Prosecutors, defence face off to score win for Indigenous youth
Competition is fierce when Crown prosecutors and criminal defence lawyers face off in court and on the ice.
At the fifth annual Crown vs. Defence charity game, both sides come together and the winners are the kids. The Right to Play program (PLAY: Promoting Lifeskills in Aboriginal Youth) is a sports-focused initiative that partners with more than 85 First Nations communities and urban Aboriginal organizations to deliver play-based programming.
Since its inception, the donations have doubled annually, said Crown prosecutor Adam Garrett, a testament to how the charity resonates with lawyers, judges and community members.
“Being able to give back, even just a little bit, to the First Nations communities, to their youth to develop life skills and develop into adulthood, means a lot to us,” he said. “The over-representation of First Nations communities in our criminal justice system is all of our problem and is going to be one of the largest collective issue for us to address in terms of trying to make this country better.”
Every game ends in a shootout and the winner gets their name on the Philp Cup. The score was 9-1 in favour of the Defence after three periods, and defence lawyer Kate Engel secured the win in the shootout, making the final tally 10-1.
“We like to joke it’s a bit of immortality, you’ll live on forever,” Garrett said. “I’m not going to lie, it’s a competitive game. It’s a bunch of A-type personalities playing in front of a large number of people. When the puck drops, it gets competitive.”
He adds the game may be slow to watch, but he said it’s the most competitive hockey he’s played.
The group keeps tickets to watch the game at $10, and sponsorship from law firms has grown over the five years of the game.
On Saturday morning, kids with the program got a chance to meet Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse.
After the game, the organization held an event at Hudson’s that included a raffle and silent auction.