Our Founders:

Bernice Carnegie
My name is Bernice Carnegie, and in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, my late father, Herb Carnegie, was an anomaly in semi-pro hockey. As recounted in thousands of articles, books and documentaries, this black trailblazer had an outstanding 17-year career in semi-pro hockey playing on predominantly all-white teams. Like the title of his autobiography, he was “A Fly in a Pail of Milk.” Was racism a factor back then? It sure was!
We invite you to follow Herb Carnegie’s lead by supporting the goals of The CI project that aim to pass the puck forward to build a hockey legacy that strives to unify humanity through initiatives that foster inclusion and acceptance.

Bryant McBride
Hi. My name is Bryant McBride. I’m the Co-Chairman of The Carnegie Initiative. The Carnegie Initiative was built to grow the game of hockey; to increase the acceptance and belonging in the game. I got the opportunity to play at a very young age and it changed the trajectory of my life. It’s an opportunity that all kids should get — Kids of all backgrounds , all colors, all differences.
The game is an opportunity to learn how to win, to learn how to lose, to learn how to overcome obstacles. It’s a great equalizer for kids of all ages of all backgrounds. And every opportunity that we get to accelerate that growth, that acceptance, is something that we’re going to pursue. We welcome your help in doing that. Thank you again for supporting The Carnegie Initiative and we look forward to working with you.
CI News
- Herbert H. Carnegie Community Award PresentedThe Herbert H. Carnegie Award pays tribute to his many years of contributions to the community. Annually, a staff member or officer from the York Regional Police services is presented with the award. […]
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- NHL Names Willie O’Ree Award WinnerThe National Hockey League named Dean Smith of Halifax, Nova Scotia as the winner of the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. […]
- USA Wins Gold MedalUSA defeated Canada, 6-1, on Sunday night in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada to win its record-setting third straight World Para Ice Hockey Championship. The gold medal also marks the sixth overall championship for the USA. […]
- Bryant McBride Travels to Memorial CupBryant McBride, the co-chairperson of The Carnegie Initiative traveled to Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada earlier this week. […]
- Hockey Win Results in National HolidayThe Latvia national hockey team’s upset of the United States in the world hockey championships over the weekend spurred a late-night meeting of the country’s parliament. The government officials agreed to grant a national holiday to celebrate the historic victory. […]
- Anthony Stewart Named President of Kitchener-Waterloo SiskinsThis past January, Stewart served as a panelist on the “Catalyst Conversation II: Grassroots Reality – how is hockey becoming inclusive?” at The Carnegie Initiative Summit in Toronto. […]
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