Quebec tables bill to formally make hockey its 'national' sport

Quebec's culture minister has tabled a motion that would see ice hockey enshrined as the province's national sport and make the first Saturday in February national ice hockey day. People play ice hockey on a frozen Cataraqui River during sunset in Kingston, Ont., Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

The Quebec government wants to enshrine into law that hockey is the province’s “national” sport.

Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe’s bill, tabled today, also names the first Saturday in February as national ice hockey day.

The bill recognizes that the 150-year-old sport has a special place in Quebec culture — the first official hockey game was played in Montreal on March 3, 1875.

Lacombe, meanwhile, defended his choice to table a bill on hockey while the country faces the threat of crippling economic tariffs of 25 per cent by United States President Donald Trump.

He says Quebecers can’t stop celebrating their culture because of tariff threats.

The bill also amends the Cultural Heritage Act by allowing the government to grant subsidies and ratify agreements to promote the awareness and development of national cultural symbols.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2025.