In Response to "Dragon" Arlene Dickinson on Facebook and You Inc.

This post is fairly self explanatory, so read through it all.

Whats happened in Calgary and Southern Alberta is devastating. 

The following is Ms Dickinson's original post, and my/TEN33 Inc.'s response to her.

Arlene Dickinson of Dragons Den and major business made this posting. Included is my response to her and the City of Calgary and Province of Alberta as our pledge from TEN33 Inc.:

Arlene Dickinson
My blog post this week on youinc.com: What The Floods Have Taught Me

As all of you know, this past week a historic natural disaster occurred in Southern Alberta. A flood of almost mythological proportion wiped out countless homes, communities, roads and buildings. I was on the ground in Calgary as it happened, watching as the City I grew up in – and have been a part of for over 50 years – was under siege from rushing rivers and overflowing water. It was a sight I will never forget, one that made me feel incredibly sad and fiercely protective all at the same time.

The sadness is self-evident. There are no words to describe watching land you have walked on turned into rivers, mud and silt. No words can describe the look on people’s faces as they watched their homes washed away. No words to help those not affected understand the real impact on people’s lives and businesses. There is enormous sadness at the destruction of what has been built with care and attention over many, many generations.

However it is at times like this that we need to pause as a Country and reflect on how fortunate we are to live in Canada, and to have the capacity to help one another when disaster strikes. We live in one of the world’s richest nations. We have been blessed not only with a vast, beautiful terrain but also an abundance of opportunity and freedom. I have always appreciated my citizenship and feel forever grateful that my parents immigrated to Canada

Watching the floods, I understood that through adversity we find strength. We find strength when we see the things we take for granted destroyed, and we feel a renewed conviction to restore them. Above all, we are re-awakened to the importance of human lives over all property. You sense it emanating now from every corner of Alberta, an indomitable determination and an outpouring of support, love and commitment to help our fellow citizens. What has torn us apart does indeed make us come back together with a strength of human spirit that is unstoppable.

That is what the floods have taught me. Billions of dollars in damage has not destroyed our future, but rather cemented our commitment to each other. And, at the end of the day, that’s what matters most. Just think about it: we are capable of so much. At a time like this, we understand clearly that colour, race, religion and status simply do not matter. The only thing that matters is human kindness and support for one another.

To all of you who have been following this natural disaster through the media, I would urge you to reach out and lend your support. There is much to do and it is indeed all hands on deck. If we can all pull together, this disaster will make us even stronger as a Country – a nation that we all love and care so deeply about.
Like · · 50112 · about an hour ago ·


Greg Long
I have been watching this too Arlene. To say that it saddens me would be an understatement. So many life afflicted, so many businesses now in ruins.

I have been advocating for some time now, to you and others who follow you, You Inc., the other "Dragons" that one of the simplest things to do to assure resumption of business, service, life is to prepare an Emergency/Disaster Plan. Why? Floods like this happen, as do other disasters that are unprecedented in an area or region and getting to RTO (Return Time to Operations) within 72 hour of at least your critical functions is a MUST.

The damage is done now, but based on historical data, one like this will come again. It might be too late for some, and that really bothers me. For the sake of a couple thousand dollars, businesses will close for good, where as had they spent the money, they would be recovering right now.

Take the time to plan. Spend the money. Plan for the community. Plan for the Home. Plan for Business. Plan for your Organisations of all types. Keep those things viable, and your families safe.

I will, believe this, make my company available to assist businesses, families, communities recover and prepare for the future. For the families, I'll split the cost of Home Emergency Plans with the Province of Alberta government (which is low). For business, I'll offer reduced rates. Expenses for getting myself and any team members out there from Ontario will need to be met, as will be covering other costs to plans, but I'll reduce the margins after that quite a bit.

Arlene; organise something so we together can come to the aid of the businesses, families and communities of Southern Alberta and Myself and my company TEN33 Inc. will be there.