I am pleased to rise to congratulate a friend today, Wally Kozak, born and raised in Wadena, Saskatchewan, on his induction into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame. Wally is in great company; Stanley Cup winners Grant Fuhr, Mike Vernon and legendary “Hockey Night in Canada” announcer Ron MacLean are part of the 2018 Hall of Fame inductee group.

Hockey is in Wally’s blood. He was first and foremost a Wadena Wildcat, our hometown hockey team. He, like the Humboldt Broncos, spent many a day on a bus going to other small towns to play. He would have loved to have this career lead to the NHL, but instead his people skills took him to a different career as a teacher and mentor and coach.

Known as one of the best technical hockey coaches in the world, he was the assistant coach of the 2002 gold-winning Canadian women’s hockey team at the Salt Lake City Olympics and was also named head scout of the national women’s team the same year. As we all know, our women’s hockey team is superior and year after year dominates world women’s hockey. The honour bestowed upon Wally reflects the integral role he played in their success.

Not only did he play an important part in the development of the national women’s hockey program, he is a dedicated community man. He has spent 30 years coaching at all levels and 20 years as a high school physical education teacher, coaching football, wrestling and track and field.

Wally’s dedication to the sport may have been most evident when in 2007 he suffered a massive heart attack when he was on the ice coaching the Strathmore Rockies. With a very slim 5 per cent chance of survival, doctors described the best-case scenario as dire. Just three months later and three days removed from the hospital, Wally made a surprise visit to the team during a game.

In describing him as stubborn, Rockies head coach Julie Healy said, “That’s probably why he’s one of the 5 per cent that survive.” That is a true testament to the dedication he had to the team he served and the sport he loves.

Following his recovery from this near-fatal experience, he has been involved in the hockey community in any way possible ever since.

Wally exemplifies the true character of the people of Wadena and Saskatchewan. The son of a hard-working immigrant, his father, Pete, the shoemaker, instilled in him an amazing work ethic but also a love of country, an appreciation of democracy and an understanding of the privilege of an education and the freedom to succeed.

He is tenacious for sport, driven and above all else unselfish and dedicated to his community. I am proud to call Wally a son of Wadena. Fellow senators, please join me in congratulating Wally Kozak on his outstanding achievement and induction into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.