UManitoba Article
The Hockey Conference 2025 is just two months away, happening June 17–19 at The Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg! Organized by UM faculty, students, and national collaborators, this year’s theme—In the Echoes of Reckonings—features powerful keynotes from Kevin Chief (with Dr. Niigaan Sinclair), Dr. Ann McKee on CTE and player safety, Rick Westhead on hockey’s culture of silence, Dr. Kristi Allain on identity and masculinity, and Alyssa White on inclusion in para ice hockey. With panels, lunch-and-learns, and a closing hockey game, it’s an event you won’t want to miss. 🔗 Click here to learn more
We are thrilled to welcome Kevin Chief as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Hockey Conference! Kevin Chief is a dedicated community leader, educator, and advocate. With a career spanning public service, business, and community engagement, Kevin has continuously championed initiatives for reconciliation and positive change. He currently serves as Principal of Chief Partnerships Manitoba Incorporated, Community Ambassador for the Southern Chiefs' Organization, and Senior Advisor at True North Sports and Entertainment.
Kevin will share his journey from Winnipeg's North End to influential leadership roles. His stories of resilience, possibility, and hope will inspire inclusive conversations about reconciliation and community building. Join us in celebrating the power of sport to connect and uplift communities!
We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Kristi Allain as a keynote speaker at Hockey Conference 2025! An expert in sport, identity, and culture, Dr. Allain will present her groundbreaking work, “The Don Cherry Divide: White Working-Class Masculinity and Canadian Identity.”
Don Cherry remains one of the most polarizing figures in Canadian sports culture—loved by some, dismissed by others. But what does his lasting influence reveal about gender, nationalism, and right-wing populism? How has his rhetoric shaped the way Canadians think about violence in sport, immigration, and identity? At a time when populist movements and cultural divides are shaping politics both in Canada and beyond, Dr. Allain’s talk will critically examine how Cherry’s brand of hockey masculinity and working-class pride connects to broader social and political movements. What does this tell us about the past, present, and future of hockey and Canadian identity?
We are honoured to welcome award-winning journalist and bestselling author Rick Westhead as the keynote speaker at the Hockey Conference 2025. Westhead will be discussing his groundbreaking new book, We Breed Lions, which offers a hard-hitting and powerful look at hockey’s moment of reckoning in Canada. His work has ignited national discussions about accountability, justice, and the need for change within the game.In We Breed Lions, Westhead gives voice to survivors and explores the systemic issues that have allowed a toxic culture to persist. He examines the role of league officials, team owners, and governing bodies in perpetuating the status quo, while also highlighting those who are working to change hockey for the better. His reporting does not just expose the dark side of the sport—it also presents a vision for a more inclusive and respectful future.
This is a keynote session you won’t want to miss.
Dr. Ann McKee, one of the world’s leading experts on neurodegenerative diseases and sports-related brain trauma, will be the keynote speaker at the Hockey Conference 2025! Dr. McKee’s groundbreaking research has reshaped our understanding of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and its impact on athletes, military veterans, and beyond. Her work has not only identified CTE in hockey players but has also raised urgent questions about player safety, brain health, and the future of contact sports.
What insights will she bring to this year’s conference?
• How do repetitive head impacts contribute to long-term brain damage?
• What can be done to protect hockey players at all levels?
Don’t miss the chance to hear from one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World!
We are thrilled to announce Alyssa White as a keynote speaker at this year’s conference!
Alyssa, a Team Canada para ice hockey forward, will share her inspiring journey in her presentation, "Skating to Inclusion." She’ll take us through the triumphs and challenges of being a woman para ice hockey athlete—highlighting both personal and team achievements, as well as the barriers and inequalities still faced in the sport. As part of a global movement for inclusion, Alyssa is advocating for women in para ice hockey to be recognized and compete at the highest level of the Paralympics.
Alyssa’s passion, perseverance, and advocacy for women in para ice hockey is a story you don’t want to miss! Join us as she shares her powerful message of inclusion and recognition at the hockey conference 2025.