In a rare public appearance that combined personal passion with public advocacy, Diana Fox Carney, the wife of Prime Minister Mark Carney, took to the ice this week to help open a groundbreaking new sports facility in Nova Scotia.
A Personal Touch for a Historic Arena
Diana Fox Carney did not just cut a ribbon at the opening of the new women's-only hockey rink in Sydney, Nova Scotia on Tuesday, January 7. The 60-year-old, who has largely avoided the spotlight since her husband became prime minister in March 2025, strapped on her gear and skated onto the fresh ice at Cape Breton University's (CBU) Kehoe Forum.
Clad in a red and black CBU Capers women's team jersey, Fox Carney was tasked with the ceremonial puck drop for a matchup game between Sweden and Switzerland, as noted by local MP Mike Kelloway in a social media post. The university has declared this facility the first arena in Canada dedicated exclusively to women's and girls' hockey.
From Late-Night Practices to a Dedicated Space
The cause is deeply personal for Fox Carney, a former player for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club. In a statement released by the university, she contrasted the new arena with her own experiences, stating, "I learned to play hockey in the U.K. where our practice times were 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., and we never imagined that we could get mainstream practice times."
She praised CBU for its leadership, saying, "It's great the way that CBU has championed the rights of female athletes. I think the Kehoe Forum is fantastic in terms of prioritizing women and making a point that women's hockey is just as important as men's."
A Statement on Equity and Opportunity
The event was framed as a significant milestone for gender equity in Canadian sports. MP Mike Kelloway emphasized the broader symbolism, writing that the arena is "more than a rink — it's a statement about equity, opportunity, and the growth of women's sport in Canada and beyond."
Also in attendance were members of the Cape Breton Blizzard Female Hockey Association, which serves girls aged five to 18. Fox Carney was photographed engaging with the young players on the ice and even participated in a scrimmage game with them, as reported by the Cape Breton Post.
Reflecting on her return to the game after a 13-year hiatus, Fox Carney humorously noted her vulnerability to injury but expressed how much she missed playing. The event also saw the presence of CBU President David Dingwall, a former federal Cabinet minister under Jean Chrétien.
While Fox Carney appeared with her husband during his campaign trail, she has maintained a notably low profile since he entered office, focusing on her career in sustainability and climate finance. Her active participation in this event underscores a committed advocacy for creating dedicated spaces for women in athletics, marking a new chapter for hockey development in Cape Breton.
