Prime Minister Mark Carney Takes the Ice with Ottawa Charge, Hails Team as Inspiration
In a spirited display of support for women's hockey, Prime Minister Mark Carney laced up his skates and joined the Ottawa Charge at their practice session on Tuesday. The visit, held at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, saw Carney actively participating in drills and even scoring goals, all while wearing a Charge hoodie and using a stick adorned with rainbow tape.
Carney's Hockey Background and On-Ice Performance
Long before his political career, Carney served as a backup goaltender for the Harvard University Crimson from 1984 to 1986 and later played at Oxford University in the early 1990s. Despite his goaltending roots, he showcased his versatility on Tuesday, moving comfortably through player drills and demonstrating solid stickhandling skills. At one point, he celebrated a bar-down shot past Charge goaltender Kendra Woodland with a dramatic knee drop, earning cheers from the team.
Messages of Support and Community Unity
Addressing reporters in both English and French, Carney expressed his admiration for the Charge, stating, "We're fortunate to have the Charge." He emphasized that the Professional Women's Hockey League team has become too significant to remain at TD Place Arena, hinting at potential future growth. Carney specifically highlighted the team's role as an inspiration for young girls and pledged to cheer them on as they fight for a playoff spot.
Charge captain Brianne Jenner reflected on the visit, noting, "I think we can all recognize what's special about hockey is it unites our communities and brings us all together, and it brought our countries together today." She added that Carney's enthusiasm was evident, saying, "I think you could definitely tell he's a hockey guy and appreciated being with the team again."
International Diplomacy on Ice
Adding an international dimension to the event, Carney was joined on the ice by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who was in Ottawa for his first bilateral meeting with the Canadian prime minister. The visit held special meaning for Finnish players Ronja Savolainen and Sanni Ahola, along with assistant coach Juuso Toivola, who exchanged words with Stubb in their native language.
Savolainen shared her excitement, saying, "It was an honor to meet our president. You never get to do that, so it was actually so cool. To have him in our practice and to see him skating and scoring and everything, it was so cool." She expressed confidence that Stubb is now a Charge supporter, given the team's strong Finnish connections.
Playoff Push and Future Engagements
This marked Carney's second interaction with the Charge, having previously hosted Olympians Brianne Jenner, Jocelyne Larocque, and Emily Clark at his office before their departure for Milan. As the Charge currently holds the fourth and final playoff spot in the PWHL with three regular-season games remaining, Carney's visit served as a morale boost. The team returns to action on Saturday, hosting the New York Sirens at 2 p.m., with Carney and Stubb likely among their newest fans.
