El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
NHL players refusing to participate in Pride nights around the league shows hockey still isn't safe for a number of LGBTQ2S+ people, says one of the first male professional players to publicly come out as gay.
Brock McGillis is working to change the sport he loves through a new non-profit, Alphabet Sports Collective, which looks to make hockey safer for people of all sexualities and gender identities.
"I think (the Pride night controversy) is just a testament that we have to build up community and work with our members to feel good," said McGillis, who played in the Ontario Hockey League, the United Hockey League and in the Netherlands.
"The more people are exposed to those that are different than themselves, the more likely they are to not judge, not be anti-LGBTQ2S+. We lack exposure in this world, we lack identities in this world. So by getting young adults and adults out there, the exposure itself will hopefully help people critically think about what they're doing and the impact it has on people they know."
NHL teams have long held annual Pride nights to celebrate LGBTQ2S+ people and promote inclusivity, but controversy has bubbled this season as an increasing number of players have refused to take part.
In mid-January, Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov sat out warm-ups -- and declined to wear a Pride jersey -- citing his Russian Orthodox religion.
Others around the league have followed suit.
San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer, and Eric and Marc Staal, who both play for the Florida Panthers, said earlier this month they wouldn't wear their team's rainbow-themed uniforms in warm-ups due to their religious beliefs. Buffalo Sabres defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin said Monday he was opting out due to concerns of retribution in his home country of Russia.
The New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks all decided not to don Pride warm-up jerseys for their celebratory games.
Closeted hockey players are hurt by these decisions, McGillis said.
"That player believes that those teammates hate him," he said. "I'm telling you that because I was that player. That player is further in the closet today."
Other NHL teams have continued with big Pride celebrations, with high-profile players speaking out in support.
"To me, it's an obvious no brainer. If I were in that position, I would wear one," said Oilers forward Zach Hyman. "It doesn't go against any of my beliefs. On the contrary, I think it's extremely important to be open and welcoming to that greater community, just because they're a minority and they've faced a lot of persecution over the years.
"To show that we care and that we're ready and willing to include them in our game and in our sport is incredibly important to me."
Edmonton has not worn themed jerseys for its Pride games, but players used rainbow stick tape during warm-ups ahead of its annual celebration Saturday.
"I know here in Edmonton, we strongly believe hockey is for everyone and strongly support Pride night," said captain Connor McDavid.
The Calgary Flames are set to wear Pride jerseys designed by a local LGBTQ2S+ artist when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Coach Darryl Sutter said the uniforms haven't been an issue for the team.
"I think all it signifies is everything is accepted," said the veteran bench boss.
The Canucks are set to celebrate the LGBTQ2S+ community on Friday when they host the Flames.
Vancouver has worn Pride warm-up jerseys in previous years, but the team has yet to reveal whether the tradition will continue, saying in a statement Tuesday that details on different elements of the night will be released "closer to the date."
"We have had a long and proud history of hosting Pride events and we look forward to another incredible evening on March 31 to raise awareness and support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community," the statement said.
McGillis didn't think support from high-profile people in the hockey community would matter to him as he and his co-founders worked to get Alphabet Sports Collective off the ground earlier this month.
But looking around the launch party in Toronto, he was struck by how many athletes, media personalities and others from around the game were in the room.
"Hockey made me want to die. I self harmed. I drank heavily. I struggled. My career derailed from it. It didn't feel like a good space to me," McGillis said. "And then all of a sudden, I'm seeing all these people who represent essentially that world, here saying, `No, we want this to be good for people like you and all people."'
Working within the existing hockey community to create change is key, said co-founder Gabriela Ugarte.
Alphabet Sports Collective is working to connect ambassadors to promote messages of inclusion, and critically analyze their own language and behaviours, she said.
The support the group has received so far has been huge, Ugarte added.
"I think it shows that there are people who are across the industry, that there's more of us who want to become an inclusive and equitable space, and that there are people who are willing to do the work," she said. "And we are very appreciative of that."
The new non-profit is currently working on connecting people who want to get involved in hockey at a variety of levels with mentors who can help them succeed. That means pairing aspiring coaches with veterans already working behind the bench, and people who want to sit on boards with those who have experience, McGillis said.
"Let's give them tools where they feel good to be a part of the hockey ecosystem in any capacity they want. Whether it's through coaching, sitting on boards, managing teams, playing -- whatever it is, let's start giving them tools to take part," he said.
"We need more seats."
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.