Over the past several years, I’ve watched something happen. It’s affected Canadians from coast to coast. It’s an event that right wing and left wing politicians can sit down and agree upon. It’s something that brings about pride as a Canadian. Some might say it’s hockey, and to a point it is. But it’s another national sport that every July 1, takes the nation by storm.
We know the names. Lancaster, Jackson, Reed, Kwong, and countless others that have played in a game that is over 100 years old in this country. And for over 100 years, the game has been played for the right to call themselves champions. It’s a game where a place like Regina can call itself the equal to Toronto. Where Calgary can go head to head with Montreal.
It’s the Canadian Football League.
For the past few years, the PR department of the CFL has put together something dramatic, which has drawn more attention to the grid iron game in the great northland. It’s become a thing of national unity. The words “It’s our league” ring out true. Because not only is it our league, but it’s our country. Whether you speak French or English, everyone understands the rules of the game. Where Rider fans live in Montreal, and Als fans live in Vancouver.
To the Esks, the Tabbies, the Boatmen, the Bombers, the Stamps, the Als, the Riders and the Leos…
…each team to a man has created a sense of national unity better than any other politician in the history of this country. There is only one thing that would make it more perfect.
Halifax. The city is football crazy, and to add a team there, along with the city of Ottawa, would bring about a league that reflects the nation as a whole. Years ago there was the American experiment. With the exception of one team, the entire experiement was not at all successful. Out of the American teams, one came away with a championship. And when the doors were locked and the lights turned out on that attempt, only one walked away with a team in their own country, in their own league.
Now, the future looks to places like Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec City, London, Thunder Bay, Fredricton. Perhaps in my lifetime there will be a 14 team league, all cities in Canada. All vying for Lord Grey’s age old cup.
All of them helping to bring about national unity.
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