withFerron Kenmore an American living in Medicine Hat reads up on the latest happening  the U.S presidential race ( Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Americans living in Medicine Hat paying close attention to U.S. election

Nov 2, 2020 | 8:04 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- With the U.S election tomorrow, Americans are paying close attention, including the ones that live in Medicine Hat. One of those keeping a close eye on the race between Joe Biden and U.S President Donald Trump, is Ferron Kenmore, an eighth-generation American who has lived in Canada since 1973.

Kenmore’s ties to the U.S remain strong .About four years ago, Kenmore had to resort back to the U.S to find work, after finding a job in the oil and gas sector in Alberta became
too difficult.

“ The Canadian oil patch, which was what I was involved in was really in a downturn so I had to look at doing something. So I took a bit of a tour and I went through North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and New Mexico and Texas and I could see that the American oil patch was actually just chugging right along, and it was really kind of disheartening to see so much activity down there and our Canadian oil patch just being decimated,” he said.

Kenmore got a job in Arizona working as a consultant on a green energy project and has homes in both Medicine Hat and Arizona. He pays taxes in both countries.

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Kenmore admits he leans more on the conservative side and says when it comes to jobs and the energy sector he is pro-Republican.

“ He ( Trump) made the U.S oil patch self-sufficient. So they have been exploring like crazy, and they’ve used a lot of Canadian equipment, a lot of Canadian personnel in order to get them there. When Obama was in he kibosh the XL pipeline, and so when Trump came in he did just approve it but it is a little bit late right now to do us a lot of benefit,” he said.

As an American living in Canada, there are certain other traits he looks for in a president.

“The one that promotes the values that I think is important. I cherish my freedoms. I really like private enterprise to make something of yourself,” he said, noting stance on religious freedoms is also an important entity he takes into consideration.

When it comes to hot election topics like immigration, Kenmore believes the immigration system in the U.S does need some work.

“ They need to set the rules and make sure that everyone abides by them. As an example, is it fair that someone sneaks across the border and gets to stay in the country as opposed to me having to take my Canadian wife and I have to go through 10 months of trying to get her a green card? That’s an unfair system. I’m not complaining about having to go through the process with her but I do feel we should be on the same playing field” he said.

In terms of healthcare, Kenmore says he is grateful for the Canadian healthcare system, but believes it comes at a cost to the taxpayer.

“ The Canadian healthcare. I’m glad we have it. It’s pretty good. Is it perfect? No, but it is pretty good. They tell us it is free, which I have come to determine that it is not. The U.S healthcare is very expensive. They have some state-of-the-art and some not so good, but the difference in my taxes, I can pay for American healthcare with the difference I pay in my taxes with what I pay there and what I pay here. So, is our healthcare free? No”.

As for COVID-19, which has also been dominating the debates during the election , Kenmore sides with Trump’s position that it is important to keep the economy moving.

“I do think it is serious, but you do have to keep the economy going because a lot of small businesses have a very small margin, and if you don’t keep those people working, so many of your small business people are just going to go broke,” he said.

With election day looming, Kenmore has already cast his mail-in ballot, bringing with it mixed feelings as election day nears.

“I’m excited and worried is not the right word, but concerned because I see the country going one of two ways. Either the traditional route where you have free enterprise and a chance and there is lots of business activity and to the other extreme where everyone is a victim and there is government money for everything, and the government controls so much of your life,” Kenmore said,

Kenmore predicts a tight race between U.S President Donald Trump and former vice-president Joe Biden, and with more mail-in ballots expected this election, he said he wouldn’t be surprised if the results were delayed. But regardless, Kenmore says come election day he will be watching.

The U.S presidential election is Nov. 3.