October 23, 2019
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Presents Inaugural Order of Sport Award to the Class of 2019
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame – Toronto, October 23, 2019 – Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame’s 64th annual Induction Festival kicked off this morning with the media conference where the Class of 2019 Inductees were officially inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and received the inaugural Order of Sport Award. Senator Chantal Petitclerc emceed the media conference and Chair of the Board of Governors of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Robert Rooney along with Hall of Famer, Damon Allen presented the Class of 2019 with the inaugural Order of Sport Award in the form of an Order of Sport scarf and a Canadian Silver lapel pin. The official Order of Sport trophy will be awarded to each Inductee at this evening’s gala and ceremony. Over the next year, all Hall of Famers (living and departed) will be awarded with the Order of Sport.
Established in 2019, the Order of Sport Award formally recognizes sports’ role in community building and acknowledges that Canada’s shared values are sports shared values; respect, equality, fairness and openness. Sport is a strong backbone for building diversity, inclusion and accessibility in Canadian communities. The Order of Sport Award formally recognizes the whole of these champions’ journeys and the value they return to their communities.
“Congratulations to the Class of 2019, this is a defining moment for Sport in Canada. The Order of Sport is making it abundantly clear to the Canadian public that these Hall of Famers are so much more than incredibly accomplished athletes. They are ambassadors, role models, educators and heroes, and the Order of Sport is a fitting tribute. It’s our way to say thank you to our champions for sharing their journey with us and reminding us of our humanity and our commitment to each other,” said Cheryl Bernard, President and CEO of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2019 includes six Athletes and two sport Builders who have each contributed a tremendous amount to their sport, communities and to Canada. Their passion and desire to convert their competitive spirit into community spirit is what makes them truly remarkable.
The Class of 2019 Inductees:
- Alexandre Bilodeau (Athlete, Freestyle Skiing) – the first Canadian athlete ever to win an Olympic Gold Medal on home soil at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the first freestyle skier to win two consecutive Olympic Gold Medals with his repeat performance in 2014. After retiring from competition, he continues to support organizations dedicated to empowering people living with neurological disorders.
- Colette Bourgonje (Athlete, Para Nordic Skiing and Wheelchair Racing) – ten-time Paralympian, she is the only Canadian female athlete to compete in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and the first to medal in dual events. After retiring from competition, she continues to help others transform adversity into opportunity, raising awareness for the Para sport movement, coaching disabled youth and promoting active living through Saskatchewan’s In Motion program.
- Martin Brodeur (Athlete, Ice Hockey) – transformed goaltending with his unique hybrid style of play, winning three Stanley Cup Championships and claiming the Vezina Trophy four times as the League’s best goaltender. Committed to inspiring the next generation, Martin fulfilled a childhood dream in 1995 by bringing the Stanley Cup home to the neighbourhood where he grew up playing street hockey.
- Jayna Hefford (Athlete, Ice Hockey) – twelve-time World Women’s Championship Medallist and five-time Olympic Medallist, she raised the bar for women’s hockey in Canada at a time when women’s hockey was breaking new ground. After retiring from competition, she mentored the next generation as Assistant Coach of the women’s hockey team at the University of Toronto for six years, and continues to run her own hockey school for young girls.
- Waneek Horn-Miller (Athlete, Water Polo) – after winning a Gold Medal at the Pan American Games and co-captaining the first Canadian women’s Water Polo team in the Olympic Games, she remains an ambassador to empower Indigenous communities and youth through sport.
- Vicki Keith (Athlete, Swimming) – crossing some of the most daunting bodies of water in the world, Vicki Keith set 16 world records and received over 41 awards and honours as a marathon swimmer. After retiring from competition, she dedicated herself to creating exciting new opportunities for young athletes with disabilities, founding the YMCA Penguins in Kingston, Ontario.
- Guylaine Bernier (Builder, Rowing) – Guylaine Bernier helped make history as part of the ground-breaking Canadian women’s rowing team at the 1976 Olympic Games and has been making waves as an athlete, official, coach, organizer and volunteer for over 45 years promoting gender equity, opportunities for young athletes and elite sport development.
- Doug Mitchell (Builder, Multisport) – founded the BLG Awards (now the Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards), served as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League introducing a salary cap policy that stabilized the League’s economic difficulties, has been inducted into numerous Sport Halls of Fame and in 2004, he was made a member of the Order of Canada, honouring the exceptional generosity and visionary leadership that have shaped his outstanding contributions to Canadian sport.
2019 is Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame’s year of absolute solidarity and a reset on its recognition platform by expanding its recognition partnerships. This year, for the first time, the champions are sharing a day of celebration and an evening on screen and on stage.
The Partners in Recognition program includes the 2019 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Halls of Fame Inductees, the Canada Games Hall of Honour Inductees, this year’s Tom Longboat, Lou Marsh Memorial, Lionel Conacher and Bobbie Rosenfeld Award winners, the U SPORTS Academic All Canadians, Athletes of the Year and Student Journalists, along with the Sports Media Canada Honours.
Together, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and their Partners in Recognition are raising the profile and stature of Canada’s Sport + Spirit Champions to demonstrate sports’ shared values and to build Canada through sport.
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