Gridiron madness has hit Canada's federal politicians, with one heavyweight cabinet minister pushing for a CFL team in the Maritimes.
In Calgary yesterday to catch the Grey Cup parade, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said he looks forward to the day when Atlantic Canada has its own football team.
Last month, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick announced it would be investing in a regular season CFL game in Moncton featuring the Toronto Argonauts as the home team.
MacKay, a native of Nova Scotia who is also the senior minister responsible for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, said the game will aim to drum up local interest in the idea of a CFL franchise in the Maritimes, dubbed the Atlantic Schooners.
"I'm very supportive," he said. "It would be good for the league because we would have a coast-to-coast football league. I think the economic potential is there."
He said the Maritimers already have a big football fan base with support for high school and university teams.
Sponsors will need to get behind the idea, but it's already one that has interested CFL commissioner Mark Cohon, he said.
"Mark Cohon seems very open about it," he said.
And, MacKay said what better time to add a CFL team to the mix than the 100th anniversary of the league in 2012.
"It would be nice to see the league expand in that 100th anniversary year," he said.
While watching yesterday's parade and taking part in Grey Cup festivities, MacKay said it's obvious Calgary knows how to party for the big game.
MacKay said he also hopes to share the celebration of the Grey Cup with Canada's troops in Afghanistan.
"We hope to get the Grey Cup to Afghanistan -- they'd love to see it," he said.
"It's a strong reminder of home."
MacKay, who also spent part of yesterday playing in his own football game at Glenmore Athletic Park with friends from university, said he'll be cheering for the Roughriders today since some of his pals from his post-secondary years played for the team.
KATIE.SCHNEIDER@SUNMEDIA.CA
