Open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

A unique  Canada 150th  celebration

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

I have just returned from a cricket tour to Trinidad and Tobago where a youth cricket team from Toronto’s diverse communities represented Toronto and Canada.

The trip was  part of a larger Cricket Across the Pond (CAP) program, an initiative of CIMA and the City of Toronto, where a select group of young cricketers – CIMA Mayor’s Youth Cricket team – travel overseas annually as youth cricket ambassadors.

I am delighted to let you know that in partnership with the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago, the young cricketers had the chance to engage themselves in a unique Canada 150 celebration at the historic Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain.

Mr. Prime Minister, as you may know, cricket has an enviable place in Canada’s 150-year history as being the first national sport as declared by Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A McDonald in 1867.  Additionally, Lord Charles Stanley Monck, the first Governor General of Canada built a cricket pitch in the lands of the Governor General’s official residence in Ottawa in the late 1860’s.  A hundred and fifty years later, cricket is still being played at the historic Rideau Hall Cricket pitch – located at the backyard of the Governor General’s residence.

It is with this in mind that the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago supported CIMA Canada’s initiative of including cricket as part of its Canada 150 celebrations.

As the CIMA Mayor’s Youth Team played against a High Commissioners XI to commemorate Canada 150.,the Canadian flag and  the Canada 150 flag along with the Trinidad and Tobago flag were proudly flying at the historic Queen’s Park Oval, showcasing the relevance of cricket in Canada’s past, present and the future.

On behalf of the young Toronto cricketers who experienced this unique Canada 150 ceremony, I thank the Government of Canada, represented at this event by Her Excellency Carla Hogan Rufelds and hope to replicate this event in Canada’s  own historic cricket grounds situated in the grounds of the Governor General’s Rideau Hall residence in Ottawa.

Ranil Mendis

Director CIMA Canada