June 7, 2021 • 27 mins
New Premier Podcast: @MikeMillerFC's guest is The Honorable Tony Loffreda, Canadian Senator and former co-chair of the Montréal Committee for the #United2026 FIFA World Cup bid. @CPLPodcast #CanMNT
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(00:03):
Welcome to the Premiere Podcast, yoursource of information about Canadian soccer. This
is a journey finds us on Apple, Spotify and where everywhere. You're bringing
you new color, new dimensions.You can also chat with us on Facebook,
(00:28):
Twitter and Instagram at Mike Miller FC. I trove for Montreal Quebec.
Up the volume, Michael, thevolume Miller. Would you mind again,
(01:12):
Helen, Welcome to this episode ofthe Premier Podcast with you, as always,
straight from Montreal, Quebec, yourhost Michael Miller, and with me
today I have a very special guest. He is a senator from Quebec,
representing Quebec in the Highest Chamber ofthe Canadian Parliament. Please welcome the honorable
(01:37):
Tony Lofreda. How are you,sir ally well? Thank you, thank
you for having me as a guestthis morning. Senator, you are very
vocal about the twenty twenty six FIFAWorld Cup. You're one of its staunchest
(01:57):
defenders. You've been you've in tellingthe world how this the organization of this
event in Canada will be beneficial fornot only for the game, but for
the country as a whole. Beforewe get into all that, what was
your involvement in the organization of theUnited twenty twenty six bid Well, I
(02:23):
was president of the co president orco chair of the Munshaw Committee with the
mayor at the time was the NickKadare and so I was co chairing the
committee, the Munshaw Committee, andwe had gone to Houston to make a
presentation to prepare our pitch and tobe one of the cities involved in hosting
(02:44):
the World Cup. And it wasa great experience. I loved the experience,
I loved the game of soccer andand it was it was. And
we did have independent consultants who lookinto the viability and to see if the
event would be profitable, and theydid come up with results that yes,
(03:06):
it would be profitable for the city, it would be profitable for the country.
Not to get into the numbers becausewe all always throw around numbers,
but people could have access to thoseconsultant reports. And I think it was
a great event to especially now tobring together people, get people out there
after this pandemic, and I thinkit's a it's a plus plus plus for
(03:29):
everybody and get the people out orthe World Cup, the FIA World Cup
is besides the Olympics, is thegreatest and the most watched sporting event in
the world. And Montreal is aworld class city and is a Francophone city,
and I think it's important for theFIFA the World Cup to have a
city which is Francophone, to havea French base, the diversity, the
(03:53):
global diversity, and to reach outto the French population around the world also
and to let them know them onceyou all is there and Canada is there,
obviously definitely. Now, Obviously alot of questions have been raised by
soccer fans and non soccer fans alikeregarding the ability Montreal's ability to host such
(04:21):
an event. The infrastructure is obviouslyare are are usually a big question mark.
Um. Now, from from whatyou have seen during your time as
a co president of the committee,how do you think that Montreal would be
able in the perfect world to hostsuch an important event by twenty twenty six,
(04:46):
keeping in mind, keeping in mindhow current infrastructures would have to be
updated. Well, you just saidit, current infrastructures would have to be
updated. I think we do.They are there. There's a lot of
dispute around the Montreal Olympic Stadium andwe all know how much it did cost,
(05:08):
and everybody has an opinion on whatwe should do with it, but
it's there. I think it's partof our history, it's part of Montreal,
and the infrastructure could be updated toplease the FIFA and to have the
World Cup there, And I thinkthat's pretty simple, and it could be
(05:29):
done at a minimal cost, ata nominal cost. We don't have to
go full out and do it ata nominal cost the cost that's reasonable,
and keep the infrastructure up to date. I mean, we don't want it
to deteriorate. It's part of ourhistory, it's part of our city,
and I think it should be keptup to date, at least at a
minimum, kept up to date.And I think we can do that that.
(05:50):
Even in the report, you'll seewe had nominal costs to update the
stadium and UH and I think itwas very reasonable what we had put together
at the time. So the infrastructureis there, and let's update it if
we can at a cost. It'svery reasonable, monitor control and adapted to
(06:11):
the situation and have an infrastructure suchas that going forward. I'm way too
young to remember in nineteen eighty six. Obviously, I was only I was
only two years old when Canada lastqualified to the fee for World Cup,
and between the eighty six team andtoday's current team, I don't think that
we've ever had aside from possibly thetwo thousand edition which won the CONQUERCAF Gold
(06:34):
Cup, I don't think that we'vehad such a competitive senior squad to represent
our great nation. It looks likea scenario where all the stars are aligned.
I mean as not only as aCanadian senator obviously, but also as
a soccer fan. How do youfeel about the evolution of the game between
(06:58):
nineteen eighty six and today and howand what that means when it comes to
the organization of such an important eventin twenty twenty six. I think you
said it well. Canada has becomevery competitive. More and more youngsters in
Canada play soccer and it's it's agreat sport. It's a great sport and
(07:19):
I think a lot of the parentsenjoy seeing their kids play soccer. It's
not a violent sport. It's asport that even a small foul at times
leads a yellow card and red card. There's both violence in the sport as
opposed to other sports where you knowtoday with concussion problems and concussion prone athletes.
(07:43):
We see a lot of different storiesand issues. And just last night
we saw the hit the Winnipeg Jetson ja Jake Evans. Oh my god,
that's that's totally unacceptable, I mean, and for hockey, and hopefully
the NHL really sanctions that seriously.Because but soccer is such a great sport
and the youngsters love it, theyoungsters play it, and I think it's
(08:07):
starting to show in the Canadian results. We have a fine Canadian national team
and gearing up for the future tournaments, not only the World Cup tournaments,
but other tournaments. I think wewill we will see the results. Yeah,
we came very close to qualifying tothe Olympics, but we definitely,
(08:30):
we definitely showed a lot of promiseduring the tournament and the future is promising,
not only on the men's side,but on the women's side as well.
Yes, obviously, and the womenhave always been contenders, We've always
been leaders on the women's side,so uh, and we're examples to follow
on the women's side. So youknow, so many great women players too,
(08:50):
I mean Sinclair and many others.And usually I don't mention anybody because
if I mentioned one, we haveto mention a few others, but they've
given us so many, so manygreat moments to cheer and hopefully it will
continue in the future, of whichwomen's soccer is just as important, just
as interesting to watch as men's soccer. And we're proud Canadians, and we
have a fine team, a greatteam, and that will continue. That
(09:15):
will continue definitely with legends of thegames such as Christine Saint Clair and current
current prominent superstars like Alfonso Davies iscarrying the Canadian flags. Davies definitely,
definitely. Now on a personal note, Senator, obviously there is no secret
(09:35):
about the fact that you are indeeda soccer fan. You're very passionate about
the game. Um, what iswhat is your relationship with soccer on the
personal level and why are you sopassionate about it. I'll tell you a
story. And when I grew upand I look, I am older than
I look. People say and soum, but but h doesn't matter.
(09:56):
But it doesn't matter when it comesto how we grew up. There was
no satellites when we grew up.There wasn't a thousand stations, there was
no social media, no Internet,and we had four stations and all we
saw was hockey, CFL, footballand baseball. When the Expos started to
play in nineteen sixty seven, andall of a sudden we started. In
(10:18):
nineteen ninety when the World Cup wentto the USA by a mistake, I
wasn't a I used to follow theWorld Cup tournaments and used to follow the
Adzuri, the Italian team because myfather was born in Italy. Such a
such a fan, and Canada rarelymade all those World Cup tournaments in the
past. And in nineteen ninety oneof my friends calls me and says,
(10:41):
we bought a ticket, but soand so can it come? Would you
like to join us? And Italywas playing in the semi finals I think
it was, And I said,sure, I'll join you, why not?
And I joined them for the game. And when they went to the
finals, when Italy into the finalsand they lost to Brazil, it just
(11:03):
broke my heart. And it justbroke my heart because my dad. I
saw my dad crying. I neversee him cry, but I saw my
dad crying for one of the firsttimes or one of the only times,
you know. And he and Isaid to him, well, they have
a great team, Dad, don'tworry, don't worry, and maybe the
next World Cup. He says,no, he says, you only in
the World Cup of Soccer. Youdon't get that many chances. When your
(11:24):
chance is there, you have totake any He was so right, because
if you go back, and thatwas nineteen ninety four, right, and
in the US when they put itover the net, right, because I
was watching nineteen ninety in Italy too, So in nineteen ninety was a heartbreaker
in Italy too, when you knowthey lost in the semifinals to Argentina.
But then nineteen ninety four in theUS when we saw the semifinals and they
(11:46):
went to the finals, it brokemy heart. And and there after that
my dad was right because after nineteenninety four, when did Italy win the
World Cup in two thousand and six, Look how many years it took,
and they had a whole generation ofgreat play years, and look how many
years it took to just get thereagain in two thousand and six. Day
one. So all that to saythat nineteen ninety four, I'm walking into
(12:09):
a corner store and I see thispink paper Gadzetta dello spot. I pick
up the pink paper and all theWorld Cup stars. At the time,
we're playing in Italy. The EnglishLeague Premier League had been suspended because of
the Champions League tragedy. The Spanishteams didn't have the money they have today,
(12:33):
and the Italian league was top inthe world, arguably the top league
in the world. Many will tellyou that it was in those years and
the best players were playing in Italy. And I pick it up and I
get the paper the same day andI started to read one, two three,
and I got into the soccer world. That's how I got in.
And then my son I became hiscoach and a little you know, he
(12:58):
was four five years old. Ibecame his coach for a little help pay
league, a little area. Igrew up with those teams. I grew
up in that area, sorry,and I ended up going you know.
He enjoyed, loved the sport.So I put him in the Sunday League
and the Sunday House League, andmany of the players in the Sunday House
(13:20):
League wanted to play for our team. So we started to develop players,
developed great citizens for tomorrow. Weended up winning sixteen tournaments. It's not
about winning. And then the Cityof Matreal approaches me. And I was
always a leading philanthropist, and Isaid to my spouse of thirty five years,
I said, City and Matreal probablywants me to raise some money for
their soccer team or what have you. And they said I met them on
(13:43):
a Saturday morning. I remember asif it was yesterday years ago. It
was in the late nineties. Andthey said, no, we'd like you
to be president of the youth teamin Montreal. The Triple A start with
fourteen and build up to eighteen.We haven't been having results and Montreal hasn't
And you know what we've had fifteen. I started as president, went out
and get great coaches, great technicaldirectors. No merit of mine. It
(14:07):
was the people that surrounded me likeeverything else. We ended up with fifteen
provincial trophies, provincial trophies and fivenational trophies or medals or titles. And
it was a great ride. AndI was inducted in the Montreal Concordia Soccer
Hall of Fame so as an administrator, the first administrator to be inducted in
(14:31):
the Hall of fame. So I'mvery proud of that. It's been a
great ride and that's how I gotinto it. So that's the story.
That's how I got into it,and slowly, slowly at the time the
mayor knew my background in soccer.He said, would you like to coach
chair the presidency of this committee,which which we did, and that's how
the World Cup twenty twenty six cameto be. But it all started,
(14:52):
I say it all started in nineteenninety four in the USA World Cup final
where Italy lost in the final.And it all started there, and then
by coaching my son it continued andthen the results. It's never about winning.
It's about developing players, developing technicalskills. But but if you do
that well, winning it's a consequence. It's not the main goal in youth
(15:16):
sports, but winning becomes a consequence. And the consequence was we were winning
tournaments. And that's how the cityof Montreal realized, you know, how
does this guy with a little churchteam come and beat our little city team
to the city church team, SemichelPonpey at the time, come and beat
the city of Brossard and their tournament, their finals in front of their fans,
(15:39):
in front of their refs, andI think we had won that final
five one, and so that's whereI met the city of Montreal, and
that's how that's how everything else cameto be. One thing leads to another,
to another to another, and thenbecoming a senior executive at RBC.
Eventually I kind of had to scaleback on all that, and I did,
(16:00):
but it was a hell of aride for for the time it lasted,
and I cherished those years. Ireally cherished those years in youth soccer
and in soccer, so they werewonderful years, wonderful years. The lesson
to be learned when I when Ilistened to your story, if you want
to build a strong soccer nation,it has to start with grassroots and that's
(16:22):
what you just demonstrated. And everytime I speak with someone who was heavily
involved in in soccer, I alwayshear the same, the same comment.
You have to build it from theground up. It starts with the youth
programs. Build it from the groundup. In Canada, I remember we
used to go with the with theMontal Concordia as a Triple A soccer club
(16:47):
which I was president with the regionalsjust before they would hit fourteen years old.
We used to go to France fora soccer tournament, and if there
were sixteen nations that would participate fromyou know, sixteen teams from different nations.
And I don't know if we're sixteennations, but sixteen teams from different
nations, many nations. I've gotto go back to the list to see
from how many countries, but manycountries the sixteen teams and we would finish
(17:12):
top ten. And so that meantthat our thirteen year old players were world
class caliber and could compete world classin Canada. Now we're starting to see
the academies with the MLS teams.We're starting to see leagues that allow and
(17:33):
and and permit these players to continuegrowing. And that's what we didn't see
in the past. Now we startto have those leagues, and I think
that's what we have to continue developing. We have to continue developing leagues that
allow the because until fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, we're there. It's after
that age that you have to haveto allow these players to continue growing.
(17:55):
And in Europe, as you know, the leagues, the youth leagues are
very strong, so you don't wantthe Canadian players to lose ground. And
the North American League's youth leagues haveto become just as powerful in order to
have strong national teams, and that'swhat we're starting to see in Canada.
And then you know, and theWorld Cup tournament, going back to twenty
twenty six, if you go backto how I got involved with soccer with
(18:19):
no satellites, not knowing what thegame was all about except what my dad
told me. It started in nineteenninety when my dad said, and I
always have nineteen ninety in my head. That's why I said that. I
say it right. Nineteen ninety fourwas the World Cup in the US.
I can tell you every year wherethe World Cup was hosted, but and
I had nineteen ninety I had becausethat was the first year where Italy didn't
go to the finals, didn't winthe tournament, and it was in Italy,
(18:41):
and my dad too there too.He was so disappointing, says,
it's the first soccer power that hoststhe World Cup in the country, or
one of the first soccer powers thathosts the World Cup in the country that
doesn't go to the final, andfor him it was a large disappointment.
So when nineteen ninety four the UScame and they went to the final.
I said, Dad, you know, here's here. We're gonna you know,
(19:02):
they're going to going to undo this. This this unjust theory you had
that you have to make the finalif you're a soccer power in Europe and
you're hosting the World Cup in yourcountry. And uh, and they lost
in the final. And that's howI got involved, and my son got
involved in sport, and I realized, it's a beautiful game. It's a
beautiful game. Uh. If somebodyhits you, touches you, yellow card,
(19:26):
red card, no violence, it'sa beautiful game. So that's how
I got involved. And it wasone ride that I tell all parents.
I tell all parents, get involvedwith your kids. Get involved with your
youth, follow them, go totheir games, become coaches if you have
to, and get involved. Getinvolved with your you get involved with with
(19:49):
with your children and coach them ifyou have to, and make it happen.
Make it happen. You know,the US FIFA World Cup in ninety
four, but the MLS was onlyestablished in ninety six. The Canadian Premier
League was established in twenty nineteen,and the World Cup is only happening in
(20:10):
twenty twenty six. We have ahuge comparative advantage if you want to look
at what happened with the US whenit comes to the organization of their tournament
in ninety four. Do you thinkthat facts such as this one will convince
FIFA to give a chance to moreCanadian cities to host the twenty twenty six
(20:32):
World Cup. I hope, so, I hope. So. I mean,
Canada is a nation where there's manyyouth soccer players. It's a nation
that has supported soccer and that continuesbeing one of the leaders in world sports,
on the world sports scene. Sowe've not only that we've hosted and
if I speak of Montreal, whichI know well, we've hosted you know,
(20:59):
under twenty one soccer World Cups,We've hosted Women's World Cups. We've
hosted many international tournaments. We hosta Formula one which has been in the
city for years and years. Sowe are an international city, French speaking
international city, and I think it'sthe their advantage to include Montreal and the
Canadan cities. And symbolically, itwill be the fiftieth anniversary of the nineteen
(21:23):
seventy six Summer Olympics in Montreal,and there goes my discussion around the Olympic
Stadium too, to bring that infrastructureup to date. It would be great
symbolically to bring that up to datethe Olympic Stadium. There goes my thought
around that around the Olympic Stadium andsymbolically fifty years seventy six, twenty twenty
(21:45):
six, fifty years keep the infrastructuresup to date. And we have it,
why not take care of it?Senator? Before we let each other
go, I know that you havea very busy schedule, and I thank
you again for gracius accepting my invitation. Before we let each other go,
what are your favorite clubs? Yourfavorite professional clubs in soccer around the world.
(22:07):
I know that you followed Italian soccera lot. You must be following
the MLS as well. Do youhave any favorite clubs that you're still following
to this day. Well, I'mI'm a homer, so club the Foot
Moreal is my favorite MLS club,the formerly the Impact, so they're my
favorite MLS club. I also ACMilan is one of my favorite clubs.
(22:30):
And why I'll tell you why.A lot of people will ask why.
I remember what I said. Igot into soccer in nineteen ninety but nineteen
ninety four when the World Cup wasin the USA. Well, who played
on that Azuri national team? Theywere all AC Milan players. You know,
Alini, Barezi, Tasauti, youknow Costa Kurta, you know,
(22:53):
they were all Acima Massaro. Massarowould touch one ball every game and up
front and it be in the net, right, So and I remember all
those players, and Albertini was theretoo, and so so and Bajo ended
up playing for AC Milans. Well, I became an AC Milan fan because
all the national team players were playedfor AC Milan. We started to get
(23:17):
some satellite feed. It was aroundnineteen ninety four when we started to get
some satellite feed. So um,so that's how I became an AC Milan
fan. And uh and like theysay, you can never change teams,
right, I'm an AC Milan andI took the footal Fan and Homer and
those are my teams. And theCanadian national team obviously both men and women,
(23:41):
and they're they're they're my favorites,and even the women they give us
so much emotion, they had somuch success and they're my favorite. With
the men's team and and the ItalianZouri. Right, so those are my
teams. If you take if youtake the top five, that's it perfect
Barcelona the fan. The first timeI cried because of soccer was the Champions
(24:03):
League Final I final in nineteen ninetyfour, and that was a great team.
That was that was what AC Milanman that that year, right an
AC Milan I had won if Iremember correctly, for nothing, and I
remember that A C Malan played sucha strong game, you know, such
a strong game with against such astrong team Barcelona. Barcelona is a soccer
giant alsil. So so hope wishyou success in the future, not against
(24:27):
AC Milan, but wish your success. Well, I'm gonna wish you.
I'm gonna wish you a very goodEuro. Good luck to the Azouri at
the Euro obviously, welcome back tothe Champions League. As a Milanista,
you must be thrilled. Yes,yes, very much so. And uh
well, I hope that CF Montrealwill win the MLS cuff in the twenty
(24:48):
twenty one season. And I alsohope that the Canadian women's national team will
do will do well at the Olympics, a gold medal perhaps, and y
Lot Conquac Gold Cup for the seniormen's team. Thank you very much,
from from your mouth to God's ears, like they say so so, thank
(25:08):
you very much. Thank you forhaving me and UH and keep up the
good work. Thank you, senator. Thank you very much. And the
game of soccer is very lucky tohave such an ali And thank you very
much for everything you've done for thegame over the years. Thank you my
pleasure. Thank you, and seeyou all dearer listeners. We'll catch you
next week for another episode of thepremiere podcast.
Welcome to the Premiere Podcast, yoursource of information about Canadian soccer. This
is a journey finds us on Apple, Spotify and where everywhere. You're bringing
you new color, new dimensions.You can also chat with us on Facebook,
(00:28):
Twitter and Instagram at Mike Miller FC. I trove for Montreal Quebec.
Up the volume, Michael, thevolume Miller. Would you mind again,
(01:12):
Helen, Welcome to this episode ofthe Premier Podcast with you, as always,
straight from Montreal, Quebec, yourhost Michael Miller, and with me
today I have a very special guest. He is a senator from Quebec,
representing Quebec in the Highest Chamber ofthe Canadian Parliament. Please welcome the honorable
(01:37):
Tony Lofreda. How are you,sir ally well? Thank you, thank
you for having me as a guestthis morning. Senator, you are very
vocal about the twenty twenty six FIFAWorld Cup. You're one of its staunchest
(01:57):
defenders. You've been you've in tellingthe world how this the organization of this
event in Canada will be beneficial fornot only for the game, but for
the country as a whole. Beforewe get into all that, what was
your involvement in the organization of theUnited twenty twenty six bid Well, I
(02:23):
was president of the co president orco chair of the Munshaw Committee with the
mayor at the time was the NickKadare and so I was co chairing the
committee, the Munshaw Committee, andwe had gone to Houston to make a
presentation to prepare our pitch and tobe one of the cities involved in hosting
(02:44):
the World Cup. And it wasa great experience. I loved the experience,
I loved the game of soccer andand it was it was. And
we did have independent consultants who lookinto the viability and to see if the
event would be profitable, and theydid come up with results that yes,
(03:06):
it would be profitable for the city, it would be profitable for the country.
Not to get into the numbers becausewe all always throw around numbers,
but people could have access to thoseconsultant reports. And I think it was
a great event to especially now tobring together people, get people out there
after this pandemic, and I thinkit's a it's a plus plus plus for
(03:29):
everybody and get the people out orthe World Cup, the FIA World Cup
is besides the Olympics, is thegreatest and the most watched sporting event in
the world. And Montreal is aworld class city and is a Francophone city,
and I think it's important for theFIFA the World Cup to have a
city which is Francophone, to havea French base, the diversity, the
(03:53):
global diversity, and to reach outto the French population around the world also
and to let them know them onceyou all is there and Canada is there,
obviously definitely. Now, Obviously alot of questions have been raised by
soccer fans and non soccer fans alikeregarding the ability Montreal's ability to host such
(04:21):
an event. The infrastructure is obviouslyare are are usually a big question mark.
Um. Now, from from whatyou have seen during your time as
a co president of the committee,how do you think that Montreal would be
able in the perfect world to hostsuch an important event by twenty twenty six,
(04:46):
keeping in mind, keeping in mindhow current infrastructures would have to be
updated. Well, you just saidit, current infrastructures would have to be
updated. I think we do.They are there. There's a lot of
dispute around the Montreal Olympic Stadium andwe all know how much it did cost,
(05:08):
and everybody has an opinion on whatwe should do with it, but
it's there. I think it's partof our history, it's part of Montreal,
and the infrastructure could be updated toplease the FIFA and to have the
World Cup there, And I thinkthat's pretty simple, and it could be
(05:29):
done at a minimal cost, ata nominal cost. We don't have to
go full out and do it ata nominal cost the cost that's reasonable,
and keep the infrastructure up to date. I mean, we don't want it
to deteriorate. It's part of ourhistory, it's part of our city,
and I think it should be keptup to date, at least at a
minimum, kept up to date.And I think we can do that that.
(05:50):
Even in the report, you'll seewe had nominal costs to update the
stadium and UH and I think itwas very reasonable what we had put together
at the time. So the infrastructureis there, and let's update it if
we can at a cost. It'svery reasonable, monitor control and adapted to
(06:11):
the situation and have an infrastructure suchas that going forward. I'm way too
young to remember in nineteen eighty six. Obviously, I was only I was
only two years old when Canada lastqualified to the fee for World Cup,
and between the eighty six team andtoday's current team, I don't think that
we've ever had aside from possibly thetwo thousand edition which won the CONQUERCAF Gold
(06:34):
Cup, I don't think that we'vehad such a competitive senior squad to represent
our great nation. It looks likea scenario where all the stars are aligned.
I mean as not only as aCanadian senator obviously, but also as
a soccer fan. How do youfeel about the evolution of the game between
(06:58):
nineteen eighty six and today and howand what that means when it comes to
the organization of such an important eventin twenty twenty six. I think you
said it well. Canada has becomevery competitive. More and more youngsters in
Canada play soccer and it's it's agreat sport. It's a great sport and
(07:19):
I think a lot of the parentsenjoy seeing their kids play soccer. It's
not a violent sport. It's asport that even a small foul at times
leads a yellow card and red card. There's both violence in the sport as
opposed to other sports where you knowtoday with concussion problems and concussion prone athletes.
(07:43):
We see a lot of different storiesand issues. And just last night
we saw the hit the Winnipeg Jetson ja Jake Evans. Oh my god,
that's that's totally unacceptable, I mean, and for hockey, and hopefully
the NHL really sanctions that seriously.Because but soccer is such a great sport
and the youngsters love it, theyoungsters play it, and I think it's
(08:07):
starting to show in the Canadian results. We have a fine Canadian national team
and gearing up for the future tournaments, not only the World Cup tournaments,
but other tournaments. I think wewill we will see the results. Yeah,
we came very close to qualifying tothe Olympics, but we definitely,
(08:30):
we definitely showed a lot of promiseduring the tournament and the future is promising,
not only on the men's side,but on the women's side as well.
Yes, obviously, and the womenhave always been contenders, We've always
been leaders on the women's side,so uh, and we're examples to follow
on the women's side. So youknow, so many great women players too,
(08:50):
I mean Sinclair and many others.And usually I don't mention anybody because
if I mentioned one, we haveto mention a few others, but they've
given us so many, so manygreat moments to cheer and hopefully it will
continue in the future, of whichwomen's soccer is just as important, just
as interesting to watch as men's soccer. And we're proud Canadians, and we
have a fine team, a greatteam, and that will continue. That
(09:15):
will continue definitely with legends of thegames such as Christine Saint Clair and current
current prominent superstars like Alfonso Davies iscarrying the Canadian flags. Davies definitely,
definitely. Now on a personal note, Senator, obviously there is no secret
(09:35):
about the fact that you are indeeda soccer fan. You're very passionate about
the game. Um, what iswhat is your relationship with soccer on the
personal level and why are you sopassionate about it. I'll tell you a
story. And when I grew upand I look, I am older than
I look. People say and soum, but but h doesn't matter.
(09:56):
But it doesn't matter when it comesto how we grew up. There was
no satellites when we grew up.There wasn't a thousand stations, there was
no social media, no Internet,and we had four stations and all we
saw was hockey, CFL, footballand baseball. When the Expos started to
play in nineteen sixty seven, andall of a sudden we started. In
(10:18):
nineteen ninety when the World Cup wentto the USA by a mistake, I
wasn't a I used to follow theWorld Cup tournaments and used to follow the
Adzuri, the Italian team because myfather was born in Italy. Such a
such a fan, and Canada rarelymade all those World Cup tournaments in the
past. And in nineteen ninety oneof my friends calls me and says,
(10:41):
we bought a ticket, but soand so can it come? Would you
like to join us? And Italywas playing in the semi finals I think
it was, And I said,sure, I'll join you, why not?
And I joined them for the game. And when they went to the
finals, when Italy into the finalsand they lost to Brazil, it just
(11:03):
broke my heart. And it justbroke my heart because my dad. I
saw my dad crying. I neversee him cry, but I saw my
dad crying for one of the firsttimes or one of the only times,
you know. And he and Isaid to him, well, they have
a great team, Dad, don'tworry, don't worry, and maybe the
next World Cup. He says,no, he says, you only in
the World Cup of Soccer. Youdon't get that many chances. When your
(11:24):
chance is there, you have totake any He was so right, because
if you go back, and thatwas nineteen ninety four, right, and
in the US when they put itover the net, right, because I
was watching nineteen ninety in Italy too, So in nineteen ninety was a heartbreaker
in Italy too, when you knowthey lost in the semifinals to Argentina.
But then nineteen ninety four in theUS when we saw the semifinals and they
(11:46):
went to the finals, it brokemy heart. And and there after that
my dad was right because after nineteenninety four, when did Italy win the
World Cup in two thousand and six, Look how many years it took,
and they had a whole generation ofgreat play years, and look how many
years it took to just get thereagain in two thousand and six. Day
one. So all that to saythat nineteen ninety four, I'm walking into
(12:09):
a corner store and I see thispink paper Gadzetta dello spot. I pick
up the pink paper and all theWorld Cup stars. At the time,
we're playing in Italy. The EnglishLeague Premier League had been suspended because of
the Champions League tragedy. The Spanishteams didn't have the money they have today,
(12:33):
and the Italian league was top inthe world, arguably the top league
in the world. Many will tellyou that it was in those years and
the best players were playing in Italy. And I pick it up and I
get the paper the same day andI started to read one, two three,
and I got into the soccer world. That's how I got in.
And then my son I became hiscoach and a little you know, he
(12:58):
was four five years old. Ibecame his coach for a little help pay
league, a little area. Igrew up with those teams. I grew
up in that area, sorry,and I ended up going you know.
He enjoyed, loved the sport.So I put him in the Sunday League
and the Sunday House League, andmany of the players in the Sunday House
(13:20):
League wanted to play for our team. So we started to develop players,
developed great citizens for tomorrow. Weended up winning sixteen tournaments. It's not
about winning. And then the Cityof Matreal approaches me. And I was
always a leading philanthropist, and Isaid to my spouse of thirty five years,
I said, City and Matreal probablywants me to raise some money for
their soccer team or what have you. And they said I met them on
(13:43):
a Saturday morning. I remember asif it was yesterday years ago. It
was in the late nineties. Andthey said, no, we'd like you
to be president of the youth teamin Montreal. The Triple A start with
fourteen and build up to eighteen.We haven't been having results and Montreal hasn't
And you know what we've had fifteen. I started as president, went out
and get great coaches, great technicaldirectors. No merit of mine. It
(14:07):
was the people that surrounded me likeeverything else. We ended up with fifteen
provincial trophies, provincial trophies and fivenational trophies or medals or titles. And
it was a great ride. AndI was inducted in the Montreal Concordia Soccer
Hall of Fame so as an administrator, the first administrator to be inducted in
(14:31):
the Hall of fame. So I'mvery proud of that. It's been a
great ride and that's how I gotinto it. So that's the story.
That's how I got into it,and slowly, slowly at the time the
mayor knew my background in soccer.He said, would you like to coach
chair the presidency of this committee,which which we did, and that's how
the World Cup twenty twenty six cameto be. But it all started,
(14:52):
I say it all started in nineteenninety four in the USA World Cup final
where Italy lost in the final.And it all started there, and then
by coaching my son it continued andthen the results. It's never about winning.
It's about developing players, developing technicalskills. But but if you do
that well, winning it's a consequence. It's not the main goal in youth
(15:16):
sports, but winning becomes a consequence. And the consequence was we were winning
tournaments. And that's how the cityof Montreal realized, you know, how
does this guy with a little churchteam come and beat our little city team
to the city church team, SemichelPonpey at the time, come and beat
the city of Brossard and their tournament, their finals in front of their fans,
(15:39):
in front of their refs, andI think we had won that final
five one, and so that's whereI met the city of Montreal, and
that's how that's how everything else cameto be. One thing leads to another,
to another to another, and thenbecoming a senior executive at RBC.
Eventually I kind of had to scaleback on all that, and I did,
(16:00):
but it was a hell of aride for for the time it lasted,
and I cherished those years. Ireally cherished those years in youth soccer
and in soccer, so they werewonderful years, wonderful years. The lesson
to be learned when I when Ilistened to your story, if you want
to build a strong soccer nation,it has to start with grassroots and that's
(16:22):
what you just demonstrated. And everytime I speak with someone who was heavily
involved in in soccer, I alwayshear the same, the same comment.
You have to build it from theground up. It starts with the youth
programs. Build it from the groundup. In Canada, I remember we
used to go with the with theMontal Concordia as a Triple A soccer club
(16:47):
which I was president with the regionalsjust before they would hit fourteen years old.
We used to go to France fora soccer tournament, and if there
were sixteen nations that would participate fromyou know, sixteen teams from different nations.
And I don't know if we're sixteennations, but sixteen teams from different
nations, many nations. I've gotto go back to the list to see
from how many countries, but manycountries the sixteen teams and we would finish
(17:12):
top ten. And so that meantthat our thirteen year old players were world
class caliber and could compete world classin Canada. Now we're starting to see
the academies with the MLS teams.We're starting to see leagues that allow and
(17:33):
and and permit these players to continuegrowing. And that's what we didn't see
in the past. Now we startto have those leagues, and I think
that's what we have to continue developing. We have to continue developing leagues that
allow the because until fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, we're there. It's after
that age that you have to haveto allow these players to continue growing.
(17:55):
And in Europe, as you know, the leagues, the youth leagues are
very strong, so you don't wantthe Canadian players to lose ground. And
the North American League's youth leagues haveto become just as powerful in order to
have strong national teams, and that'swhat we're starting to see in Canada.
And then you know, and theWorld Cup tournament, going back to twenty
twenty six, if you go backto how I got involved with soccer with
(18:19):
no satellites, not knowing what thegame was all about except what my dad
told me. It started in nineteenninety when my dad said, and I
always have nineteen ninety in my head. That's why I said that. I
say it right. Nineteen ninety fourwas the World Cup in the US.
I can tell you every year wherethe World Cup was hosted, but and
I had nineteen ninety I had becausethat was the first year where Italy didn't
go to the finals, didn't winthe tournament, and it was in Italy,
(18:41):
and my dad too there too.He was so disappointing, says,
it's the first soccer power that hoststhe World Cup in the country, or
one of the first soccer powers thathosts the World Cup in the country that
doesn't go to the final, andfor him it was a large disappointment.
So when nineteen ninety four the UScame and they went to the final.
I said, Dad, you know, here's here. We're gonna you know,
(19:02):
they're going to going to undo this. This this unjust theory you had
that you have to make the finalif you're a soccer power in Europe and
you're hosting the World Cup in yourcountry. And uh, and they lost
in the final. And that's howI got involved, and my son got
involved in sport, and I realized, it's a beautiful game. It's a
beautiful game. Uh. If somebodyhits you, touches you, yellow card,
(19:26):
red card, no violence, it'sa beautiful game. So that's how
I got involved. And it wasone ride that I tell all parents.
I tell all parents, get involvedwith your kids. Get involved with your
youth, follow them, go totheir games, become coaches if you have
to, and get involved. Getinvolved with your you get involved with with
(19:49):
with your children and coach them ifyou have to, and make it happen.
Make it happen. You know,the US FIFA World Cup in ninety
four, but the MLS was onlyestablished in ninety six. The Canadian Premier
League was established in twenty nineteen,and the World Cup is only happening in
(20:10):
twenty twenty six. We have ahuge comparative advantage if you want to look
at what happened with the US whenit comes to the organization of their tournament
in ninety four. Do you thinkthat facts such as this one will convince
FIFA to give a chance to moreCanadian cities to host the twenty twenty six
(20:32):
World Cup. I hope, so, I hope. So. I mean,
Canada is a nation where there's manyyouth soccer players. It's a nation
that has supported soccer and that continuesbeing one of the leaders in world sports,
on the world sports scene. Sowe've not only that we've hosted and
if I speak of Montreal, whichI know well, we've hosted you know,
(20:59):
under twenty one soccer World Cups,We've hosted Women's World Cups. We've
hosted many international tournaments. We hosta Formula one which has been in the
city for years and years. Sowe are an international city, French speaking
international city, and I think it'sthe their advantage to include Montreal and the
Canadan cities. And symbolically, itwill be the fiftieth anniversary of the nineteen
(21:23):
seventy six Summer Olympics in Montreal,and there goes my discussion around the Olympic
Stadium too, to bring that infrastructureup to date. It would be great
symbolically to bring that up to datethe Olympic Stadium. There goes my thought
around that around the Olympic Stadium andsymbolically fifty years seventy six, twenty twenty
(21:45):
six, fifty years keep the infrastructuresup to date. And we have it,
why not take care of it?Senator? Before we let each other
go, I know that you havea very busy schedule, and I thank
you again for gracius accepting my invitation. Before we let each other go,
what are your favorite clubs? Yourfavorite professional clubs in soccer around the world.
(22:07):
I know that you followed Italian soccera lot. You must be following
the MLS as well. Do youhave any favorite clubs that you're still following
to this day. Well, I'mI'm a homer, so club the Foot
Moreal is my favorite MLS club,the formerly the Impact, so they're my
favorite MLS club. I also ACMilan is one of my favorite clubs.
(22:30):
And why I'll tell you why.A lot of people will ask why.
I remember what I said. Igot into soccer in nineteen ninety but nineteen
ninety four when the World Cup wasin the USA. Well, who played
on that Azuri national team? Theywere all AC Milan players. You know,
Alini, Barezi, Tasauti, youknow Costa Kurta, you know,
(22:53):
they were all Acima Massaro. Massarowould touch one ball every game and up
front and it be in the net, right, So and I remember all
those players, and Albertini was theretoo, and so so and Bajo ended
up playing for AC Milans. Well, I became an AC Milan fan because
all the national team players were playedfor AC Milan. We started to get
(23:17):
some satellite feed. It was aroundnineteen ninety four when we started to get
some satellite feed. So um,so that's how I became an AC Milan
fan. And uh and like theysay, you can never change teams,
right, I'm an AC Milan andI took the footal Fan and Homer and
those are my teams. And theCanadian national team obviously both men and women,
(23:41):
and they're they're they're my favorites,and even the women they give us
so much emotion, they had somuch success and they're my favorite. With
the men's team and and the ItalianZouri. Right, so those are my
teams. If you take if youtake the top five, that's it perfect
Barcelona the fan. The first timeI cried because of soccer was the Champions
(24:03):
League Final I final in nineteen ninetyfour, and that was a great team.
That was that was what AC Milanman that that year, right an
AC Milan I had won if Iremember correctly, for nothing, and I
remember that A C Malan played sucha strong game, you know, such
a strong game with against such astrong team Barcelona. Barcelona is a soccer
giant alsil. So so hope wishyou success in the future, not against
(24:27):
AC Milan, but wish your success. Well, I'm gonna wish you.
I'm gonna wish you a very goodEuro. Good luck to the Azouri at
the Euro obviously, welcome back tothe Champions League. As a Milanista,
you must be thrilled. Yes,yes, very much so. And uh
well, I hope that CF Montrealwill win the MLS cuff in the twenty
(24:48):
twenty one season. And I alsohope that the Canadian women's national team will
do will do well at the Olympics, a gold medal perhaps, and y
Lot Conquac Gold Cup for the seniormen's team. Thank you very much,
from from your mouth to God's ears, like they say so so, thank
(25:08):
you very much. Thank you forhaving me and UH and keep up the
good work. Thank you, senator. Thank you very much. And the
game of soccer is very lucky tohave such an ali And thank you very
much for everything you've done for thegame over the years. Thank you my
pleasure. Thank you, and seeyou all dearer listeners. We'll catch you
next week for another episode of thepremiere podcast.
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