To pass your Canadian citizenship exam, you have to learn the entire history of your new home country, from the First Nations to the fur trade to the War of 1812 to Confederation to whatever happened in the next 150 years right up to the Flames’ post-lockout futility (it gets a whole chapter in the study guide). All of which is to say that for these 10 newest Canadians, becoming Flames fans was a high price to pay for citizenship, but I guess worth it.
Before last night’s 5-0 loss to the Coyotes (welcome to Canada; our teams are bad at hockey now), three families, from Mongolia, India, and the Philippines were sworn in as citizens, and then hours later invited onto the Saddledome ice to help sing the national anthem.
It was a nice moment, and the latest in the NHL’s “Hockey Is For Everyone” Month, which has featured programs like an Emirati women’s hockey player’s visit with the Capitals, and the Bruins’ use of rainbow “Pride Tape” during warm-ups.