GSP pictured with Conservative MP John Moore
There is often fighting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, however it’s more of the bickering variety, and it’s primarily done by our elected officials. Men and women in suits and pantsuits, though, can’t quite fight the way Canadian sports icon Georges St. Pierre can.
Conservative MP, and Heritage Minister, James Moore invited St. Pierre to Ottawa where he was mobbed by fans, many of whom were politicians. GSP signed autographs and took pictures with Members of Parliament and fans alike during his visit.
“I’m here as a member of parliament and citizen of Vancouver who’s a believer in the sport, and also I want to make sure that the sport is safe, properly regulated. And, being the Heritage Minister, I’m also welcoming the Canadian athlete of the year two years in a row to Parliament Hill. I think this is a good moment,” said Moore in an interview with the CBC.
Moore described St. Pierre as “a remarkable Canadian athlete, he's a great champion and he's a great role model for kids.” Later in the day, Moore and St. Pierre appeared on the CBC talk show Power & Politics with Evan Solomon where the French-Canadian spoke about the sport and the fact it is banned in Ontario.
“I’m very confident that it’s only a matter of time [that the sport will be legalized] and right now it’s sad because I’m not the only athlete in mixed martial arts in Canada,” said St. Pierre. “There is so much talent here, it’s amazing. People have no idea how many great athletes in mixed martial arts we have. It’s one of the sports we’ll have the most success in if it becomes legalized in Ontario. So, I’m very excited to see what happens in the next few weeks, few months.”
The UFC Welterweight Champion’s visit to Parliament Hill shows how far the sport and its athletes have come in Canada. It also shows how closed-minded the Ontario government is being by following an archaic, ignorant law that bans the fastest growing sport in the world.
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