Manitoba’s NDP congratulated Winnipeg’s Desiree Scott outside the Legislative building Thursday afternoon, following her gold-medal performance with Canada’s women’s soccer team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
NDP MLA for Winnipeg’s Union Station, Uzoma Asagwara, presented Scott with a certificate of achievement on behalf of the NDP.
Scott arrived at the noon ceremony, donning her gold medal, and was greeted by cheers from a crowd as a group of young athletes flanked her on both sides.
“Anyone that knows me knows I’m incredibly proud to be a Winnipegger,” Scott said, adding that she credits her older brother and mother with driving her involvement in soccer.
“When I didn’t know the Olympics were going to happen, I was debating what was next for me,” she told the crowd. “You have the highs and lows of life that really hit you, and sport has been my life, so I didn’t know what was next for me. But I had such an amazing group of supporters: my family, some of my best friends who are here, telling me not to give up, to continue to fight for your dreams.”
Manitoba’s NDP leader, Wab Kinew, and the group of young athletes also acknowledged Scott according to Anishinaabe traditions, presenting her with a traditional star blanket along with the singing of an honour song.
At the event, the NDP also called on the provincial government to invest in sports for women, girls and gender-diverse peoples.
“People want to watch women’s sports. They want to see gender-diverse folks in Olympic finals,” Asagwara said.
“The only way we’re going to have more Desiree Scott’s coming out of Manitoba and going to the Olympics and winning gold medals is if we invest in girls’ sports.”
Last week, family and friends greeted Scott at the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport when she arrived back home to the province, just days after Team Canada’s penalty-kick win over Sweden in the gold-medal Olympic match.
Scott and the team also brought home bronze medals from the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016.
She’s previously said she hopes Canada’s victory will be an inspiration to many young girls across the country and get them on the pitch.
— with files from Kevin Hirschfield