Though they don’t all belong to the same political camp, the lawmakers are infected with the same fever.
Support for the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final is felt across the country, including in Ottawa.
Some lawmakers will set aside their political differences and gather in Speaker Greg Fergus’ office Monday night to watch the game and eat popcorn, reviving a long-standing tradition on Capitol Hill.
“Chairman Fergus has always been a supporter of the Oilers,” spokesman Matthew Gravel said.
A few weeks ago, the Speaker’s Office hosted Hockey Night in conjunction with a Toronto Maple Leafs game in the first round of the playoffs.
Past chairs dating back to chairman Geoff Regan have hosted a Hockey Night during late meetings for Canadian teams competing in the playoffs, Gravel said.
A few weeks ago, NDP MP Heather MacPherson was at Toronto Pearson Airport, waiting to board a flight to Ottawa with other Conservative MPs, watching the Oilers clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“It was kind of crazy winning the game and high-fiving and hugging the fans across the floor,” said McPherson, whose family are longtime Oilers season-ticket holders.
For the final round, McPherson painted her nails orange and blue, a colour combination not usually seen in the House of Representatives.
As she prepares for Monday’s game, she said she hopes a late-night congressional committee meeting will finish early so she and other lawmakers can watch Game 2 of the final round of the playoffs.
“I think this is an opportunity to remember that we’re all human beings who have jobs and work hard, and even if we’re not on the same political team, we can all be on the same sports team,” McPherson said.
