I grew up in Brantford, Ont., home to many Canadian legends. Alexander Graham Bell made the first phone call just two minutes from my parents’ home. Many culturally significant figures in the arts are from here, but the first person that always comes to mind is Wayne Gretzky.
I am not a hockey fan, but his legacy is undeniable.
The city’s sports centre is named after him, and a major road linking Highway 403 is called the Wayne Gretzky Parkway. Maybe the city milked his popularity a little, but he is regarded as one of the greatest NHL players ever.
I grew up learning about Gretzky in simple ways. One day in elementary school, I didn’t have a book to read, so I picked up his autobiography from the bookshelf. I’m not sure I would have made that choice if not for the city’s admiration for him.
From that book, I learned about his childhood and early career. I was fascinated and suddenly inherited the same appreciation my city had for him.
His father, Walter, was even more of a pillar in our community. You would see him at the mall, the grocery store and always at the sports centre. He was warm, conversational and made people feel welcome.
My hockey friends at school would talk about seeing Walter at practice the night before, and my grandma would tell me about their conversations at Lynden Park Mall. His death was a profound loss for Brantford.
After his passing, a bronze bust of Walter was placed in City Hall, in honour of his reputation as our city’s unofficial “Lord Mayor.”
My favourite story about the Gretzky family isn’t even my own. My mom’s friend once had Gretzky visit her elementary school class when he first entered the NHL. She thought he was lame, so he gave her his rookie trading card. She ripped it up, an action she regretted within a year.
I see traces of him throughout Brantford, but it doesn’t feel like the energy he left behind. It feels manufactured. He doesn’t live here and seemingly doesn’t want a legacy tied to either Brantford or Canada as a whole.
It became apparent on Feb. 20 when Canada and the U.S. faced off in the 4 Nations final, a game with heightened attention given the political climate and the divisive rhetoric U.S. President Donald J. Trump fuelled.
Each team had an honorary captain. Representing Canada? My hometown hero, Wayne Gretzky. He walked out onto the ice from the tunnel on the same side as the U.S. team, dressed in a suit instead of a Canadian jersey. He gave the American team a thumbs-up as he walked past. It may be wilful ignorance that led me to believe Gretzky still had some Canadian allegiance despite living in the U.S., but this moment felt strange. The stakes felt so high, not just in hockey but in the broader political landscape.
He wasn’t just failing to counter Trump’s rhetoric. He wasn’t even showing pride for the Canadian team.
After the game, Trump jumped to Gretzky’s defence, posting on social media: “Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada, and whatever else makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy.”
Again, my ignorance, I hadn’t realized his deep ties to Trump. The attendance at the inauguration, the visits to Mar-a-Lago, and wearing the Make America Great Again hat that felt like a betrayal of what we thought he represented.
I wouldn’t consider myself a staunch patriot. I recognize Canada’s flaws, but with the looming threat of Trump, it feels more important than ever to unite and show pride in our country.
Then, on March 4, the anniversary of Walter Gretzky’s death, Doug Ford chimed in, saying Canadians should “give him a break.”
A man who wears a “Make America Great Again” hat, a friend to Trump, and now our Ontario premier is telling us to back off?
“He never gave up his Canadian passport. So, folks, give the guy a break, just give him a break. He loves Canada. He loves it like no tomorrow,” Ford said.
This is particularly confusing coming from a premier who just called a snap election, claiming it was necessary to ensure the province stood united against Trump. Gretzky’s appeal to Canadians was his love for this country.
But now, his allegiance feels like a betrayal.
