2022 Nation Builder of the Year

January 30, 2023

The Empire Club of Canada Presents

2022 Nation Builder of the Year

Chairman: Sal Rabbani, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada

Distinguished Guest Speakers
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian Olympic Ice Hockey Player, Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Resident Physician
Susan O’Brien, Chief Brand & Customer Officer, Canadian Tire
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau (by video), Prime Minister of Canada
Harnarayan Singh (by video), Host and Play-by-Play commentator, Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers SportsNet, National Bestselling Author
Kulvir Singh Gill, 1st Vice-President, Empire Club of Canada, Senior Strategist, Clareo
Kelly Jackson, Past President & Board Director, Empire Club of Canada, Vice-President, External Affairs and Professional Learning, Humber College
Tessa Bonhomme, TSN Anchor, Reporter & 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist
Loretta Marcoccia, EVP & COO, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank

Head Table Guests
Paolo Abate, CEO, HAVEN Developments
Kevin Au-Yeung, President, Nobis Inc.
Racheal Awe, Vice-President, Executive Integration & Chief of Staff, Office of the CEO, Canadian Tire
Lori Ann Beausoleil, Director, Empire Club of Canada
Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism of Ontario
Parisa Kaur Gill, Secondary School Student, St. Mary Catholic High School
Victoria Mancinelli, Director, Public Relations, Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, LiUNA
David Olsen, National Chair, Board of Directors, The American Chamber of Commerce in Canada
Alan Polak, Managing Director, TD
Saurabh Popat, Director, Business Development, Ontario & Atlantic Canada, TELUS Health Public Sector
Sal Rabbani, President of the Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada, Empire Club of Canada
Rick Roth, Vice-President, Ontario, Global Public Affairs
Pruyn Haskins, Scotiabank, Scotiabank
Benjie Thomas, Board Director, Empire Club of Canada, Canadian Managing Partner, Advisory, KPMG LLP

Introduction
It is a great honour for me to be here at the Empire Club of Canada today, which is arguably the most famous and historically relevant speaker’s podium to have ever existed in Canada. It has offered its podium to such international luminaries as Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Audrey Hepburn, the Dalai Lama, Indira Gandhi, and closer to home, from Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau; literally generations of our great nation's leaders, alongside with those of the world's top international diplomats, heads of state, and business and thought leaders.

It is a real honour and distinct privilege to be invited to speak to the Empire Club of Canada, which has been welcoming international diplomats, leaders in business, and in science, and in politics. When they stand at that podium, they speak not only to the entire country, but they can speak to the entire world.

Welcome Address by Sal Rabbani, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
Please take your seats. Good morning. Welcome to the 119th season of the Empire Club of Canada. I'm delighted to be here with you today. Thank you for your participation and support. This incredible community of colleagues and peers is a driving force behind our mandate to engage, debate, educate, and advance the dialogue on issues of importance to Canadians. Welcome. My name is Sal Rabbani, and I'm the President of the Board of Directors of the Empire Club of Canada.

To formally begin this afternoon, I want to acknowledge that we are gathering today on the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the homelands of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wyandot Peoples. We encourage everyone to learn more about the traditional territory on which you work and live.

Turning to today's program, I want to recognize the Empire Club's distinguished past presidents, board of directors, staff and volunteers. Thank you for making this event a success. The Nation Builder of the Year Award celebrates and provides a platform for extraordinary individuals building Canada's identity and making significant contributions to the country. I'm here to tell you that every person in this room can shape our national identity and make Canada a better place. It starts by being the first to protect what matters most to you. And it evolves, as you begin to set examples of excellence for your peers, whether in academics, sport, or business. Finally, what unfolds is an influential individual who advocates for their community, and asks, how may I help. I hope today's guest of honour inspires you to contribute to Canada in the extraordinary way that comes from understanding what matters most to you.

The Empire Club is a not-for-profit organization, and we'd like to recognize our sponsors, who generously support the club and make these events possible and complimentary for our online viewers to attend. Thank you to our presenting sponsors, Canadian Tire and Scotiabank; thank you to our major sponsors LiUNA, TD and TELUS; and thank you to our supporting sponsors, Cogeco, Equitable Bank, Fortis, OMERS, and the University of Calgary; thank you to our in-kind sponsor Humber College; and thank you also to our season sponsors, Bruce Power, Hydro One, and TELUS.

For those joining us online, if you require technical assistance, please start a conversation with our team using the chat button on the right-hand side of your screen. It is now my pleasure to invite Susan O'Brien, Chief Brand and Customer Officer Canadian Tire for welcoming remarks. Susan, welcome.

Opening Remarks by Susan O’Brien, Chief Brand & Customer Officer, Canadian Tire
Thank you, Sal. I'm thrilled to be here today, as we honour one of Canada's most impressive and inspirational people ever, Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser. At Canadian Tire Corporation, we have a very bold brand purpose. As a company, we believe deeply that we are here to make life in Canada better. But despite our passion and our commitment, what we know is, we can't do this alone. That's why we're very proud to partner with organizations and individuals who help make Canada better of their own volition. And there's perhaps nobody more deserving than Hayley Wickenheiser of being recognized for doing just that.

Hayley built a better Canada, first as an athlete, inspiring the nation by bringing home four Olympic and seven World Championship gold medals. But as we all know, Hayley is so much more than a phenomenal athlete. Hayley is a community builder. In addition to being a role model for Canadians of all ages, she actively breaks down barriers to sport for all kids in this country. From her Canadian Tire WickFest World Female Hockey Festival to her steadfast supportive Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, countless kids have fallen in love with sport because of Hayley. Hayley is an advocate. She represents the interests of her fellow athletes. She isn't afraid to speak up for what's right, including raising concerns about concussions or athletes contracting COVID19 in Tokyo. Hayley is a doctor. She's a doctor who cares deeply about all our country's health. And when I say all, I literally mean the entire country, as demonstrated by her valiant support of the Conqueror COVID Campaign in 2020. And above all, Hayley is a good and gracious human being. Even with all her accolades, from the gold medals to the countless Hall of Fame inductions, she's remained humble and hungry to do even more. The reason that we've partnered with Hayley for 10 years now is that not only does she share our values of building a better nation, but she's also an absolute pleasure to work with. But don't just take my word for it. I'll now ask you to turn your attention to this screen to hear what other Canadians have to say about Hayley's achievements and impact. Thank you.

[VIDEO MESSAGE BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA]

Hello everyone, bonjour a tous, and welcome to the Nation Builder of the Year Award. Before I begin, I'd like to thank the Empire Club of Canada for hosting this event once again. Depuis 1903, vous avez créé un forum pour les conversations importants que tiennent les canadiens, et vous avez accueilli des voix imminants pour le monde entier.

Hayley my friend, you've inspired so many of us, both on and off the ice. Whether it's your historic Olympic career, your heroism as a physician, or your incredibly generous self-sacrifice, putting your service to the Toronto Maple Leafs, you have an incredible legacy.

Pour tous les enfants du pays, vous avez montré que lorsqu'on reste motivé, et que lorsqu'on met du [indiscernible] a louvrage, et que si on vesti les heurs nécessaire, on peut réussir n'importe quoi.

In a world where there are no shortage of challenges, you remind our kids that there's no task too big, if you put your heart and your mind to it. So, thank you, and congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Merci, mon ami.

[END OF VIDEO]

Harnarayan Singh, host and play-by-play commentator, Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Sportsnet, national bestselling author
Hayley Wickenheiser, such an accomplished individual. Where do I even start? Well, let me start here, by saying that, for someone who is a fan of yours, and someone who's a hockey commentator, this is such a thrill, and honour to be asked to speak today. I was thinking about, you know, Hayley, your significance to Canadians all across the country. And you know, you are a woman who has literally done it all. And you continue to accomplish so much more and more, and it just continues to amaze all of us. You've been providing inspiration for so many years. And I remember, you know, watching you, it was 23 years as a member of the Canadian Women's National Hockey team, all of those gold medals, all those World Championships, providing so much inspiration. Don't forget about softball, too, right? I mean, when I'm saying you've done it all, you've literally—you're Superwoman, and it's amazing to see. And, you know, everybody knows about those accomplishments, even the induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But when I think about you, personally, Hayley, I know and I've seen firsthand that you will show up to help anyone and everyone, no matter what the cause is. You've given back so much. And I've seen it firsthand through WickFest, the annual girl's hockey festival that you put on. And I've seen the empowerment that those young girls are receiving, and the inspiration they're receiving through all of your efforts, the time and commitment that you've put in to give back. But I also remember, you know, there was an Indian girl's hockey team in the Himalayan mountains that we found out about. And you just put everything else aside and went above and beyond. So, raising money is one thing, but you flew there to the Himalayan Mountains and Ladakh, trained those girls, gave them a life-changing experience, and had them come to Canada to get some competition, and eventually to have them play in the International Ice Hockey Federation games and tournaments. And that is something they'll never forget. And, you know, it's a very amazing, historic moment on the hockey scene.

But the, you know, it's not just hockey—and everybody here knows that, too. There are certain qualities that I think of, Hayley, when I think of you, and some of those are: courageous, determined, brave, talented, but also leadership. And you know, you just book wrote a book on leadership. And leadership is something that I really admire. It's a trait that you, just, it's glowing through you. And I can think back to even just recently during the pandemic, such a trying time for the healthcare system. And you know, you were outspoken, and you stood up, and spoke on behalf and in support of your healthcare colleagues. Something again, so admirable.

I mean, I have to mention also becoming a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs management. Just, again, providing inspiration to any young women out there that anything is possible. I also think of you as being so down-to-earth, so personable, so approachable. And when it comes down to it, I think you are one of the greatest representatives of our country, not only nationally, but also globally. And you know what, Hayley, when I think about everything that you've accomplished, who you are as a person, it's amazing. And to leave a commentator speechless, it's a pretty big deal, right? And yeah. I mean, that's what, that's what happens when I think—it's, it's almost hard to put it into words, because you what you represent is one of the greatest Canadians of all time. That's what I think of when I think of you, to summarize. And I think this country is very lucky to have you. I think all of us are so lucky to have you. And congratulations on receiving yet another prestigious award, this time from the Empire Club of Canada. It's so very well deserved. And I know I speak on behalf of so many millions of Canadians. We are so thankful, and we are so grateful for everything you've done, and for everything you continue to do to serve this great country. Thank you, Hayley, and congratulations.

Kulvir Singh Gill, 1st Vice-President, Empire Club of Canada, Senior Strategist, Clareo
Good morning—or yep, I can officially say good afternoon. My name is Kulvir Singh Gill, and I am co-chair of the Nation Builder Award Committee with my colleague, Kelly Jackson. As you know, the Nation Builder of the Year Award formalizes what the Empire Club of Canada has been doing since 1903. Celebrating and providing a platform for people who are building this country. We've been honoured to present this award to some amazing individuals and groups over the years, who have made significant contributions to our national identity.

It started in 2019, when the award was presented to the Toronto Raptors, and it was accepted by their president and CEO, Masai Ujiri. In 2020, the award was presented to Canada's frontline workers who kept us safe during the pandemic—so, maybe Hayley's getting the award twice, I think. And in 2021, the award was given to Chief Perry Bellegarde, First Nations leader and human rights advocate. The criteria to be considered for this award is simple, but yet profound. Impact, leadership, recognition, and activation. The winner of this award must have had a positive and lasting contribution to Canadian society. They must be an inspiring role model for all Canadians. They have a stellar, nationally recognized, internationally recognized reputation. And they have to have demonstrated an ability to mobilize Canadians to engage on matters that are important for the future of our country. These criteria aspire to capture what it means to be a nation builder and set a high bar for individuals and groups to be considered for this award. This year's selection committee was comprised of 13 of our board members, who brought a diverse range of expertise and perspectives to the table. I'd like to thank each and every one of them for their dedication and hard work in making this year's selection. Let's give them a round of applause. I'd like to now invite Kelly to the podium to share more about the Nation Builder Award and why Hayley is a perfect recipient for this year.

Kelly Jackson, Past President & Board Director, Empire Club of Canada, Vice-President, External Affairs and Professional Learning, Humber College
Thanks Kulvir. When we received Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser's nomination, we were immediately impressed by her leadership across a range of fields, including amateur and professional sport, youth mentorship and engagement, medicine, and supporting the next generation of women hockey players. Her accomplishments are impressive, and she shattered a few glass ceilings along the way—most recently becoming the first woman to be named and Assistant General Manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of just a few women to attain this kind of role in NHL history. Dr. Wickenheiser has been on the healthcare frontlines as a practitioner, and as a force behind an initiative to secure and distribute badly needed medical and protective equipment to frontline workers in the early days of the pandemic.

Fundamentally, though, what stood out for us as a committee was the set of characteristics that Dr. Wickenheiser brings to her actions; perseverance, a commitment to lifelong learning, a willingness to take new risks, break new ground, and a dedication to volunteerism. Dr. Wickenheiser has accomplished so much to be inspired by, as an athlete, as a doctor, and as an engaged Canadian. I would now like to invite Sal Rabbani back to the podium to present Dr. Wickenheiser with this year's award.

Sal Rabbani
Thank you, Kelly and Kulvir. It is now my pleasure to present the Empire Club of Canada's 2022 Nation Builder of the Year Award to Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian Olympic Ice Hockey Player, Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Resident Physician
Thank you very much Sal. And thank you everyone. Definitely, Nation Builder of the Year, very honoured for this award. But I've been a team sport athlete for my entire life, and you never, you never get these things alone. So, I would really like to thank The Empire Club, the board of directors for this honour; the Toronto Maple Leafs and Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment, Mr. Tannenbaum for the incredible support that I've had in my time with the Leafs, but also in the understanding that I'm also finishing a residency in medicine, and allowing me to do my thing that way; the University of Calgary, who I know we have some of the folks including one of my teammates, Carla McLeod, that flew here from Calgary today. I spent majority of my life, actually, at the University of Calgary, getting an undergrad and Master's, and finishing medical school, and now at the University of Toronto. And so, I feel very fortunate to have been the recipient of an amazing Canadian education, and how fortunate we are in this country to have the system that we have in place. And then to be here with all of you today, who I think everyone in this room is a nation builder.

Yesterday, we lost an amazing nation builder in Mayor Hazel McCallion. And I just wanted to take a minute to just honour Hazel. I met Hazel when I was 18 years old, at the Kitchener Auditorium, in my second World Championships that I played. She came up to me after the gold medal final and kind of punched me in the arm, and said, "wow, kid, you're tough, keep it going." And if you know Hazel, that kind of fits with Hazel and who she was. And I didn't know who she was at that time, and certainly got to know very quickly. And for many, many years, would see Hazel at various—Hazel was everywhere—various events, hockey games. She loved hockey. She's one of the reasons why we're all standing here as Canadian female hockey players, the first Women's World Championship in 1987, played hockey herself, and just was a huge promoter of women and women in sport. And so, what a, what a loss, but what an incredible life lived. So, I just think we should give Hazel a round of applause.

My lens in the last few years on life has been unique, both as an athlete finishing my career, and of course, stepping into medicine. And then the pandemic hit. And so, through the eyes of both sport and medicine, it's given me the opportunity to see a lot of agony, a lot of ecstasy, in the last few years. I think nothing brings this country together like a great Canada-US hockey game. There's nothing that I've experienced that unites Canadians quite like sport, and quite like hockey in this country. And so, it's an honour everyday to go into the rink, and especially work for the Toronto Maple Leafs now. But to have lived that life as a very proud Canadian athlete, that anywhere you travel in the world, when people find out you're Canadian, there's just a little smile there, and how well thought of we are as Canadians.

But also, being inside the medical system, and inside the pandemic over the last few years, I've seen a lot of people suffer and have very difficult times. And in particular, the youth of our nation. I think in this country right now we have a bit of a movement crisis. We have lived a very sedentary existence here for the last few years, trying to figure out how to navigate, and our kids and our youth have really suffered. And when I think about the way forward—and all of you in this room as leaders and as great Canadians—we have to invest in our in our kids. We have to get our kids moving again. We have to inspire them, and we have to continue to bring our nation forward. And those are, that's the next generation that's going to do it. So, when I think about Hazel, I think Hazel had a quote that said something like, "if you do something that you really enjoy and you give everything you have to what you enjoy, it gives you a lot back out of it." And so, in honour of Hazel, in honour of the youth of our country, and the great, the greatest nation, I think, in the world that we live in, thank you for this. You are all nation builders. We are all nation builders. And we'll keep Canada strong for many years to come. So, thank you very much.

Sal Rabbani
Thank you. I'd now like to welcome Tessa Bonhomme, TSN anchor, reporter, and 2010 Olympic Gold Medallist to join us on the stage. Tessa, welcome.

Tessa Bonhomme, TSN Anchor, Reporter & 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist
How much are you sweating right now?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
You know....

Tessa Bonhomme
Are you guys waiting for the good stuff, or what?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
She knows too much.

Tessa Bonhomme
I'm kidding. I actually just wanted to start—I had a good laugh this morning. My husband and I were talking, and he's like, what are you gonna talk about? Like, how, is Hayley gonna be there? And I'm like, yeah. And he was like, how? And I'm like, it's a very good question. So, I think first, to start this all off, I had a conversation with Hayley over text—because that's the only way you can ever get a hold of her—it was between her and myself and Danielle Goyette. And I said, you know, what was your day like? And she kind of went on, she's like, oh, between doing this to a patient I was sending video to Timothy Liljegren, and then I went back and made sure the patient was okay; and then I finished my shift, and I went to the rink, and I put my skates on. And then I think the questionnaire everybody wants to know—that I had asked you—is do you ever sleep?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Honestly fair, it's a fair question.

Tessa Bonhomme
Just walk us through your day.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah.

Tessa Bonhomme
Explain to people what you have done so far today. It's, this is crazy.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Well, today? Today was—my days are very jammed. But this morning, I shot a commercial with Wayne Gretzky. And then...

Tessa Bonhomme
What did you guys do?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
...and then I'm here with all your lovely folks. And then I will start my clinic this afternoon, at one o'clock, at the Toronto Western Hospital. So, I've had three changes of clothes...

Tessa Bonhomme
Right.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
...jeans, to this, to my scrubs. So, it's a typical day. I usually go from the rink in the morning to the hospital. I often work shifts in the afternoon, early evening, and kind of rinse and repeat. So, it's not a very sustainable life. But it's short-term pain for, hopefully, long-term gain in the in the future.

Tessa Bonhomme,
So, our conversation ended with me saying that TSN should run Inside the Life of Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser. She's like, yeah, the title would be, My Life is a Tornado.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
It is, it is.

Tessa Bonhomme
But you touched on it in your speech a little bit, and that is the importance of movement. And you know, how leading a sedentary lifestyle can have significant impact on the functioning of our body's immune system, all of that. And you're on the inside. You're in the ER, you're dealing with patients. So, what have you seen lately?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah, well, the way I think about it, there's a great—I think it was actually Clara Hughes, who's a great Canadian athlete. She said once, you know, "movement is medicine". And to me movement is medicine. The way that we get out of this healthcare crisis that we have, our strange system—which it is, it's an absolute dumpster fire every day, I won't lie—is by being proactive. Proactive with our approach to healthcare, to movement, to exercise, versus the reactive approach that—what I do every day is treat people who are already sick, and we need to prevent, I think that. And the way you do that is with your youth. I think you promote physical activity, physical education. We're lucky that we played sport, it probably saved all of us. Wouldn't you agree?

Tessa Bonhomme
M'hm. Absolutely. Totally.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah.

Tessa Bonhomme
And I think too, you can speak to this with our youth. I mean, what, if anybody has kids here, you know, monkey see monkey do". You can ask them to say please and thank you a-million-and-one times, but the second you drop an F-bomb, they repeat it 27 times. So, how important is it as adults, and as leaders, and as nation builders, is it for us to lead the way in that, and show our kids how to get it done? For instance, my husband and I just adopted after dinner, going for an after supper walk, and taking the dog out, and playing with the kids.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah, it's something. It's so simple. I mean, we know that the cumulative effects of physical activity, you know, have downstream effects across every aspect of your life, and your health and your wellness. So, what you model for your kids is what you're, you know, the research shows that if you're active, your kids are likely to grow up being active as well. And those things are important, but also from a mental health standpoint. I mean, I think we were just chatting about some of the things that you're seeing in the news these days about TTC, or what happened recently, you know, downtown, without horrible incident. You know, I see that. I think, I have not been in the business of medicine very long, but what I have noticed is there's a lot of young people in crisis, really struggling, and not enough resources out there to help and guide them. And so, I think by, you know, getting our kids engaged—doesn't have to be sport, just can be something—keeps them out of trouble. And that's important.

Tessa Bonhomme
For some families less fortunate it is difficult to even find avenues, or have an idea where to direct. How do we continue to support and make sure that there are opportunities for those kids?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Well, I think one thing that we all know as athletes—especially as a Canadian elite, amateur athlete—if you're not an NHL player in this country, your ways to make ends meet is creative to survive. So, you live on carding, which is, you know, we call it sort of welfare for athletes, the government money that you get every month to live on, it's not very much. But the way in which you survive is through people, usually sponsors, endorsements, things like that, speaking, to get through your career. And in the same vein, for our young kids in our youth, investing in programs like that. So, I will, I will give a very heartfelt thank you to Canadian Tire, because when I came out of the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, I had a dream, which was to build a hockey festival. But it's not just a hockey tournament. It's like a professional development event for girls and women from the ages of 5 to 18. So, they play hockey, but then off the ice, they get lessons in education, equipment, nutrition—we even did like a mammogram thing for moms, and all sorts of stuff. We've been able to do it for the last 13 years, and impact 40,000 female hockey players across the country, because of companies like Canadian Tire, Talus, Gatorade, that have stepped up to believe in what we're doing, maybe when it's, you know, not going to give them the big returns, that you might think about. And so, it's important, and it matters. And I hear great stories about these little girls all the time, of what they've gone on to do. And so, I think we've got to invest like that in our, in our young athletes and our youth. And believe, especially, in female and female athletes, and female opportunities.

Tessa Bonhomme
And obviously, COVID. It's no secret, no lie that COVID has just had a crazy impact both on the mental health and the physical health of both adults and children. So, how has that, first of all, changed? I mean, I know you said you had just entered the medical field, but from the beginnings till now, is it drastic? And if so, outside of sport, let's say, for the athletes—I see we've got a bunch at the table here, I was sitting next to one here—outside of joining very super-competitive sports. What are the avenues maybe we could do to keep these young women or teenagers—male, female, whatever it may be—engaged in feeling like they are a part of a community, a partisan thing. They do have, you know, a locker—there's no safer place in my mind that I ever felt than in the locker room with, I'm laughing with my D partner Carla over there. Because it's a safe space to go. It's not clique-y like high school. It felt, it felt like somewhere where I could just go banter and be myself with my people. And I feel like if young kids stayed in sport longer or stayed in some type of organized, or had somewhere to go, whether it's a pickup game or something, that they would be an outlet, and there would be that safety net that they would have.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah, for sure. So, a couple of things. I think, you know, just first on the, on the COVID front. I was in the hospital that received Ontario's first COVID patient, the first one. I was there that night. And from that day—is it three years ago, now? —to where we are today, with dramatic difference. I think, you know, we're coming through the worst of it. It's far better now. We still see numbers every day, I still treat COVID patients every single day, I see people in the hospital with COVID. I wouldn't say casual or cavalier about it, but certainly are, we're less heightened than we were at the start, when we didn't know what was going on, and we didn't have enough PPE. Like, I couldn't even find an N95 mask that night, when that patient came in, and now I carry like two or three other boxes. They're all over the place. It's amazing what we didn't have and what we know now, what we didn't know, and how far that's come. And many times, in the pandemic, I thought to myself, there's no other country in the world I would want to be in other than Canada right now. As bad as it might have seemed, or was, or is, there still is no other place in the world. I feel very fortunate with our system, with our healthcare, despite what you see and hear every day.

And from a kid's perspective, I think one of the hardest things in the pandemic was that our kids were pulled out of school, and they were online. And so, then, you know, that was a real struggle. My son is 22. He had a really hard time in university, like, to the point where I was wondering if he was actually depressed. And I think, you know, everyone in this room has a story like that. So, now to keep our kids moving, the one thing about hockey in specific is it's very expensive. A pair of skates, I couldn't believe that a pair of skates is like a thousand bucks; a hockey stick is three hundred dollars. You know, I didn't get a new pair of skates till I was 12 years old. My dad bought me a really long Titan wooden stick and made me play with a long stick, because he didn't want to have to buy a new stick. I think it was like ten dollars back in the day. And it was a red Titan stick—I told Wayne Gretzky this morning, I have that red Titan because Wayne Gretzky used the red Titan. And my dad made me use that thing for years. So, maybe that's why I can handle the puck okay.

But yeah, so it's just very expensive. So, breaking down barriers like that. We don't—and I really believe that we have our kids in too many structured activities. The best athletes, the best athletes that have been around in any sport, they could have been a pro athlete in another sport. And I think we're over structuring our kids that, you know, you go to gymnastics, and gymnastics, it's ABCD; you go to hockey practice, and it's like, I'm like, oh my gosh, we don't even do that with the Leafs in how structured is. So, playing, play again, play, unstructured activity. Just go out there, throw a ball, kick a ball. Those kinds of things are, I think, kind of a bit lost right now in our world.

Tessa Bonhomme
Steve Nash could have been a pro soccer player, Steph Curry could be a pro golfer. All the best, best guys, are the best athletes, not the best single sport. So, let your kid play a bunch of sports, that is for darn sure. You talked about the healthcare system and how you are thankful that we are part of it. But every healthcare system has its challenges. Can you speak to what, maybe, we are facing?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
I think we're facing multiple, multiple things. And I certainly don't sit here with any answers, because I don't have any. But people are overwhelmed, they're burnt out, they're overworked. We don't have enough staff. We have a major shortage of family physicians in this country. I'm in a family medicine program right now with an emerg specialty. The thought of doing a family medicine practice nine-to-five, five days a week, with how many people and how fast you have to work, and how little you get paid—I know people think doctors make a lot of money, but family doctors don't, for the work that you have to do. It is overwhelming, it is really overwhelming. It is something that does not appeal to me at all, because I think I would die. I would be burnt out, seriously. So, like, it's very difficult that way. I think, you know, inside of our hospital system, you know, just the burden of patients, the—I think the, what has happened through COVID is many people have waited, gotten sicker, gotten sicker, and now they're coming in even sicker than before. So, those are the things that you see. And then just people not having access. And so, they come through the emergency departments, which are, you know, right now, maybe 4 to 8 hours wait, which is better than 20 or 30, when I was working at SickKids. So, there's a lot of things there, but, but we can get through it.

Tessa Bonhomme
Let's shift things to more positive note. You are an Assistant GM with the Toronto Maple Leafs. And I think that it is pretty cool to be able to say that, mainly because it's something that always seemed like it should have been. And you made it something that is. Which you've done throughout your entire career; you've always had a connection or link to the male game. And I'm going to share this story, because I was on the set the other night covering a Montréal Canadiens hockey game, and I had Frankie Corrado, who was next to me, covering—he was my analyst. And we were just shooting the breeze, and I was telling him how I was coming here, and I was going to be working with you. And he's like, oh, yeah, Wick, man, I'll tell you, she came in when I was with the Leafs. I'm like, yeah, what was it like working with her? He's like, I'll tell you when she walked in the room, everyone was like, oh, shit, Wick's here. And to me, I'm like, I kind of laughed. I'm like, yeah, we are the same way.

I kid. But it was cool, because the respect—I don't want to say that you demand, but that you just get the second you walk in the room, the aura the way you carry yourself. I had done a little chat before, and it was, they asked me you know what it is about you, and I said that it's—and I finally pieced it together, it took me a while to get my words. But the way your brain works—I've kind of half figured you out—is, you know, there's no thinking about doing something. It's just, if that's what needs to be done, shut up and do it. And hey, Canadian Tire, get over here, you're going to do this with me. And okay, and this is what we're gonna do. I remember the floods in Calgary. When it happened, Wick, it was like you were ready before it happened. You knew somehow. You had a drive going, you were, you had money raised, you were, you were in there yourself with like, fisherman pants on, clearing stuff out. And I think that that is just so cool. And I said, for you there's never been a glass ceiling, it's just been, this is what I want to do, and I am going to do it. And so, for the young ladies at the table here, for this young lady right here, just talk to us about that mindset and how you get that confidence, not only in yourself, but in your dream and your desires, and follow through. I think all of us can take something from it. Man, I'm a professional procrastinator, so....

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
You can probably see why now like emergency medicine. So, I think, you know, my mum and dad, you know, they were teachers in small town Saskatchewan where grew up. And honestly, I think my parents just naturally showed us that it's a little girl could do anything a little boy could do. It's no big deal. You want to play hockey? Okay, let's build a rink in the backyard. Oh, you want to Go to the NHL? My dad was like, well, that's gonna be kind of hard, but you could try, you know.

Tessa Bonhomme
Well, you did, you went to a training camp.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah. My mom, actually, the day I started working for the Leafs, my mom, she sent me a text, "well, you finally made the NHL," and, you know. So, I think it was just very natural in the world that I grew up in to do these things. But I also had a healthy—as probably we all did as female players—but a healthy, a lot of adversity. So, many times the doors closed, you're not wanted here, we don't want girls playing hockey, go play ringette, go do ballet, do something. So, I grew up with a sort of a prove-you-wrong attitude, which is an exhausting way to live, to do it like that. But I think I developed a thick skin and learned that that was just what I had to do.

So now, to try new things, I'm not really afraid, because I've had to sort of push through. And when it comes to hockey, I think for me, it's always been about, I've always felt that when you step in the room, if you know what you're doing, you work hard, and you show that you're competent, I've never really had a problem. I'm sure it's how you probably feel as well in the broadcasting world now. But that respect comes by, it's harder for sure as a female, but once it comes, I find it very easy in the in the male world, in the NHL, where I work every single day. The players, the better the player, the less the problem, is usually the way it works for me. Can you help me? Okay, you can help me, then let's do it. And if you can't help me, then, you know, get out of the way, because it's about performance and winning. And so, for me, when you talk about women in the NHL, the day that a female is fired in the NHL and it's like no big deal—like everybody else who gets fired—is kind of the day, you know, you've made it as women, because it's normalized. And it should be, because there's a lot of really capable women that can do these jobs and work in this world. So, but it's maybe the last pro sport that still has to evolve.

Tessa Bonhomme
Do you think we have a long way to go to get to that?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
I think we're slow, but it's coming.

Tessa Bonhomme
Okay.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
I think there's been progress. What do you think?

Tessa Bonhomme
I think there's progress. I still do think—I mean, I want what you want. I've got high expectations for a lot of different people and for myself. And I think that there's a lot of dirty work to be done. But people like you, like Cammi, like Émily Castonguay, who are in the thick of it, in the mix every day, I think are doing fantastic things. I know you love hockey, and I know you love medicine, but I'm gonna put you on the spot here—and if you don't want to answer it, you can just give me the, tell me to shut right up, and it's, okay—and I'm not saying it has to be with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but would there ever be a job in the NHL that would have you walk away from medicine, like some NHL team asking you to be the GM?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Not right now. I've got, I've got, I've got to finish my residency.

Tessa Bonhomme
That's fair.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
I think I'll be able to always blend both, to be quite honest, in some way shape or form. The beautiful thing about medicine is that there's just so much flexibility there, especially with the kind of medicine that I am doing and practising, that I think, I think truly, I'll always be able to somehow keep my foot in both. But hopefully not quite like this pace right now. But we'll see. I mean, yeah, it's hard to say.

Tessa Bonhomme
You work in what is the juggernaut, the well-oiled machine that is the NHL, you see how a professional league works from top to bottom. The women's game is—we'll have a very frank conversation right now, I'm going to be very honest—it's, it's not nice to see as someone who's played in it, as someone who loves the sport, as someone who loves the game and thinks that there's more than enough talent out there, more than enough interest out there, to have something successful, sustainable, and has the rink packed on a day-to-day basis. And to see where it is right now is disheartening, it's disappointing, and it's very frustrating, to say the least. Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Ditto. I agree. I agree. I mean, I think you know, we have—for those of you that don't know, there's two leagues right now, the PWHPA and the PHF, so, think of it as like US and Canada, kind of—best players in the world spread out between both. So, you've got a watered-down product, and two leagues that can't figure out how to become one. It's not because the NHL doesn't want to be involved or wouldn't step up and be involved, it's because the people running these two leagues can't figure it out—which we can't figure out either. So, if we can't figure it out, I don't know. So, I think the biggest thing is, as you said, we need one league, it's possible. Television and corporate dollars are the key. I say it may be very similar to what happened with Hockey Canada, when, you know, the money pulls out, that's the statement. And that's how to move the game forward, maybe, right now. So, it'll be interesting to see what happens. But it's not progressing the game, it's sort of stepping the game back. And for me, I think I was talking about this honestly, like, 10 years ago. Like, oh, we'll have professional women's hockey. And here we are today, like we don't really have professional women's hockey.

Tessa Bonhomme
Would you ever get involved yourself?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Not in the current state. It's too frustrating, to be honest.

Tessa Bonhomme
Okay.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah.

Tessa Bonhomme
On behalf of all of us here, Wick, thank you very much—I shouldn't call her Wick. Doctor...

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Don't call me that, girl.

Tessa Bonhomme
... Hayley Wickenheiser. We could call you Doc.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
No, no.

Tessa Bonhomme
We actually called her "chicken," so I'll just call her Dr. Chicken. She actually diagnosed that I had shingles before our team doctor diagnosed it—do you remember that?

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Yeah.

Tessa Bonhomme
You're like, something autoimmune is going on. Take this medicine, and we'll figure it out. And then the next day in the shower, you're like, you have shingles. I'm like, oh no—I had the rash. Anyways, thank you for being awesome. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being a nation builder. And thank you so much for being Canadian.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
All right. Thanks, guys. Thank you. Thanks. I forgot about that.

Tessa Bonhomme
Congrats, pal.

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser
Thank you.

Sal Rabbani
Thank you, Tessa Bonhomme, for your time and expertise. And thank you to our special guests, and award-winner Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser. I'd now like to invite Loretta Marcoccia, Chief Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Scotiabank, to deliver the appreciation remarks.

Note of Appreciation by Loretta Marcoccia, EVP & COO, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
I'm gonna go this way. Thank you. That's a tough act to follow. Thank you, Sal, for the introduction. And thank you to the Empire Club for hosting today's event, and this special award, to celebrate and recognize those who are building our country. And thank you, Tessa and Hayley, for what was an inspiring conversation—and that's what my words say here on the page, but it was way more than inspiring conversation. As a woman in business, thank you for that chat. It's my pleasure to be here today, on behalf of all my colleagues at Scotiabank, to recognize the career accomplishments and contributions of Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser.

Scotiabank's partnership with MLSE extends back to 2011. And when we signed our naming rights deal in 2017, we made a shared commitment to make the partnership more than the name on the building, on the side of a building. Our agreement is a commitment to MLSE, to fans, to Toronto, and to building community on and off the ice. Dr. Wickenheiser embodies this community spirit, commitment, and inclusion, whether it be through her role with MLSE and the Maple Leafs, an athlete, or a medical professional.

In 2021, Scotiabank launched a new initiative called Hockey for All. Our mission to make hockey more inclusive, diverse, and accessible, by breaking down both financial and cultural barriers to the game. In only one year, Hockey for All programs have directly benefited over 290,000 kids across Canada. We are proud to work with partners like MLSE to make this game more accessible to all Canadians. And there is no better ally to progress in hockey than Dr. Wickenheiser. Across the NHL, more women hold senior positions, and girls and women's hockey continues to grow across Canada. Thank you, Dr. Wickenheiser, for your contributions to hockey, to our communities, and to Canada. And congratulations to having been named the 2022 Nation Builder by the Empire Club of Canada. Thank you again, Sal, and the Empire Club, and to all of you for joining us today.

Concluding Remarks by Sal Rabbani
Thanks again to our presenting sponsors, Canadian Tire and Scotiabank, and to all our sponsors for your support, and everyone joining us today in person or online. As a club of record, all Empire Club of Canada events are available to watch and listen to on demand on our website. The recording of this event will be available shortly, and everyone registered will receive an email with the link. Please enjoy the opportunity to connect over lunch. Have a great afternoon. Thank you, very much.