EDMONTON — Another battle of Alberta is brewing.
This Sunday, the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders will face off in the CFL West Final, with the winner heading to the Grey Cup.
Football fans across the province are getting ready to cheer on their respective teams, as are the leaders of both cities.
Following a meeting between Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and Premier Rachel Notley Wednesday afternoon, the premier was asked which team she’d been cheering for come Sunday afternoon.
“I think I’ll just find whatever hockey game is on TV that day and not make a decision about these two right now,” she said with a laugh.
Standing by her side, Nenshi replied with confidence in his Stampeders.
“You know what, premier? And I said the same thing to your predecessor, as well – you’re from Edmonton. It’s okay. You’re going to lose. You’re going to be horribly disappointed, but we will forgive you if you want to wear a green a gold jersey.”
“Let’s just celebrate the fact that Alberta will be in the Grey Cup,” added a very diplomatic Iveson.
READ MORE: Eskimos on nice roll heading into CFL West Final
With all jokes aside, Nenshi and Iveson placed a bet on Sunday’s game. The mayor of the losing team will have to wear the opposing team’s jersey at a city council meeting.
Nenshi and Iveson are also taking it a step further, in support of Alberta’s Food Banks. To “offset the humiliation,” Iveson said, the mayor of the winning team will make a donation to the other city’s food bank. The donation will be equal to the average weight of the two mayors.
“The reason we make the bet on the food bank is because we want to encourage all Albertans to do the same thing,” he said. “If you’re going to make a bet on this game, make a bet on your local food bank.”
The wager couldn’t come at a better time for local food banks. According to a report released Tuesday, food bank usage has spiked across Canada, with Alberta being hit the hardest.
READ MORE: Food bank visits spike across Canada – in Alberta most of all
At this time last year, Iveson and Nenshi had the same bet going. It didn’t turn out in Iveson’s favour, as the Stampeders won the West Final and ultimately the Grey Cup.
The CFL West Final gets underway at Commonwealth Stadium Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
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