Last week really was hockey time in Canada. The happy story first — the Sedins.
Their retirement after 17 years with the Canucks isn’t, in itself, the happy story. Their personal history with the Vancouver hockey team is.
Although their accomplishments weren’t always recognized during their careers, the twins received plenty of attention last week, all of it good. They were lauded for their hockey skills, for always putting the team first, and for their huge contributions to the community. They were cited for their sportsmanship both on and off the ice.
One commentator wondered which was most worthy of praise, their ability as hockey players or their long record of service to the community. Both ways, well done. Their last game in Vancouver was almost too good to be true, with a storybook ending when Daniel, assisted by Henrik, scored the winning goal, completing the magic.
The Sedin love-in was over-shadowed on Saturday with the tragic news of the collision between a transport truck and the bus carrying Saskatchewan’s Humboldt Broncos hockey team. Fifteen teenaged players and accompanying adults were killed, others injured.
The North American hockey community is far flung over Canada and the U.S., but while the distances may be great, the connections between all levels is close, as professional and amateur players, officials and supporters from both countries are coming forward to share the heartache.
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On the local scene, the preliminary results of the Cariboo Regional District’s Area E by- election see Angie Delainey as the new director. Congratulations to her and thanks to Melynda Neufeld for her service as Alternate and Acting Director since last summer. One comment about the by-election.
According to the report I saw, only 156 people voted from a population of some 4,000 residents. Isn’t that remarkably low?
Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian and book author.
