How old were you when you came?
• 8:08
  I was one month old.
• 8:09
  One month old.
• 8:10
  Okay.
• 8:11
  Yes.
• 8:12
  And I think to this now because, you know, I have kids now.
• 8:16
  And I think also to myself, like, as a mother having, you know, three young kids and just having a baby, like, I am so appreciative of my mother.
• 8:24
  I now call her every day and tell her how much I love her.
• 8:27
  Wow.
• 8:28
  That's fantastic.
• 8:29
  Amazing.
• 8:30
  And I mean, I just try to wrap your head around that.
• 8:33
  You come from another country.
• 8:35
  You come here.
• 8:35
  You don't speak the language.
• 8:36
  You're living in a hotel.
• 8:38
  I mean, it must be just the uncertainty of everything.
• 8:41
  But yet, you know, you're in the right place.
• 8:43
  Yeah, that's exactly it.
• 8:44
  We also had just a lot of support around us.
• 8:48
  There was actually a church that came and supported us.
• 8:51
  And so we, you know, we actually, they brought us like a Christmas tree, you know, because we were only a few days away from Christmas.
• 8:58
  And so it is an incredibly special occasion at my household all the time.
• 9:03
  But my parents, they were able to work low-income jobs.
• 9:07
  They worked for Capital Health at the time as cooks.
• 9:10
  And then they realized, you know what, maybe we could do something different.
• 9:14
  And so they opened up a business, a Chinese restaurant, actually in downtown Edmonton.
• 9:21
  It failed very quickly.
• 9:25
  Because my mom is Vietnamese.
• 9:27
  And she said, I really can't cook Chinese food.
• 9:31
  That's great.
• 9:32
  I love it.
• 9:33
  But unfortunately, they had signed the lease already.
• 9:35
  And so they didn't know what really what to do.
• 9:37
  So they actually had friends who actually could cook Chinese food.
• 9:41
  And so they made a bit of a handshake deal where they opened up their restaurant, which was called Pagolac in downtown Edmonton.
• 9:48
  And my parents opened up a small corner shop in the restaurant called Nhung Hoa Sandwich, which is Vietnamese submarines.
• 9:57
  And that is really, we're one of the families that brought Vietnamese submarines to Edmonton.
• 10:02
  That is really cool.
• 10:03
  That is so cool.
• 10:05
  Wow.
• 10:06
  And so how long were they, how long did they have that downtown?
• 10:09
  How long did?
• 10:10
  Oh, all the way up until I graduated from university.
• 10:14
  So that business put all three of us through university.
• 10:17
  My sister is a teacher, the other one is a nurse.
• 10:19
  I am a pharmacist by trade.
• 10:22
  And so that put us through the schooling.
• 10:24
  Okay.
• 10:25
  Wow.
• 10:25
  This is amazing.
• 10:26
  Okay.
• 10:26
  So a couple of questions here out of all of this.
• 10:29
  I mean, we just, there's a million things here.
• 10:31
  Where did you go to high school?
• 10:33
  M.E. LaZerte.
• 10:35
  What was the mascot at M.E. LaZerte?
• 10:37
  M.E. LaZerte?
• 10:39
  Voyagers.
• 10:39
  The Voyagers.
• 10:42
  Okay.
• 10:43
  I don't think anybody is asking me.
• 10:45
  What is it?
• 10:46
  I'd like to see that mascot paddling.
• 10:48
  Anyway, I went to Ross Shep with the Thunderbird.
• 10:51
  So we were your rivals in sports and everything like that.
• 10:55
  Okay.
• 10:55
  So you went to high school.
• 10:56
  Then what did you do?
• 10:58
  Graduated?
• 10:59
  Graduated.
• 10:59
  And then I went into university right away.
• 11:01
  So I got into university when I was 17 years old.
• 11:05
  Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the beer gardens at that time.
• 11:07
  A little young.
• 11:08
  A little young, yeah.
• 11:09
  But then my sister, who is six years older than me, she enrolled me into classes for pharmacy.
• 11:18
  So she basically said, this is what you're going to do.
• 11:22
  And I said, okay that sounds great.
• 11:23
  Is that what you wanted to do?
• 11:25
  You know what?
• 11:25
  I think at that point in time, I was open for anything.
• 11:30
  And so I was basically general sciences.
• 11:32
  I ended up getting into pharmacy after one year.
• 11:35
  So I was able to get into pharmacy and had a blast.
• 11:38
  It was 120 students in the same group.
• 11:42
  We had a great community and we were just having a really good time.
• 11:46
  And this was at the University of Alberta?
• 11:47
  At the University of Alberta, yeah.
• 11:49
  And so it was, it's just like being at home there.
• 11:52
  How long is pharmacy?
• 11:53
  How many years is that?
• 11:54
  Four years back then.
• 11:55
  It is not four, I think it's longer now.
• 11:57
  I was going to say is it seven now?
• 11:59
  Well, you actually graduate with a doctor of pharmacy now from the University of Alberta.
• 12:03
  And so I think it's like two years.
• 12:04
  Some people get a four year degree before, but it's changed so much pharmacy.
• 12:11
  And I really, when I graduated from pharmacy, I wanted to change how people perceive pharmacists.
• 12:17
  Because people used to say to me, do you think that pharmacists are going to be replicated by vending machines at one point in time?
• 12:26
  And I thought to myself, what an interesting question.
• 12:29
  And so I worked in hospital pharmacy, I worked at Alberta Hospital, I worked in community pharmacy, I worked for all of the large chains and the independents.
• 12:37
  I actually, my first job was actually in Spruce Grove at Grove Drugs out here.
• 12:41
  Really?
• 12:42
  Yeah, yeah.
• 12:43
  All right.
• 12:43
  Yes.
• 12:44
  So you were a pharmacist, that's what you did.
• 12:47
  Did you like it?
• 12:48
  Did you enjoy it?
• 12:48
  Know what, I really enjoyed it.
• 12:50
  I think one of the things is that people didn't understand what pharmacists did, right?
• 12:54
  And so we had all this knowledge and all of, you know, all these years of school, training in drugs.
• 13:00
  And so I was, people kept on coming, you know, at the Safeways and at the Walmarts, and they would actually, you know, where's the meat?
• 13:08
  Where's the toilet paper?
• 13:09
  And it was just explaining what pharmacists did.
• 13:11
  Store directory, yeah, that's right.
• 13:13
  So then basically I decided, I actually moved to Saskatoon for a year.
• 13:17
  Oh, Saskatchewan.
• 13:19
  Yes, and I actually could not find a job there.
• 13:21
  Really?
• 13:22
  If my life depended on it.
• 13:23
  Come on.
• 13:23
  Yes, it was very interesting coming from Alberta, which was booming.
• 13:27
  Go Saskatoon.
• 13:28
  Everybody was actually moving from Saskatoon to Edmonton back then.
• 13:31
  Wow.
• 13:32
  And so I went there obviously for my now husband, who went to school there in Saskatoon.
• 13:39
  Well, wait a minute.
• 13:40
  Let's back that up.
• 13:42
  Back that up a little bit.
• 13:43
  So, okay, you met him where?
• 13:45
  In Edmonton, yes.
• 13:47
  Was he in university?
• 13:48
  In university.
• 13:48
  What was he taking?
• 13:50
  Well, he was in general sciences.
• 13:51
  Okay.
• 13:52
  And you guys met?
• 13:53
  Yes, we met, and then he went to Saskatchewan to do dentistry.
• 13:57
  Oh, my gosh.
• 13:58
  Oh, okay.
• 13:59
  So was it love at first sight?
• 14:01
  Was it like...
• 14:06
  Did you hear the pause?
• 14:07
  I did.
• 14:07
  I heard it.
• 14:08
  I heard it.
• 14:09
  Okay, if he's listening, what's his first name?
• 14:11
  It was love at second sight.
• 14:13
  What's his first name?
• 14:14
  His name is Indy.
• 14:15
  Oh, sorry?
• 14:16
  Indy.
• 14:16
  Okay, Indy, if you're listening, we don't film this, so you won't see the look on her face.
• 14:22
  Anyway, so it was love at second sight.
• 14:24
  Yeah.
• 14:24
  Tell us about that.
• 14:25
  Well, I think, you know, for us, we both thought we were, you know, too good for each other.
• 14:30
  I think, you know, we went to actually high school together, and we definitely were not high school sweethearts.
• 14:35
  No, no.
• 14:36
  But then in first year university, that really changed.
• 14:39
  It changed.
• 14:39
  It changed, yes.
• 14:41
  You started as studying partners.
• 14:42
  Yeah.
• 14:43
  Well, we actually had similar friend groups.
• 14:44
  Oh, okay.
• 14:45
  Yeah.
• 14:45
  So then I think there wasn't, you know, and we were studying in Hub Mall, and there was a moment.
• 14:50
  We were studying in Hub Mall.
• 14:52
  I love this.
• 14:53
  We were studying in Hub Mall.
• 14:56
  I love that.
• 14:56
  So people listening probably have no idea what Hub Mall is.
• 14:59
  No.
• 15:00
  Well, Hub Mall is in the university.
• 15:01
  It's in the university.
• 15:02
  It's where like the food court is.
• 15:04
  It's where all the students gather. It's kinda a central Hub.
• 15:06
  It's like a meeting place, a central meeting place.
• 15:08
  Wow.
• 15:09
  Okay.
• 15:09
  So you met at Hub.
• 15:10
  Well, you didn't meet at Hub, but you fell in love at Hub.
• 15:13
  Basically.
• 15:14
  Basically.
• 15:15
  Over a bowl of, I don't know, what, you know, like soup or something, you know.
• 15:19
  Soup, a little Cookies by George.
• 15:21
  I was going to say.
• 15:22
  Cookies by George.
• 15:23
  Cookies by George, if you're listening.
• 15:25
  Anyways.
• 15:25
  Yeah.
• 15:26
  Well, that is amazing.
• 15:27
  Okay.
• 15:28
  So that's awesome.
• 15:29
  So you met.
• 15:30
  Yes.
• 15:30
  And then he, he was going to be a dentist, or is a dentist.
• 15:32
  He is a dentist.
• 15:33
  Yes.
• 15:33
  But you had to go to Saskatoon to be a dentist.
• 15:36
  Yes.
• 15:36
  He went to Saskatoon and I went, I ended up finding a job in pharmacy, except for I was working Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 12 hours shifts.
• 15:43
  Right.
• 15:43
  So we didn't actually see each other.
• 15:45
  Right.
• 15:45
  Yeah.
• 15:46
  And so then I took another job where I was traveling all over, as a remote pharmacist.
• 15:50
  So going to every single extra foods there, being the only healthcare professional in these small towns.
• 15:56
  So Kindersley, Tisdale.
• 15:57
  Yes.
• 15:57
  Yeah.
• 15:58
  Yeah.
• 15:58
  All of these wonderful areas, actually, where I got to really grow as a pharmacist, and got to see what we were doing.
• 16:04
  Right.
• 16:04
  I got my first paycheck, though, in Saskatoon, and was like, oh my gosh, there's a lot of taxes here.
• 16:09
  Yeah.
• 16:09
  So then I came back to Alberta.
• 16:11
  Yeah, that's right.
• 16:14
  That's a good impetus to leave and come home.
• 16:16
  Yeah.
• 16:16
  Right.
• 16:17
  Okay.
• 16:17
  And so I came back to Alberta and actually ended up working for the provincial government.
• 16:21
  So managing the drug programs in Alberta for eight years.
• 16:24
  Okay.
• 16:24
  And there I was actually able to change the way that pharmacists are perceived and paid actually in Alberta.
• 16:30
  All right.
• 16:31
  We also, we implemented a way to pay pharmacists for injections, immunizations, for care plans, for doing all of these great pharmacy services.
• 16:42
  And so I got to be a part of that large kind of systematic change.
• 16:46
  So very cool to see later on, 10 years or 14 years later where, because now everybody's going to the pharmacy.
• 16:55
  Of course.
• 16:56
  Everyone's going.
• 16:58
  And so it's a, they're a huge integral part of the healthcare system.
• 17:01
  And I think being able to be paid for the services is one of the coolest things ever.
• 17:06
  They've come a long way.
• 17:08
  And the best part is pharmacists can now prescribe.
• 17:10
  And I think that's really great.
• 17:12
  And so, yeah, I think there's been a lot of changes.
• 17:14
  Okay.
• 17:14
  So you came back to Alberta, your husband graduated.
• 17:18
  Yes.
• 17:18
  He came back.
• 17:19
  He came back.
• 17:20
  Or did he want you to go there?
• 17:21
  Oh, no.
• 17:22
  We were there for school and then we were coming back.
• 17:24
  He came back and opened up a dental store or shop.
• 17:27
  A dental store.
• 17:28
  What do you call it?
• 17:29
  A clinic.
• 17:30
  Clinic.
• 17:30
  Sorry.
• 17:30
  Dental practice.
• 17:31
  Dental practice.
• 17:32
  Okay.
• 17:32
  You opened it.
• 17:34
  I don't go very much to the dentist.
• 17:36
  Anyways.
• 17:37
  Okay.
• 17:38
  So when did you got married?
• 17:39
  When?
• 17:40
  We got married in 2007.
• 17:42
  Okay.
• 17:42
  Here in Alberta.
• 17:43
  Yes, in Alberta.
• 17:44
  Yeah.
• 17:45
  Downtown Edmonton at the Fairmont.
• 17:47
  At the Fairmont.
• 17:48
  Oh, okay.
• 17:49
  So you had a dental husband and you had a pharmacist wife.
• 17:53
  This is success at the best right here.
• 17:55
  Yeah.
• 17:55
  You know what?
• 17:56
  We definitely were very lucky and blessed to have education.
• 17:59
  Both came from very humble beginnings.
• 18:02
  Both of our parents were very poor.
• 18:03
  Right.
• 18:04
  Yeah.
• 18:04
  And so it's very interesting to watch us grow up and see what we can do.
• 18:09
  And I think that's actually what pulls you out of poverty, is education sometimes.
• 18:13
  Agreed, 100%.
• 18:14
  But now I have a question because dentist, pharmacist, too, you went into not-for-profit.
• 18:22
  Yeah.
• 18:23
  But I think there might have been something even in between there, wasn't there?
• 18:26
  Yeah, that is true.
• 18:27
  So you hung up the lab coat.
• 18:32
  Yes, I did.
• 18:32
  I actually still have my degree and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary from graduating from pharmacy school.
• 18:39
  So you're still a pharmacist.
• 18:40
  I still have my license.
• 18:41
  So you're like a full-fledged pharmacist.
• 18:43
  Yes, but I haven't been behind a counter for over 15 years.
• 18:48
  Okay, good.
• 18:50
  But I like to keep it because I like to be able to still understand what's happening in the front lines.
• 18:53
  And if you ever need to open a shop in your garage or something.
• 18:56
  Well, that's kind of the plan, right? If anything goes wrong I still have a plan right?
• 19:02
  All the neighbours are coming and it's wonderful.
• 19:04
  Yeah, it's wonderful.
• 19:06
  Okay, but you left pharmacy.
• 19:08
  Yeah, so I left.
• 19:09
  Yes.
• 19:10
  Yes, so I left the government and then I ended up going to private industry.
• 19:13
  So I worked for two private companies doing government relations.
• 19:17
  Yes.
• 19:18
  So I wanted to be able to bridge the public side with the private side, because sometimes both don't understand each other very well, right?
• 19:26
  And so actually government is a bit of a black hole.
• 19:29
  People don't actually understand how decisions are made, how the government works.
• 19:33
  So being able to bridge that gap was actually very cool.
• 19:38
  And getting to learn a whole different side of government, how decisions get made.
• 19:41
  I love that.
• 19:42
  That's right up, because that's what I do.
• 19:43
  That's as public affairs.
• 19:44
  That's what I do.
• 19:45
  And so I can relate to everything you're saying.
• 19:47
  And you're right.
• 19:48
  People don't have a clue.
• 19:49
  And then when you get into it, it's a whole new world.
• 19:51
  It's pretty interesting.
• 19:52
  A whole new world, just like Aladdin.
• 19:55
  That's right.
• 19:56
  Rub.
• 19:57
  Hey, Genie.
• 19:58
  Anyways, come on out.
• 20:00
  So, okay.
• 20:01
  So you, public affairs.
• 20:02
  Yep.
• 20:03
  Sort of.
• 20:03
  That's what you're doing.
• 20:04
  Yeah.
• 20:04
  How long did you do that?
• 20:05
  I did that for eight years.
• 20:07
  Eight years?
• 20:07
  Yeah, it's a long time.
• 20:08
  And you lived to tell about it.
• 20:09
  That's amazing.
• 20:10
  Yeah, it's almost like the number of eight years is kind of where you get that itch to try something else.
• 20:14
  Yeah, for sure.
• 20:15
  And then I really wanted to give back in a different way.
• 20:17
  And so I joined the Canadian Red Cross as the Vice President.
• 20:21
  Yes.
• 20:22
  And honestly, there are two portfolios.
• 20:24
  One is the Community Health and Wellness, which I know very well with pharmacies.
• 20:28
  Yeah.
• 20:28
  Yeah.
• 20:28
  The other part, though, is in emergency management.
• 20:31
  And that is something that I got to learn really, really fast.
• 20:34
  Because in the last year, we had three large-scale disasters in Alberta.
• 20:38
  So, sorry, when did you join the Red Cross?
• 20:40
  I joined the Red Cross in 2023.
• 20:42
  23.
• 20:43
  Okay.
• 20:43
  So just shy of two years.
• 20:45
  Yeah.
• 20:45
  And now just shy of two years.
• 20:47
  Okay.
• 20:47
  And again, your role, tell us about what that encompasses, what you do as the Vice President.
• 20:54
  What does the Vice President do?
• 20:55
  Yeah.
• 20:55
  So it's really a job that's really in operations.
• 20:59
  So in operations for emergency management, you get to be part of a larger team that whenever there is a disaster, the Red Cross is there.
• 21:06
  So we were with the city of Edmonton.
• 21:09
  So it's really interesting in disasters and emergency management.
• 21:13
  It's actually dependent on where the people are going.
• 21:16
  Okay.
• 21:17
  And so during May last year, the Fort McMurray wildfires, people were evacuated to the city of Edmonton.
• 21:23
  And so the Red Cross is the vendor of the city of Edmonton to help people get into hotel rooms, get food, make sure that they're, you know,cared for. What about the Jasper fires?
• 21:34
  Yeah, we were there.
• 21:34
  We were still there, yes.
• 21:36
  And so we were also with the city of Edmonton at their location in the reception center there.
• 21:42
  And we've still been there.
• 21:43
  We've been, I've been talking to people in Jasper since the day of the fire.
• 21:48
  I spoke to the mayor the second day and he said to me, I never thought that the Red Cross would come to Jasper.
• 21:55
  Is that right?
• 21:56
  Yeah, and it's true because actually when I, 10 years ago, the Red Cross was about 80% international and 20% domestic.
• 22:03
  If you fast forward on to today, it's actually the opposite.
• 22:06
  We're 80% domestic.
• 22:08
  In Canada.
• 22:09
  So does every major Canadian city have a Red Cross?
• 22:13
  It does, actually.
• 22:13
  It does.
• 22:13
  Yeah, and we're really a pan-Canadian.
• 22:15
  So we've actually moved to a system where if something is happening in Alberta, we actually have surge support all across Canada.
• 22:23
  So we can have people from BC all the way to Atlantic to being able to come out and help us.
• 22:28
  So tell us, what does the Red Cross do in the event of a disaster?
• 22:32
  It happens.
• 22:33
  What is you guys' role?
• 22:34
  What is the next step for the Red Cross?
• 22:36
  I like to describe it as, you know, there's always going to be the first responders who are actually getting the people to safety.
• 22:44
  And I describe it as, basically, the first responders are putting the people on the bus.
• 22:49
  And the Red Cross is helping the people on the bus.
• 22:53
  So we're helping them get in to safe shelters.
• 22:55
  We're helping them make sure that they have food.
• 22:57
  We're making sure that they have care and comfort.
• 22:59
  And if there's any, you know, we also are able to refer to other agencies who can provide support, such as mental health support in times of crisis.
• 23:10
  I think what's also interesting is that the Red Cross also helps with small disasters, so house fires.
• 23:16
  And so that's something that I wasn't aware of when I first joined here, and that we actually, majority of our staff are actually volunteers.
• 23:24
  The majority of our personnel are volunteers.
• 23:26
  So 70% of the people that work at the Red Cross are volunteers.
• 23:30
  And so they answer the phone 24-7.
• 23:32
  It's amazing what you guys do.
• 23:34
  It really is.
• 23:35
  So when there is a house fire, we are called, we are there, we are helping the people.
• 23:40
  It is, it's amazing.
• 23:42
  I actually did my first needs assessment as the Vice President with an emergency management coordinator.
• 23:50
  And we asked the individual, when will you be able to get back to your house?
• 23:55
  And he said, the fire chief told me that there is no house to go back to.
• 24:01
  And so those are the moments that nobody thinks that they're going to be part of a disaster or crisis.
• 24:07
  But we are so fortunate, I am so fortunate to be part of an organization that helps people in need with no judgment.
• 24:16
  I think it's fantastic.
• 24:17
  You guys are there.
• 24:18
  You are the first responders.
• 24:20
  You are on boots on the ground.
• 24:22
  And those people, they have no idea.
• 24:24
  They're probably in shock.
• 24:26
  They're probably definitely in shock.
• 24:28
  In some ways, they're not even thinking about their future yet, because they're having to process what's going on right now and how to deal with that and what they need to do.
• 24:36
  And you guys are there for them.
• 24:37
  We are, yeah.
• 24:38
  And I think that is, to me, one of the most rewarding.
• 24:41
  It's actually one of the most parts of my career that have been so rewarding, is being in not-for-profit and understanding how not-for-profits and charities work.
• 24:48
  Right.
• 24:49
  I think it's, I did a while back, I was doing some research, because I wanted to take a course on what they call now Mental Health First Aid.
• 24:58
  Yes.
• 25:00
  And so I looked at, you guys offer that, but I missed the classes, so actually I'm doing it online.
• 25:05
  But nonetheless, I thought that is fantastic, because we never think about that.
• 25:10
  We think about physical first aid, but we never think about mental health first aid.
• 25:14
  Right.
• 25:14
  And we actually have a lot of caseworkers who are trained also in psychological first aid.
• 25:18
  I think it's fantastic.
• 25:20
  Yes.
• 25:20
  It is definitely a skill and a tool that the more people have, the better off, you know, we as society would be.
• 25:26
  We also offer lots of training at the Canadian Red Cross.
• 25:29
  So we have the first aid programs.
• 25:30
  Yes.
• 25:31
  We also, we just actually launched first aid for pets.
• 25:35
  Come on.
• 25:36
  Really?
• 25:38
  Yes.
• 25:38
  So there's an amazing array of information on redcross.ca in terms of training and what we do.
• 25:45
  First aid for pets.
• 25:47
  That's cool.
• 25:47
  Well, you know, hey, stuff happens.
• 25:50
  What if Fred and Wilma, something happened, we should know what to do.
• 25:53
  I'll let you go do that.
• 25:55
  I'm not getting close to Fred and Wilma.
• 25:57
  We won't talk about the gophers, but nonetheless, do you guys still do blood?
• 26:02
  We do not do blood.
• 26:03
  We don't do blood anymore.
• 26:04
  No, no, that's Canadian Blood Services.
• 26:06
  You betcha, yeah.
• 26:07
  You guys got out of blood.
• 26:08
  That's good, okay.
• 26:08
  Yes.
• 26:09
  So, I'll just say it.
• 26:10
  They used to do blood.
• 26:11
  I know, I know.
• 26:11
  They would be the blood people.
• 26:13
  Not that I ever went, because I passed out, but nonetheless, so like, yeah.
• 26:16
  I'm just saying, I saw you guys do it all.
• 26:18
  That's incredible.
• 26:20
  You're incredible.
• 26:21
  You know, it's been really fun.
• 26:22
  I've always, you know, I've always really wanted to give back.
• 26:25
  And so even in volunteering wise, I love to volunteer in my local community, in my local districts.
• 26:30
  I sit on many boards.
• 26:33
  I do love governance and bylaws.
• 26:34
  That is something that I really enjoy.
• 26:36
  That's where you and I connect a little bit.
• 26:37
  So that's really awesome.
• 26:39
  Tell us, so you're married to a dentist.
• 26:42
  I am, yes.
• 26:43
  How many children?
• 26:44
  I have three kids.
• 26:45
  Three kids.
• 26:45
  Yes.
• 26:47
  So you're busy.
• 26:48
  Yeah.
• 26:48
  I don't know any other way.
• 26:50
  Even when I didn't have children, I feel like I was always working four jobs.
• 26:53
  I was working, you know, for the government, working, you know, frontline pharmacy.
• 26:57
  I was working at the gym.
• 27:00
  I was a gym instructor, a fitness instructor, and then I was also selling houses.
• 27:03
  So I don't know any other way.
• 27:07
  Okay.
• 27:09
  There's all these little tidbits.
• 27:10
  Pharmacy, drugs.
• 27:12
  Realtor.
• 27:13
  Realtor.
• 27:14
  Yeah.
• 27:14
  I mean, incredible.
• 27:15
  I think that's how my life has been.
• 27:16
  It's always been, you never know when the opportunities are going to come.
• 27:20
  And so when I was, when we were building a house in Edmonton, the builder said, would you like a job?
• 27:25
  We would think you would do great, you know, selling houses.
• 27:29
  And you just naturally said, sure.
• 27:32
  I try and say yes to as many things as possible.
• 27:34
  In between saving lives and helping people after disaster.
• 27:38
  And I'll just sell a few houses.
• 27:40
  Yeah, it's good.
• 27:41
  I love it.
• 27:42
  It's great.
• 27:43
  Thu, you're amazing.
• 27:43
  You absolutely are amazing.
• 27:45
  And I know there's lots ahead.
• 27:47
  I don't think you're slowing down.
• 27:49
  I don't think you are.
• 27:49
  So.
• 27:50
  I don't think I know what I want to be when I grow up.
• 27:52
  Right.
• 27:53
  So.
• 27:53
  You know what?
• 27:54
  That curiosity is, I think, is great.
• 27:57
  But I also really admire your community involvement, because it is people like you that keep our community going.
• 28:05
  Without volunteers and people willing to get involved and give back, where are we as a society?
• 28:11
  I agree.
• 28:11
  I actually think volunteerism is, everyone's so busy these days, right?
• 28:15
  We don't get to volunteer as much.
• 28:17
  Yeah.
• 28:18
  Absolutely.
• 28:19
  Well, 30 minutes has flown by.
• 28:21
  Oh, my goodness.
• 28:24
  I know. It's going fast.
• 28:25
  It's like, here we go.
• 28:26
  But we have one final question that we ask all of our guests.
• 28:29
  We do.
• 28:30
  We ask everybody this.
• 28:31
  Tell us the best piece of advice you've been given, either personally or professionally, that you carry with you to this day.
• 28:37
  Oh, and I think that this is a piece of advice that I have, is instead of judging, ask questions.
• 28:43
  Yeah.
• 28:44
  It's good.
• 28:45
  I think that for me is that I think that especially at the Red Cross, where we don't judge, we help anybody that is coming to us.
• 28:53
  That's one thing that has been very liberating for me is not having to judge.
• 28:57
  Right.
• 28:58
  Yeah.
• 28:59
  Because we don't know where people come from.
• 29:01
  We don't know people's back histories.
• 29:03
  Yeah.
• 29:03
  Yeah.
• 29:04
  I think that's one of the things that I say a lot in my life.
• 29:07
  I love that.
• 29:07
  I think that's fantastic.
• 29:08
  I love it.
• 29:09
  I mean, yeah.
• 29:10
  I mean, yeah, you didn't judge me, so thanks for being my friend.
• 29:13
  That's pretty cool.
• 29:14
  Anytime.
• 29:14
  Anytime.
• 29:15
  And you're amazing.
• 29:17
  And this has been really amazing.
• 29:19
  And so we should give the Red Cross website again.
• 29:24
  That's RedCross.ca.
• 29:27
  And so if people are interested, they should go to RedCross.ca.
• 29:30
  Volunteering, helping, even donating.
• 29:32
  Even donating.
• 29:33
  Right? All the things! Because you need money.
• 29:34
  Yeah.
• 29:34
  All those things.
• 29:35
  That's really cool.
• 29:37
  Thu, I know that we have not heard the last of you.
• 29:40
  I think there's more to come and it's going to be awesome.
• 29:43
  And so, thank you today.
• 29:45
  Yes.
• 29:45
  Thank you.
• 29:45
  This was amazing.
• 29:46
  Thanks.
• 29:47
  Thanks, guys.
• 29:49
  What an amazing story.
• 29:51
  She's an incredible lady.
• 29:52
  She sure is.
• 29:52
  She's a firecracker.
• 29:53
  And yeah, I mean, she is just amazing.
• 29:56
  The story of her parents.
• 29:57
  Yes.
• 29:57
  And what they went through to come to Canada.
• 30:00
  Yeah.
• 30:00
  You know, I know there's a lot of talk right now about how divisive Canada is, and I know we're coming together.
• 30:06
  But think about these people that have sacrificed so much from other countries and want to come here.
• 30:12
  Yeah.
• 30:12
  And they wanted to come because they wanted a better life for their children.
• 30:15
  Exactly.
• 30:16
  And they got education and they are amazing people.
• 30:19
  And you know what?
• 30:20
  They're making a difference.
• 30:20
  They sure are.
• 30:21
  That's cool.
• 30:21
  Well, thanks, everybody, for listening.
• 30:23
  Really appreciate it.
• 30:24
  Hope you enjoyed Thu's story.
• 30:26
  And again, if you're interested in the Red Cross, www.redcross.ca.
• 30:32
  And thanks, everybody, for listening.
• 30:34
  Like we said at the beginning, 7,000 listeners.
• 30:36
  Really appreciate it.
• 30:37
  And be sure to tell your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors, your enemies.
• 30:42
  If you don't have any friends, make one so that you can tell them about the ABA Coffee In The Park wherever you get your podcasts or at www.Achesonbusiness.com.
• 30:53
  Thanks for listening, everybody.