The City of Winnipeg took the win Saturday in a hockey rivalry it revisited with the province after 50 years.
The City beat the province 6-0 in a hockey game to mark the Manitoba capital’s 150th birthday. The game was similar to 1974 when then Mayor Stephen Juba’s City Fathers took on Premier Edward Schreyer’s Golden Boys to mark Winnipeg’s centennial.
“When we’re talking to one another as politicians, we usually deal with big issues, so it’s nice to be able to come out and just have some fun,” said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, who played four seasons in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in the 1980s.
Gillingham said the number of years between games made the event unique.
“There’s something special about doing it for our 150th and we did it for the 100th,” he said. “If someone wants to pick it up before that, we could maybe do that, but it’s just a fun way to mark the year.”
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said his team were the underdogs and just hoped they’d have a respectful showing.
But now, the province will have to wait a while to get its win back.
“Adult Safe Hockey League … that’s my hockey background,” the premier joked. “And not the high level either, like the mid to lower tiers of beer league.”
Environment Minster and Acting Education Minister Tracy Schmidt also said despite the score, the event was a blast.
“The City came prepared,” said Schmidt. “I will say that the province had a lot more elected officials.
“I was really happy to see Mayor Gillingham, really happy to see Councillor Chambers. They certainly had a stacked team,” she said. “But again, it wasn’t really about that, it was about having a good time having fun.”
Gillingham said it was fitting to hold a hockey game in a province so often brought together by the sport to mark the City of Winnipeg’s 150th anniversary.
“This is kind of the right way to mark it,” he said.
