Red Tape Hockey Event Becoming a Campus Tradition
On November 25, the Saint Mary's University Huskies played two Red Tape hockey games and hosted a Red Tape reception at the Dauphinee Centre in collaboration with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health. This is the third time in four years that SMU hosts the event with the exception being a COVID-19 cancellation.
The Red Tape event on campus raises awareness around racism in sport in support of former SMU student Logan Prosper of We'koqma'q First Nation. Prosper was on the receiving end of a racial slur during a minor hockey game in Cape Breton (or Unama'ki) in 2019. After that, he put red tape on his hockey stick as a visible reminder that such intolerance has no place in hockey and sport more broadly.
On the ice, players from all four teams chose to add red hockey tape on their sticks and socks in support of the event. In the end, the women's hockey Huskies defeated the Mount Allison Mounties 3-1 while the men's hockey Huskies upset the StFX X-Men by a score of 5-3.
Ceremonial Puck Drop between Saint Mary's and Mount Allison. From left to right: Erin Denny, Jarvis Googoo, Oceane Asham, Scott Gray. Photo by Eduardo Ibarra
Both games opened with ceremonial puck drops. Saint Mary's alumni and member of the Indigenous Advisory Council, Jarvis Googoo (We'koqma'q First Nation), dropped the puck for a faceoff between Saint Mary's Erin Denny (Eskasoni First Nation) and Mount Allison's Oceane Asham (Portage la Prairie). In the men's game, Logan Prosper dropped the puck with his father Phillip, who is Keptin of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council for We'koqma'q. Both games also featured the Canadian national anthem sung in Mi'kmaq by Youth Chief Jada Paul of Membertou First Nation.
Between games, Phillip Prosper opened the Red Tape reception in the Barbara Holmes Gathering Centre with the Honour Song and Jarvis Googoo assumed the role of MC for the nearly 25 guests in attendance. The event featured a few words from the Prosper family as well as SMU President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. Googoo used the event as an opportunity to discuss the importance of keeping the spirit of the Red Tape movement alive and stated that "Saint Mary's needs to be accountable in order to make a sustainable impact."
Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray speaking at the Red Tape Reception. Photo by Eduardo Ibarra
The McCain & McLean Centre seeks to keep the conversation going in part through its monthly speaker series on the culture of elite-level men's ice hockey. Each session is aimed at making the game more accessible and the April 2024 iteration will feature a talk on Indigeneity from Janice Forsyth of Fisher River Cree Nation (University of British Columbia) and Taylor McKee (Brock University).
In 2022, along with Huskies Athletics, the Centre also supported Erin Denny's leadership role in the Indigenous Girls Hockey Program. This initiative was started by Ryan Francis, the Centre's former Visiting Indigenous Fellow.
After the Red Tape reception, Director of Athletics & Recreation Scott Gray said, "We have an opportunity through sport to be a voice for change. These Red Tape events and our other work with the McCain & McLean Centre will continue to demonstrate our shared commitment to being that voice."
Huskies hockey action returns to the Dauphinee Centre after the holiday break with the men taking on the Acadia Axemen on Wednesday, Jan. 3 and the women facing the UNB REDS on Saturday, Jan. 6. Tickets are available in advance on the Athletics website.