Marc Rourke

Heavy Equipment Mechanic by trade currently Branch Manager for Sunbelt Rentals Owen Sound Earthmoving Solutions.

[Marc Rourke @marc_rourke]

@buperac Just look at the Construction side- Brandt Tractor is the only JD Construction dealer in all of Canada.
More mergers will be coming on the AG side.

[Keira Connolly @keira_con]

Wise words

“My name’s Frank. I’m 64, a retired electrician.
Forty-two years I spent running wires through houses, fixing breakers, making sure people had light in their kitchens and heat in their winters. Never once did anyone ask me where I went to college. Mostly, they just wanted to know if I could get the power back on before their ice cream melted.

Last May, I was at my granddaughter Emily’s school career day. You know the drill — doctors, lawyers, a software guy in a slick suit talking about “scaling startups.” I was the only one there with a tool belt and work boots.

When it was my turn, I told the kids, “I don’t have a degree. I’ve never sat in a lecture hall. But I’ve wired schools, hospitals, and your principal’s house. And when the hospital generator failed during a snowstorm in ’98, I was the one in the basement with a flashlight, keeping the lights on for newborn babies upstairs.”

The kids leaned forward. They had questions — real ones. “How do you fix stuff in the dark?” “Do you make a lot of money?” “Do you ever get zapped?” (Yes, once, and it’ll curl your hair.)

When the bell rang, one boy hung back. Small kid, freckles, hoodie too big for him. He mumbled, “My uncle’s a plumber. People laugh at him ’cause he didn’t finish high school. But… he’s the only one in the family who can fix anything.”

I looked that boy in the eye and said, “Kid, your uncle’s a hero. When your toilet overflows at midnight, Harvard ain’t sending anyone. A plumber is.”

Here’s the thing nobody told me when I was young — the world doesn’t run without tradespeople. You can have all the engineers you want, but if nobody builds the house, wires the power, or lays the pipes, those blueprints just sit in a drawer.

We’ve made it sound like trades are what you do if you can’t go to college, instead of a path you choose because you like working with your hands, solving problems, and seeing your work stand solid for decades.

Four years after high school, some kids walk away with diplomas. Others walk away with zero debt, a union card, and a skill they can take anywhere in the world. And guess what? When your furnace dies in January, it’s not the diploma that saves you.

A few weeks ago, that same freckled kid’s mom stopped me at the grocery store. She said, “You probably don’t remember, but you told my son trades are important. He’s shadowing his uncle this summer. First time I’ve seen him excited about anything in years.”

That’s the part we forget — for some kids, knowing their path is respected changes everything. It’s not about “just” fixing wires or pipes. It’s about pride. Purpose. The kind that sticks with you long after the job’s done.

So next time you meet a teenager, don’t just ask, “Where are you going to college?” Ask, “What’s your plan?” And if they say, “I’m learning to weld,” or “I’m starting an apprenticeship,” smile big and say, “That’s fantastic. We’re going to need you.”

Because we will. More than ever. And when the lights go out, you’ll be glad they showed up.”

[Gun Owners of Canada @GunOwnersofCana]

Stop the confiscation of property from good people. It's nonsense.

[Concerned Canadian @Concern70732755]

Had to repost this today !
Particularly when Carney is set to announce major international funding !!

[QuickDickMcDick 🇨🇦 @QuickDickMcDick]

Good morning Canada.

Just a reminder that this is your new "Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity"

Have a great day 😊
#ElbowsUp

[Kevin Blair @CattleNut]

Todays reality.

[The Food Professor @FoodProfessor]

After carefully reviewing all the platforms, I’ve made my decision for Monday.

I’m voting with the future in mind — for my children, for a party that leads with conviction rather than chasing polls. I believe in choosing a government committed to principled leadership.

Vote!

[Alan Fryer 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇮🇱 @alanfryermedia]

I'm going to break my own rule to never start a sentence with, "as a boomer".

But as a boomer, I've done well. Yes, I've worked hard, mostly succeeded at what I wanted to do, had a good and satisfying career and was able to retire fairly comfortably.

But I don't kid myself. I was also blessed, as most of us were, with very good luck to be born when I was. Stuff just worked out for most of us boomers, not because we were special, but because our timing was. And we had SFA to do with the timing. Dumb luck, is all.

The younger generations coming up behind us are the future, not us, and they're every bit as smart as we were - check that, they're way smarter because they've had to deal with and adapt to an unprecedented pace of technological change that we just missed. Good timing again.

But their timing sucks. They were saddled with the effects of COVID and had to live through what is, I believe, accurately described as the lost decade. They had nothing to do with the timing, little say in how the Trudeau Liberals mismanaged the economy, divided us against each other and ended up mortgaging their futures.

It breaks my heart when I read stories about young people still living with their parents because they can't afford rent, let alone a downpayment on a house or a condo. It especially hurts when I hear about young people putting off, or deciding against, starting a family because the can't afford it.

And, yes, I'm pissed off at Trudeau for all that. I'm also pissed off at Trump for disrupting our election with his tariff and 51st state bullshit. He's an old man trapped in a '70s loop and he's driving frightened fellow boomers into Carney's arms at the expense of our children and grandchildren.

So as a boomer, I'm appealing to my generation to think hard before casting their vote. We did okay, our timing was great and take a bow if you must. But for God's sake accept the fact our time has come - it was great while it lasted - and is now fading, as it should.

Don't succumb to the fear of the Orange Man. That's what the Liberals want you to do because they have nothing else on offer. Instead, choose hope for your kids over fear for yourselves. Vote for unity over division. Vote for change or, if you can't, at least get out of the way of it.

[Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx @CraigBaird]

Voted today!
You have four days of advance voting this long weekend. You are legally entitled to three hours to leave work to go and vote on election day.
Whichever party you support, JUST VOTE!
We haven’t exceeded 70% in voter turnout since 1993.
#LetsBeat70

[Matt Underwood @14Ram]

Attention Allis-Chalmers enthusiasts & antique tractor collectors!
The time has come to find a new home for my grandfather’s (George) antique tractor collection.
Nearly all equipment fully restored & run regularly.
Can sell individually or as a whole collection.
RT appreciated

[cbcwatcher @cbcwatcher]

"As I mentioned, we have a Prime Minister right now who says one thing in English, one thing in French, one thing in Eastern Canada, one thing in Western Canada, one thing to me, and then one thing to when he's asked by the media. So I don't actually know what this Prime Minister is going to do" @ABDanielleSmith

[Ken Schaus 🇨🇦 @KenSchaus]

Election Poll
Who are you voting for in the upcoming Federal Election
Retweet for a wider audience

[Martyupnorth®- Unacceptable Fact Checker @Martyupnorth]

@LHubich A year ago you guys were incensed that the mere idea of suspending the carbon tax for the summer, never mind permananetly.

[Danielle Smith @ABDanielleSmith]

Now that Prime Minister Mark Carney has been officially sworn in, his first item of business should be to call a general election.

I am extremely concerned that this cabinet includes most of same ministers responsible for the most damaging government policies levelled by Ottawa against Alberta in our over 100-year history. We are gravely concerned that plans to significantly increase the industrial carbon tax will be just as damaging to Alberta’s economy as the consumer carbon tax has been.

The Prime Minister also has not yet condemned harmful policies such as:

• The proposed emissions cap which continues to threaten our energy sector.

• Bill C-69 which still hampers critical infrastructure projects.

• Failed bail policies which continue to put our communities at risk, undermining the safety and security that Albertans deserve.

• Gun bans that target law-abiding hunters and sport shooters

• Open border policies which are allowing over 2 million people per year to enter Canada

• The plastics ban which puts billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs at risk

• Bill C-59 which bans businesses from communicating about their environmental goals

• The Electric Vehicle mandate which calls for 100 percent of new vehicle sold to be electric by 2035

• The Sustainable Jobs Act, which aims to transition energy workers to a net zero economy as they work to shut down the energy sector

• The Clean Electricity Regulations that will make our electricity grid 100 times less reliable and increase electricity prices by 35 per cent.

Our province has always been a leader in innovation, economic growth, and responsible resource development. We will continue to stand up for our industries, push back against policies that unfairly target Alberta, and fight for a fair deal within Confederation.

The Prime Minister must put Canada first and call an election immediately to ensure that whoever is leading this country has a four year mandate from all Canadians, especially in light of the ongoing tariff conflict with the U.S.

[Lorrie Goldstein @sunlorrie]

How come 'killing the carbon tax' isn't letting the planet burn when @MarkJCarney does it, as opposed to what the Liberals said would happen if @PierrePoilievre did it?

[Tracey Wilson @TWilsonOttawa]

It's been 1715 days since Justin Trudeau and Bill Blair decided my legally acquired, semi auto, 5-round sporting rifle was just far too dangerous for me to keep, regardless of how long I've owned it or used it safely and without issue. Like every day before it, I've kept it stored safely and legally and will continue to do so while they scramble to figure out how to try and take it from me.

And everyone of those 1715 days, today and each day going forward, violent criminals will continue to obtain and use their illicit firearms to commit crimes. Whether or not you want me to have this one, or a different one, it's impossible to deny the complete lack of action on real crime.

Do you feel safe yet? 🇨🇦 #MyGunsAreNotForSale