Manitoba Salutes Kilt Skate Triumph

On Friday, March 25, 2021, Dougald Lamont, Member of the Legislative Assembly for St. Boniface, rose in the Manitoba legislature and made the following statement:

“This week, a signal honour was bestowed upon the City of Winnipeg that embodies so much of what is great about our capital city: volunteerism, pride in cultural heritage and rivers to skate away on.

“On Monday, March 21, Winnipeg, Manitoba, was declared the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada by the Scottish Society of Ottawa, beating out Moncton, New Brunswick; Mauricie, Quebec; Regina, Saskatchewan; Almonte, Portland; Victoria Harbour and Lake Dalrymple, Ontario; and Calgary, Alberta.

 “Winnipeg even toppled two-time kilt-skate champion Glengarry, Ontario. And, Madam Speaker, we need to emphasize what a breakthrough this is.

“Kilt skates across Canada were cancelled due to the pandemic, because they were often held in arenas because for some reason people think you need to be inside or even slightly warm to skate in a kilt, and nothing could be further from the truth.

“Usually, the St. Andrew's Society of Manitoba organizes the kilt skate, but this year, Cathy Laver- Wright, a proud kilt-skater and resident of St. Boniface, personally logged 61 skates this winter, 20 of which she wore her kilt or brought her kilt-skate flags or a combination of both.

 “On January 25th, the birthday of Robbie Burns, when it was a brisk -21°, I walked from my office in the Legislature to the river in my Robert the Bruce tartan kilt, and submitted my video as part of Winnipeg's bid.

 “I can say that skating while wearing a kilt is warmer than you think. But I did almost freeze my kneecaps off. And despite the fact that I was involved, Winnipeg still won.

 “A huge thank you to Cathy Laver-Wright, because it would not have happened without her. Thank you also to national director, Don Cummer, as well as Gordon Cameron, John Perrin and Dwight MacAulay and the whole St. Andrew's Society.

 “You don't have to be Scottish at all to participate.

“ I hope next winter, the members of this Legislature, the mayor, city councillors, Members of Parliament, will join us and Cathy in defending Winnipeg's honour and title as the Kilt Skate Capital of Canada.

 “Thank you, Madam Speaker.”