Willie Desjardins joins list of speakers for ‘elbows up’ community event Saturday

By Medicine Hat News on May 3, 2025.

Willie Desjardins, who twice coached a Canadian national men’s hockey team, will speak at an “elbows up” event in Medicine Hat on Saturday, organizers of the national pride event have announced.

“Coach extraordinaire Willie Desjardins will join us and say a few words about the great nation of Canada,” according to a note ahead of the gathering set for Saturday at Riverside Veterans Memorial Park beginning at 1 p.m. “Willie is a successful hockey coach who knows how to bring people together.”

Organizers say the non-partisan event is meant to highlight similarities and values shared by Canadians. People are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and engage in conversations with their neighbours.

“Our intention is to be positive and to bring people together and to have people starting to speak in a friendlier way to each other,” said Susan Sakamoto. “We have more in common than not.”

The coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers guided the Canadian Olympic Men’s hockey team during the 2018 Games in South Korea and coached at the 2010 World Junior Championship, as well as Spengler Cup in 2017.

Also expected to take part and either speak or perform are Mayor Linnsie Clarke, Trevor Moore, Jim Langstrom, Elder Charlie Fox, Malcolm Sissons and Yusuf Mohammed, among others.

Live music will be performed between speakers by the Hip Katz, Derek Hintz Trio, Ron Mason, Muriel Erick and Aleen Zeleny.