On April 4 I rose in the provincial legislature, and gave the following members statement: Speaker, as we debate whatever it is we are debating today legislation - there is a much more important debate going on. It’s not really a debate, but a competition and that is the SEDMHA hockey tournament. It starts today. I want to wish, in particular, all the teams from the Dartmouth Whalers an excellent tournament. I wanted to take this time to do my annual thank you to the Dartmouth Whalers Hockey Association and all hockey associations in the province. I know we all have our particular ones that we cheer for. I have to say that I spent a lot of time in East Hants this year and Eastern Shore, and usually came out victorious, so that’s fine. In particular, I want to thank the U-13 Sea Orcas coaches and parents, volunteers Neil Fisher, Brian Cormier, Jason Murphy, Katy Mattatall, and Moira Fisher, and the U-11 Huskies: Jean David Paradis, Joe Triff, John Joyce Robinson and Maya Belanger. Thank you to all those parents and volunteers who make hockey so fun for our kids.
Dartmouth High Hockey Food Drive
I gave this members statement in the Nova Scotia Legislature on March 18, 2024:
Mx. Speaker, at the end of February, members of the hockey teams at Dartmouth High School collected food throughout Montebello, Keystone, Crichton Park, and central Dartmouth neighbourhoods for their joint food drive. Together the teams gathered over a full pallet of food plus monetary donations that they donated to the Dartmouth Community Fridge, Margaret’s House, and Feed Nova Scotia. Those who donated were entered into draws for prizes from the Zatzman Sportsplex and downtown Dartmouth Stone Pizza. As the Dartmouth High School Spartans hockey wrote on Facebook - and as I have spoken about many times in this Legislature - food insecurity affects many people in our own community of Dartmouth North and throughout Dartmouth. I am always inspired by the youth of Dartmouth North, and I am especially proud of these Dartmouth High students who are doing their part to end food insecurity.
PWHL Nova Scotia Players
The Professional Women’s Hockey League premiered on January 1, 2024 with a game between Toronto and New York. On that historic New Years day, there were many players from Nova Scotia on the ice, as there has been since. Nova Scotians making her-story in the PWHL include: Toronto players Captain Blayre Turnbull of Stellarton, defender Allie Munroe of Yarmouth, and goaltender Carly Jackson (CJ) of Amherst. Jill Saulnier of Halifax plays forward with New York. As I speak, the PWHL Toronto is actually on an eight game - yes eight game! - winning streak, the longest current winning streak for men’s or women’s professional hockey. Yarmouth’s Allie Munroe also got her first goal of the league on Wednesday night, contributing to the 3-1 win over Boston. Tonight, on International Women’s Day no less - Toronto goes up against the league's current #1 team Montreal, and Montreal’s “Captain Clutch”, Marie-Philip Poulin. I wish all of the Nova Scotian players just the best inaugural season and thank them for being possibility models for all of the young women and gender conforming youth - like my daughter - who play hockey in this province and around the world.
Banook Paddles Up Campaign
I gave the following members statement on March 5:
Banook Canoe Club is a beloved institution in Dartmouth and has been for generations of athletes, families, and community members. If you’ve been along the shores of Lake Banook lately, you’ll notice that the canoe club is currently hoisted in the air and undergoing major renovations. The iconic red buildings have been showing signs of aging, are at risk of sliding into its namesake lake, and are not physically accessible to many with disabilities. To fund these ambitious and much-needed alterations, the canoe club launched the Paddles Up Capital Campaign, a $5 million capital campaign to breathe new life into BCC while respecting the building’s heritage. At this very moment, the Paddles Up campaign is running a raffle, which closes on March 8th for a $10,000 Micmac Mall shopping spree. I encourage everyone to support Banook Canoe Club’s revitalization efforts through the Paddles Up Capital Campaign and hope these efforts help ensure Banook Canoe Club is a vibrant part of our community for another 100 years and more.
Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes Memorial Game
On February 27, I gave the following members statement in the Nova Scotia Legislature:
On February 17th I was in the stands at the RBC Centre in Burnside for the annual Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes Memorial Game. The game featured two all-Black teams representing the historic Amherst Royals and the Hammonds Plains Mossbacks.
This year, the teams were coached by two hockey giants: Bill Riley, the first Black Nova Scotian to play in the NHL, and former Team Canada player and Hockey Hall of Famer - the first woman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame - Angela James. James lent her considerable talents to a youth hockey clinic before the game. The annual game was organized by the Black Ice Society, a Nova Scotia-based non-profit that recognizes and showcases Black achievement in sport.
Founded in 1895 and playing off and on until 1930, the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes consisted of 400 players of African descent on teams throughout the region. The league's maiden team was in fact the Dartmouth Jubilees.
In these last few days of African Heritage Month, I ask the House to join me in thanking the Black Ice Society for their efforts to ensure that the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes is not lost to history and congratulate all involved.
Tribal Boxing Esker Cup
Always proud to have Tribal Boxing Club in #DartmouthNorth. This week I recognized 3 boxers and their coach for attending an international competition in Ireland:
Mr. Speaker, in mid-October, coach Bridget Stevens and three tribal boxing club boxers travelled from Mi’kma’ki to Ireland for the Esker AllFemale Box Cup, one of the largest competitions for female boxers in the world. Boxers Holly McDonald, Natteal Battiste, and Vanity Thompson represented the North End Dartmouth club, competing alongside over 300 boxers from 14 different countries. This was the first Esker All Female Box Cup after a two-year hiatus. Excitingly, Vanity Thompson, a VON licensed practical nurse by day, brought home the Best Novice Fighter of the Year award to Dartmouth North. I am in awe of the dedication, tenacity, and athleticism these boxers have demonstrated. I ask the House to join me in extending congratulations to Holly, Natteal, and Vanity, and coach Bridget on representing Dartmouth so well on an international stage, and to Vanity for being recognized as one of the best in the world. They all continue to do Dartmouth North and Nova Scotia proud.