Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci loses football bet, dons Eskimos sweater
Finance Minister Joe Ceci was forced to don an Edmonton Eskimos jersey and donate $100 to an Edmonton playground association to honour a CFL football bet he made with NDP MLA Chris Nielsen.
Nielsen, the MLA for Edmonton-Decore, bet on the Edmonton Eskimos winning last weekend's Western Conference final against the Calgary Stampeders.
As the MLA for Calgary-Fort, Ceci bet on the Stamps winning the game.
The Eskimos won the game and are playing the Ottawa Redblacks in the Grey Cup.
Ceci's donation will go to a volunteer group raising $730 000 to build the Schonsee park and playground. So far, the group has collected $410,000, thanks to bottle drives, silent auctions and a $250,000 grant from the city.
The province recently contributed $70,000. Fundraiser Deborah Clark says she is grateful for the help.
"It gives me hope that this park and playground is not just a dream. I believe that this is going to happen."
Clark and the other five members of her group have been fundraising since late 2013. The neighbourhood doesn't have a park or playground.
Ceci wasn't the only Alberta politician forced to wear an Eskimos' sweater on Thursday. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi lost his bet with Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson. Nenshi also promised to donate 100 pounds of food to the Edmonton Food Bank.
