Member Statement (3 December 2020)

From Hansard (3 December 2020)

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Remembering Fred Sasakamoose

Mr. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hockey is a significant part of the lives of many families in this province, including my own and many in my constituency in Moose Jaw. In fact Saskatchewan is famous for producing some of the finest hockey players in history, although admittedly I am not one of those, Mr. Speaker.

However, on November 24th Saskatchewan sadly lost one of those fine homegrown hockey players to complications brought on by COVID-19. That player was Fred Sasakamoose. Unfortunately Mr. Sasakamoose lost his battle with COVID, but I think many would agree he lived a fulfilling life.

Mr. Speaker, the people of my constituency are proud that Fred Sasakamoose played for the Moose Jaw Canucks from 1950 to 1954. In those four years with the Canucks in Moose Jaw, Mr. Sasakamoose emerged as one of the league’s leading players. Putting up 31 goals and 57 points in his last season, he caught the attention of the NHL. He was then signed by the Chicago Blackhawks where he would go on to play as the first ever Indigenous player to reach the NHL.

Fred was also a residential school survivor and became a role model to many within the Indigenous community. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and was named to the Order of Canada in 2017.

Mr. Speaker, I now ask all members of this Assembly to join me in acknowledging Fred Sasakamoose and the inspiring life he lived. Thank you.

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