2017 Spring Imperial Decoration Ceremony for Mr. Wally Ursuliak

On June 15th at the official residence of the Consul-General, the 2017 Spring Imperial Decoration Ceremony was held in order to confer the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays upon Mr. Wally Ursuliak.

Among the roughly 60 guests in attendance were friends & family of Mr. Ursuliak, local sports-related professionals, Calgary MLAs, and members of the Press. In his opening remarks Consul-General Tanabe praised Mr. Ursuliak for his achievements in training curling coaches in Japan throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s, facilitating tremendous exchange between Japan and Canada via the sport. He also mentioned that at the World Curling Championships held in Edmonton, Alberta, in April of this year, the Japan Men’s Curling team qualified for the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, and expressed his gratitude being that today’s curling in Japan could not have been realized without Mr. Ursuliak, who is even now beloved by those that he taught in Hokkaido and whose character had much to do with the proliferation of curling.

Following the conferment of the decoration and certificate, Mr. Ursuliak expressed the great honour that he felt along with the deep gratitude he held for his family and friends of both the countries of Japan and Canada who continuously supported him throughout. Furthermore, he spoke of being warmly welcomed in a place in Japan where curling had never been introduced, and told of the interaction that he even now continues with his curling students from that time, as well as of stories from when he was instructing predominantly in Hokkaido. In his speech he also expressed his wish that curling be utilized as a common language to bring Japan and Canada together in an even closer relationship.

Following Mr. Ursuliak’s speech, a telegram was read on behalf of the Honorable Harumi Takahashi, Governor of Hokkaido, in which she mentioned how Mr. Ursuliak cultivated curling to a point where it is now a representational sport of Hokkaido, and how pleased she was to hear of his being honored with this decoration, enhancing her desire to yet strengthen the sister exchange between Alberta and Hokkaido.

In another telegram read on behalf of Mr. Teruyuki Kaimori, President of the Hokkaido Curling Association, he reiterated that all the Association members and friends from Hokkaido were deeply grateful for Mr. Ursuliak’s contribution, and expressed his wish to pass on the foundation of curling built up by Mr. Ursuliak to the next generation, after which a bouquet of flowers was presented from the Hokkaido Curling Association.

Guests enjoyed Japanese food and sake at the commemorative dinner conducted following the ceremony.