Hockey for hope at Canada Life Centre

The University of Manitoba Bisons men’s hockey team hosted the Ukrainian men’s national under-25 team at Canada Life Centre last month. They played a game to raise money for humanitarian aid for those affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, and to help resettle Ukrainian refugees.

The game was part of the Hockey Can’t Stop Tour, during which the Ukrainian team played against four university teams from across Western Canada. All proceeds were sent to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, an organization that provides relief to displaced Ukrainians through medical care, emergency shelter, and food security.

The four-game tour raised over $100,000.

In addition to raising money, organizers hope the games provided a ray of hope in the lives of Ukrainians at home and overseas. Seeing their men’s national hockey team in action helps to keep the dream of hockey alive in a war-torn country suffering in a year-long, unprovoked invasion from Russia.

As the war began, many professional hockey players in Ukraine had to give up their hopes of a career in sport to help defend their country, either as combatants, or by volunteering in other ways.

The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is hoping the Can’t Stop Hockey Tour will invigorate Ukrainians at home and abroad and inspire them to look ahead to brighter days. Many of the funds from the ticket sales are being shared with Save Ukrainian Hockey Dream – a charityfighting to preserve the culture of hockey in the country.

It was fitting that the Hockey Can’t Stop Tour completed its journey in Manitoba, a province with the second-largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world. Ukrainians are our neighbours, colleagues, family members and friends, and Manitobans have been rallying together to support Ukrainians in any way they can.

Manitoba has welcomed over 5,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war, according to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress The support in our province has been incredible: volunteers, non-profit organizations, and governments have helped with everything from greeting refugees at the airport to helping them find employment and housing to connecting them to resources for learning English, mental health support and so much more.

The Hockey Can’t Stop Tour is one way that our communities in Canada can rally together to lift the spirits of those most affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Terry Duguid
Winnipeg South constituency report

Terry Duguid is the Liberal MP for Winnipeg South.

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