MELFORT — The enthusiasm surrounding the SJHL Canalta Cup finals has spilled over into the legislative assembly, with bets being placed by MLAs from the cities involved.
Both Melfort MLA Todd Goudy and Battlefords MLA Herb Cox have issued a friendly challenge to one another. If the MLA’s home team loses the Cup final, that member has to wear the opposing team’s jersey in the legislature for a day.
Both Cox and Goudy issued remarks about that challenge in the legislature Tuesday. Those remarks, as recorded in Hansard, are reproduced below.
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Mr. Cox: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, Mr. Speaker, our Battlefords North Stars have treated us to a great season of exciting hockey this past winter. But as the regular season ended and the playoffs began, the level of excitement rose significantly for our North Stars fans. The quarter-finals began with a series against Flin Flon. We jumped out to a quick three-games-to-none lead. And in the fourth game we were a few seconds away from winning the series and ending Flin Flon’s season when they came back and scored. Eventually they took us to seven games, but our guys came out victorious in the end. We continued to pick up momentum in the semifinals and in fact we got out our brooms and swept the Yorkton Terriers in four games. And now we’re into the SJHL finals, facing the Melfort Mustangs. We split the first two games this past weekend in North Battleford, a 6-2 win on Friday night, but dropped a close one on Saturday, 1-0. Mr. Speaker, the next two games are in Melfort this week. The Civic Centre was near capacity for those two home games and I know that it’s going to be packed again this Friday for game five. This is going to be a great series between two great teams, but in the end, I’m absolutely positive the Stars are going to prevail and I can’t wait to see the member from Melfort wearing my Stars jersey for a day in this legislature. That’s going to be a bit of a bittersweet victory as there’s no way on God’s green earth that he can do justice to that revered uniform. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: I recognize the member from Melfort. Mr. Goudy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While I appreciate the member from The Battlefords’ youthful optimism, let me tell you about the other horse in this race. Mr. Speaker, during my grade 12 year, the Mustangs were born, and now 30 years later some of the guys that I grew up with are now the coaches, and some are even parents of a few of the players. Over the years we’ve had some good teams but this year is one of the best in terms of talent and character. The member from The Battlefords seems quite confident of victory but his overconfidence reminds me of a king who once boasted before the battle. The opposing king answered his bravado with words that I will leave with my friend: “Let not him who straps on the armour boast as he who’s taking it off.” The series is tied at a game apiece and the next battle is scheduled for tonight in Melfort at the Northern Lights Palace. And, Mr. Speaker, no matter who comes out on top, we’re all in for some great hockey. There can only be one champion, only one true North Star, and we will find out which that team will be. Between you and me, Mr. Speaker, I think that when the series is all over, we’re going to see how a diehard North Battleford fan looks in Mustangs green and blue. Thank you. Go Mustangs! |
