Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great contributor to Canada, CFL coaching legend Don Matthews, who sadly passed away on Wednesday.
“The Don”, was one of the best coaches that the CFL has ever seen. He won 231 games in the CFL, the second-highest win total in league history. The Don was the head coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Edmonton Eskimos, Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, and Baltimore Stallions, making nine Grey Cups and winning five in that role, and winning another five Grey Cups as a defensive coordinator.
The Don was chosen CFL Coach of the Year five times, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
As the official opposition critic for sport and a diehard CFL fan, it is an honour for me to stand in this House and pay tribute to such an accomplished individual. I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Don's wife, Stephanie, their sons, and their grandchildren. The whole CFL nation mourns with them.
Don's legacy will live on for generations to come.