'A Proud Canadian': Wayne Gretzky affirms his national pride on radio show

Wayne Gretzky has broken his silence to state publicly that he is “proud…to be Canadian.” During a recent appearance on Corus Entertainment’s Ben Mulroney Show , Gretzky emphasized his pride in his Canadian roots and expressed that he will not be swayed by criticism or controversy surrounding his political associations. Despite facing backlash for his ties to U.S. President Donald Trump and his perceived reluctance to speak up for Canadian issues, Gretzky maintained he is proud of his Canadian heritage. He also insisted during the interview that he has “no political power with the prime minister or the president.” And told Mulroney that hockey players aren’t political by nature. “We always, believe it or not, really never talk politics in the locker room…we watch basketball, we watch baseball, we talk about the Blue Jays, we talk about the New York Yankees. (For) hockey players, that’s never on the docket. It’s just something that we stay in our lane. The prime minister and the president don’t tell us how to play hockey. We don’t tell them how to do politics, right?” Gretzky’s relationship with Canada has evolved significantly over the decades, marked by moments of national adoration, controversy, and complex perceptions. In the early stages of his career, Gretzky was celebrated as a symbol of Canadian pride. His record-breaking performances with the Edmonton Oilers, including leading the team to four Stanley Cup victories, cemented his status as a national hero. However, his all-time scoring record was recently broken by 39-year-old Russian and Washington Capitals captain, Alex Ovechkin. He scored his 895th goal last Friday, one better than Gretzky’s 894. Not long ago, Canadians might have mourned the demise of Gretzky’s record. Now it seems most are ambivalent . Even if Canadians are uneasy about Ovechkin’s vocal support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, it might be argued that the investment some Canadians had in Gretzky ended when he went to Mar-a-Lago to laud Donald Trump after his second presidential victory — if not when became he went south of the 49th parallel to play with the Los Angeles Kings. Gretzky’s trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Kings in August 1988 was a shock for many Canadians who viewed “The Great One” as ours, not to be shared with America. Some viewed his departure as a betrayal, despite his openly emotional insistence at the time that the trade was not his decision. Later on, Gretzky did serve in leadership roles for Team Canada, notably during the 2002 Winter Olympics. His passionate defence of Canadian hockey earned him some admiration, but others were critical of his reluctance to take on more prominent roles within Hockey Canada. Over time, Gretzky’s connections to the United States seemed to deepen through business ventures and family life (his wife Janet is American, his five kids and seven grandchildren are also American citizens). His close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked criticism among some Canadians, especially during the ongoing political tension between the two countries. Gretzky and his wife attended Trump’s inauguration and he was photographed at Trump’s election victory party, wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat . Trump has publicly referred to Gretzky as a friend and even joked about him running for political office. Gretzky’s reluctance to publicly criticize Trump’s controversial rhetoric about Canada, including suggestions that Canada could become the “51st state” or threatening tariffs impacting Canadian industries has fuelled criticism. Others argue Gretzky should not be judged for his personal friendships or political associations. Meanwhile, his absence from his hometown of Brantford, Ontario, has disappointed locals who once idolized him. Social media reactions have accused Gretzky of “turning his back on Canada,” and his statue outside Edmonton’s Rogers Place was vandalized in protest. Gretzky was awarded Canada’s highest civilian honour, Companion of the Order of Canada, in 2009. But he has yet to pick up the award. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.