Welcoming Manitoba’s diverse communities a priority for Jets True North expands heritage nights to feature multitude of cultures By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 6:06 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025

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This article was published 18/02/2025 (220 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ron Cantiveros recalls sitting in his living room a few years ago, the World Junior hockey tournament on television, when his five-year-old son turned around with a question.

“Would you be proud of me if I played for Team Canada?” asked little Lorenzo.

The easy answer, of course, was a resounding “Yes.” But the reality, as Cantiveros explained, was much more complicated. There were barely any Filipino kids playing minor hockey in their area at the time, let alone at the highest levels of the sport.

Of the approximately 70 kids playing Timbits that year through Seven Oaks, as Lorenzo was, only a handful had Filipino lineage.

“Fast forward to today. I’m a U9 volunteer head coach. On my team, there are six Filipino kids. In our U9 house league there are 14 kids across five teams,” said Cantiveros. “We could form a full U9 house team, which is incredible.”

That’s just the tip of a rapidly growing international iceberg.

There are 240 Filipino and South Asian kids alone enrolled in the “First Shift” program in Winnipeg which Cantiveros and other volunteers help run — a massive jump from 60 when it first began in 2023. These are largely new Canadians who are being exposed to hockey for the first time through the free six-week program run out of the Hockey For All Centre.

“We can’t keep up with registration. It’s wonderful to see,” said fellow co-ordinator Ganni Maan.

“Hockey has long been a unifying force in Canada and somehow polarizing where access is concerned. Representation in the sport as players, leaders, and fans creates a stronger sense of belonging and inclusion for our community.”

The Winnipeg Jets see it, too. The NHL organization is playing a key role by working closely with the community to ensure the team is doing its part.

“Obviously our population is changing,” said Dorian Morphy, the senior vice president, Brand and Chief Marketing Officer for True North.

“We’re trying to cultivate an inclusive culture where every Winnipegger, every Manitoban feels valued and is welcome to our game and our team.”

Five specialty nights will be held this season, which is the most they’ve ever had. Filipino Heritage Night, South Asian Heritage Night, Ukrainian Heritage Night and Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre Night have already come and gone, while Black History Night is set for Monday as the Jets host the San Jose Sharks.

“When we’re at a game or a whiteout party, we’re all the same. We’re all hockey fans. And the world’s a better place.”–Barrett Paulsen

An ambassador for each culture has been identified to work closely with True North on every detail of these nights, which are far from a one-and-done as Morphy explained.

“It’s really a multi-step, multi-year process and strategy,” he said.

There’s also a strategic business benefit for an organization that is trying to ensure it is viable long-term in hockey’s smallest market, especially after its season-ticket base has taken a big hit in recent years. If the face of your market is changing, finding ways to reach new potential fans is essential.

“But it’s just about growing the game and making it more inclusive and really celebrating that, at the end of the day,” said Barrett Paulsen, the director of community relations.

“When we’re at a game or a whiteout party, we’re all the same. We’re all hockey fans. And the world’s a better place.”

Unfortunately, not everyone shares that view, and there has been some backlash directed their way. A sad sign of the times, for sure — but one that won’t get them to back down.

“We’re simply just celebrating a culture within our city. How can you hate on that, right?” said Morphy. “I think we’ve stood pretty steadfast on that. Populations in Winnipeg need to feel included. And we need to do this.”

The Free Press spoke with each cultural ambassador about the history, importance and impact of these nights.

WASAC night

This is the OG partnership with True North, which dates back to the “Little Moose” program created in 2005 when WASAC co-founder Kevin Chief and True North co-owner/chairman Mark Chipman, among others, hashed out a plan to reach more Indigenous kids in the community.

That eventually expanded to the first WASAC night seven years ago, which was the first of the cultural nights to be launched.

“Obviously it helps the Jets to be more inclusive and have more butts in the seats by exposing people to the game, but I have never thought of this as anything but genuine from the team over there,” said WASAC executive director and cultural night ambassador Trevor LaForte.

“This is not just lip service, not just ticking off a box. There’s a genuine commitment from Mr. Chipman and the organization to this.”

The night itself has grown to be a true festival, one that includes everything from fiddlers and dancers and throat singers and musicians to land acknowledgments (the Jets were the first team to do this), logos and merchandise and national anthems done in Indigenous languages.

“It’s pretty cool to see that on a Hockey Night In Canada broadcast,” said LaForte.

There is also the grassroots effort to get more kids involved in the sport through funding and mentorship, which is evident through the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy run by former WASAC member Murray Cobb.

“Seven years ago I had no idea how this would be received. We could not have dreamt that it would go the way it has. It’s really beautiful,” said LaForte.

“The pride it’s bringing to the Indigenous community, to Indigenous children, to show off their heritage and be proud of it… I don’t take those things lightly.”

Black history night

Representation is important. And Black History Manitoba was looking for an assist in that direction. The Jets, it turns out, were happy to oblige.

“It was an easy sell,” said Nadia Thompson, who serves as chair of the organization and also took on the ambassador role in 2022. “The Jets have a unique opportunity to connect with young boys and girls who want to play hockey but are scared to or have stopped because of the colour of their skin.”

Now in its third year, the annual night has been aligned with Black History Month. On Monday, the Jets are bringing in former 1.0 goaltender Eldon (Pokey) Reddick — who was the second black netminder in NHL history.

Like they do with all cultural nights, several unique touches have been added to make it authentic including musical performances (the One Voice choir will do the anthems), and in-game entertainment (Drum Café Winnipeg and The Hi-Life Steel Orchestra will perform during intermissions).

Specialty food items will be available, as Rob Thomas, a local chef with Caribbean roots, offering up cultural cuisine such as Jamaican patties, jerk pork sandwiches with plantain chips and jerk chicken poutine.

There are also limited-edition jerseys and other merchandise in which profits are shared with organizations.

“One of the things we strive to do is connect history with present day and a lot of young people specifically don’t realize the connection of black history and hockey,” said Thompson.

“This has been a great platform to use to talk about the hardship, discrimination and racism that existed prior to the NHL opening their doors to black people and to this day.”

The Jets also offer up free and discounted tickets to the communities to allow for exposure to a game that might not otherwise happen.

“We think that we’ve opened doors and started a conversation with True North that reflects and acknowledges the disconnect that black people felt with the hockey league and True North itself because they didn’t really think that there was a connection there and that they felt like they weren’t seen,” said Thompson.

“I feel like by doing these initiatives you open that door to say ‘Yes, we see you, we acknowledge you, and we want to share what you have in your culture with what we do and how we present the hockey league.’ The Winnipeg Jets are a diverse team and as much as it’s their job to play hockey they also have a responsibility to show their commitment to the community and that includes the black community.”

Filipino heritage night

Cantiveros is the son of immigrant parents and has been a Jets fan going back to the 1.0 days. He didn’t need to be sold on the sport.

“But there are also new immigrants who have never known hockey and that’s where we’re trying to reach new audience and new fans in that sense,” he said.

The Jets approached him about being an ambassador, a role the vice president of marketing at the Filipino Journal takes seriously.

“I’ve always looked at this through the lens of it being more than just a one-night thing,” he said.

Not only has the sport exploded in popularity among young players, the impact of the night is tangible. Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, who is the second Filipino American to make the NHL, took the time to meet with locals when his team was in town for the first event in November 2022.

“If you had asked me three years ago what I would have envisioned, this would not have even been close,” said Cantiveros. “It’s a testament to the engagement that the Jets are behind.”

South Asian history night

This one came as a result of Maan, a Jets season ticket holder, being invited to serve on the inaugural Jets Advisory Council which was soliciting ideas about the hockey club’s community engagement initiatives.

“One of my key goals is to grow the game of hockey and celebrate the rich history and contributions of diverse communities in Winnipeg. I want to create opportunities for every child who dreams of playing hockey to have access to the sport, regardless of background or resources,” said Maan, who took on the role of ambassador.

“This initiative was a perfect fit, aligning my passion for hockey with my proud appreciation for our culture and community. It provided an incredible platform to celebrate our shared love for the game while also ensuring greater representation and inclusivity within the sport.”

As Maan explained, the return of the Jets in 2011 led to an increase in interest within the large South Asian community — but tickets weren’t exactly easy to come by in those early years.

That’s changed dramatically, and having a night to celebrate their culture is a point of pride.

“For younger generations, especially youth who are growing up balancing both cultures, it’s incredibly meaningful. Events like South Asian Heritage Night allow them to see themselves reflected in the North American mainstream while deepening their appreciation for their roots,” said Maan.

“It reinforces that they can embrace both their South Asian heritage and their Canadian identity with confidence.”

South Asian performers, dancers, and dhol players (Winnipeg Punjabi Arts Academy) which recognize pioneering elders throughout the game have become staples, while graphic design students at Maples Collegiate have helped facilitate game production logos and materials.

“This initiative is so important because it shows hockey truly is for everyone to enjoy. It provides an opportunity for people in our city to connect, celebrate diversity, and build a stronger sense of community,” said Maan.

“Every NHL team has the power to bring communities together and the responsibility to connect Canadians of all backgrounds through hockey, and True North has embraced that responsibility wholeheartedly. Their commitment to inclusion is more than just words; it’s about taking action.”

Ukrainian heritage night

The new kids on the block, are fresh off their first night held last month. Ambassador Yury Kruk was approached by the Jets last summer as he helped run the Ukrainian Kyiv pavilion at Folklorama.

As Kruk noted, there is already a rich local hockey history in their culture, thanks to NHL legends such as Billy Mosienko and Terry Sawchuk.

The idea was to reach those who haven’t yet been exposed to the sport and provide them with an opportunity.

“They’ve done an awesome job. The amount of effort they’ve put into all these heritage nights actually took me by surprise,” said Kruk.

“When you show up and everything is blue and yellow and you see dancers walking around in cultural attire within a Jets game, it invigorated the community to be able to celebrate itself as being Ukrainian.”

The Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus rocked the house with their rendition of the anthems while folk/punk fusion band Zrada performed during the intermissions and showed “Ukrainians aren’t just perogies, holubsti and polkas,” said Kruk.

The next step in the partnership will be trying to follow in a similar vein as the Filipino and South Asian communities and introduce newcomers to the sport by getting them on skates.

“We’d love for them to become lifelong lovers of hockey,” he said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg