Honourable senators, what I did for the weekend made me proud and privileged to be a Canadian. On Friday, I went to a citizenship ceremony in Saskatoon. It was probably the largest ever in Saskatchewan. Three hundred and six people took the oath to become new Canadians. Overseen by citizen judge Suzanne Carrière, an outstanding citizenship judge, it was an uplifting, emotional experience. I am grateful to be a Canadian.

Then, on Sunday, my brother and I — and I know Senator Smith is waiting for this part — went to the Grey Cup football game in Regina. I had bought tickets to the game back in August when it looked like my beloved Saskatchewan Rough riders would be playing in the game. Alas, that did not happen by a mile.

The game was between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts. It was an outstanding event, and my congratulations go out to the Canadian Football League, or CFL, my friend Scott Banda, who is the chair of the board of the CFL, Commissioner Ambrosie and particularly the good citizens of Regina who delivered another outstanding Grey Cup celebratory event — an uplifting Canadian event. In my view, the Grey Cup and the two national curling championships, the Brier and the Scotties, are the most quintessentially Canadian sporting events we have in this country.

Now to the game. There is a convention in many regions of the country that we only cheer for Toronto teams when there is no one else to cheer for. On the other hand, there is a law in Saskatchewan — it is part of The Saskatchewan First Act that you might have heard about. It’s clause 13 of that act. Clause 13 is a particular number in the hearts of Saskatchewanians, as Senator Smith will know. Clause 13 is written in the act in invisible ink. Only Saskatchewanians can read it. I can read it. Here is what it says: “Saskatchewan Rough Riders first in our hearts. Winnipeg Blue Bombers last in our hearts.” Nevertheless, I was cheering for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the game. I may have some explaining to do back home.

The game was a fascinating one with perhaps the most dramatic finish in the history of the Grey Cup. Toronto won by one point. Congratulations to the Toronto Argonauts as Grey Cup champions for 2022.

With respect to Winnipeg, though, they are an outstanding football team harkening back to the dynasties — some will remember this as sports fans — of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the 1960s when people like Kenny Ploen, Leo Lewis and Ernie Pitts were stars, and they were coached by Bud Grant, perhaps the most outstanding football coach in professional football history.

It is quite possible that the Winnipeg loss in this Grey Cup is merely a modest interruption in what may well be for modern day Winnipeg Blue Bombers the building of another — the word I want to say next is dynasty, but I can’t quite bring myself to say it.

Congratulations to all. Grey Cup 2022 was an outstanding Canadian event. Thank you.