Heather Jeffares, sporting an Edmonton Oilers cap and jacket, recollects utilizing her paper route cash to pay for Oilers tickets to look at Wayne Gretzky play and standing outdoors the church throughout his wedding ceremony.
However she is among the many many Edmontonians whose view of Gretzky — an nearly saintly determine on this metropolis — has change into difficult, amid political rigidity between Canada and the U.S. and growing rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump that he desires to make Canada its 51st state.
“It is simply complicated what facet he is on,” Jeffares mentioned. “He is such an icon for Canada, you’d assume that folks like that will rally behind the nation proper now. We’d like that.”
Gretzky’s tie to Trump is being scrutinized, notably since Thursday evening’s 4 Nations Face-Off last between Canada and U.S.
The NHL, which held the competitors to switch its all-star sport, made Gretzky Canada’s honourary captain forward of the ultimate. Earlier than puck-drop in Boston, Gretzky wore a swimsuit and tie — American honourary captain Mike Eruzione wore a U.S. jersey — and gave a thumbs-up to the U.S. crew as he walked to the ice from their bench.
Canada finally hoisted the trophy after Connor McDavid, the Oilers’ captain, potted the overtime-winning aim. Gretzky handed the Canadians hats that learn, “Be nice,” after the victory.
The ultimate was seemingly essentially the most politically charged Crew Canada hockey sport in additional than half a century, when Canada squared off towards the Soviet Union within the 1972 Summit Collection.
“Folks will argue that sport is not any place for politics, however sport is the place to deal with loads of the political points that we’re dealing with as a result of it is the choice to battle,” mentioned Jennifer Walinga, a professor of communication and tradition at Royal Roads College in Victoria. She additionally rowed for Canada on the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
“They used the ice to face up for themselves, rise up for his or her nation and actually take a stand as fierce and targeted,” she mentioned. “It was stunning.”
Whereas on the marketing campaign path, Trump promised to tariff Canadian imports and joked that Canada might change into the 51st state of the union. Trump and the U.S. authorities have escalated that rhetoric since profitable the election; stiff tariffs on Canadian items might begin as of March 4.
Gretzky, nicknamed “The Nice One” and thought of the best hockey participant ever, received 4 Stanley Cups with the Oilers earlier than being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. He has additionally represented Crew Canada as a participant and an government.
However Gretzky, an Order of Canada recipient, has lived within the U.S. for years and he and his spouse are mates with Trump. He attended Trump’s inauguration ceremony in January and has visited Trump a number of instances at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s Florida residence.
In late December, earlier than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced his resignation, Trump posted on his social media community, Fact Social, that he had visited Gretzky and urged him to run for prime minister, “quickly to be referred to as the Governor of Canada.”
Criticism about Gretzky has risen since Thursday’s sport, nonetheless.
Tyler Yaremchuk, a number of the Nation Community and Every day Faceoff, attended the sport in Boston amongst a pro-American crowd. Nobody booed Gretzky, he mentioned, however his lack of Canadian colors was famous.
“It was a little bit bit disheartening — as somebody who’s masking the occasion, however [who] can be a Canadian hockey fan,” mentioned Yaremchuk, who has coated the Oilers for seven years.
The NHL selected Gretzky as honourary captain as a result of “he is among the biggest and most revered gamers within the historical past of the sport and a proud born and raised Canadian,” a league spokesperson instructed CBC Information.
The Canadian crew welcomed Gretzky into their locker room, they added.
Gretzky has not publicly voiced his political views. However patriotism has surged by way of many Canadians given the perceived menace to the nation’s sovereignty.
CBC Information didn’t instantly obtain remark from M2NS, a expertise company representing Gretzky.
Columnist Bruce Arthur says Canada’s selection of Wayne Gretzky as honorary captain appeared oddly disconnected from the present second.
Yaremchuk has observed folks acknowledge Gretzky’s influence on hockey — particularly in Edmonton — and his work in the neighborhood, whereas others specific displeasure or betrayal, he mentioned.
He and Walinga, the B.C. professor, say the latest criticism has much less to do with any proper or left political leanings, and extra with Gretzky — a Canadian and hockey icon from Brantford, Ont. — having not overtly supported Canada.
“What we’re seeing proper now’s some rigidity between the [hockey] values we wish to uphold, such because the excellence that Wayne Gretzky embodies, [and] these different values which are simply as vital, like independence, respect, friendliness and neighbourliness and collaboration,” Walinga mentioned.
“Folks could be feeling torn that he is not upholding these issues — and actually, he is really supporting people who find themselves actively attempting to annex Canada.”
That’s taking part in out on the native stage in Edmonton, she famous.
As of 5:15 p.m. MT Sunday, practically 7,300 folks have signed an internet petition to alter the identify of Wayne Gretzky Drive, which runs from the Yellowhead Freeway to one hundred and first Avenue.
“We maintain Wayne Gretzky, as a metropolis, pricey to our coronary heart — arguably the best declare to fame for Edmonton,” mentioned Grant Prete, who launched the petition on Feb. 18.
“He is supporting somebody who’s threatening the sovereignty of our nation,” he mentioned, including that the scenario stings extra as a result of it is Gretzky.
Seth Janel, an Edmonton resident, feels renaming the street is simply too far as a result of it might erase Gretzky’s total influence. He additionally acknowledged that Gretzky is allowed to have a private political opinion.
But it nonetheless stings, given the present local weather, he mentioned.
“It hurts Canadian nationalism a little bit bit, as a result of he is so related to this nation,” Janel mentioned.
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