Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
This is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a Biblical worldview.
Part I: Once a Fan, Always a Fan? (0:05-4:33)
A lifetime of loyalty, dashed hopes, and cultural disillusionment—all of it came flooding back as the Toronto Maple Leafs collapsed yet again, reminding me why I stopped watching in the first place.
Part II: Woke-ified Sports (4:37-8:48)
What was meant to be a joyful match with my son became a stark reminder that in Canada, even sports are no longer safe from the creeping reach of woke ideology—and it’s the church, not politicians, that must lead the way back to truth.
Part III: How Then Shall We Sport? (8:52-12:13)
At its best, sport is not merely competition but a cultural expression of God’s creation mandate—when submitted to Christ, it becomes a stage for worship; when detached from Him, it quickly becomes idolatry.
Did You Know? (12:20-13:27)
The 1967 Stanley Cup Finals was the last championship of the NHL’s Original Six Era—and the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs lifted the Cup. Now, over half a century later, the Edmonton Oilers stand just four wins away from ending Canada’s decades-long wait for hockey glory.
Recommended Reading (13:28-14:02)
Christian Culture: An Introduction by Dr. P. Andrew Sandlin offers a compelling call to recover the cultural ground Christians have lost, examining the roots of our present disarray and charting a hopeful path toward rebuilding a distinctly Christian culture with theological clarity and conviction.
Transcript:
It’s Week 23 of 2025, and this is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a biblical worldview. My name is Steven R. Martins, Director of the Cántaro Institute, and each week we provide a Christian perspective on the headlines, critically engage secular narratives, and apply biblical truth to the cultural and societal issues of our time. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
Part I: Once a Fan, Always a Fan? (0:05-4:33)
I’ve been a Toronto Maple Leafs fan since childhood. One of my earliest memories is sitting beside my father, watching the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Carolina Hurricanes. I can still picture players like Mats Sundin, Tie Domi, Mogilny, Kaberle, even McCabe, giving it their all in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup. But they lost. And that loss seemed to not only echo their past shortcomings, it also foreshadowed everything that would follow. Over the years, it became a familiar pattern—heartbreak, mismanagement, and collapse after collapse, especially in Game 7s. I used to despise the Boston Bruins, now I just don’t care. Why? Because I eventually tuned it all out. At some point, you start asking yourself: why keep putting yourself through this?
Still, this year felt different. The Leafs had a strong regular season, topping the Atlantic Division and, at long last, winning a playoff series. For the first time in a while, there was a genuine reason to believe. When they went up 2–0 against Florida in the second round, it looked like the curse might finally lift. But then came the unraveling. They lost four of the next five games and were eliminated—again—capped off by a 6–1 embarrassment on home ice in Game 7. That makes seven straight Game 7 losses since 2004. Leafs fans have seen this movie before, and they didn’t hide their frustration. If you were watching the broadcast, Maple Leaf jerseys were thrown onto the ice in disgust.
What made this year’s exit so painful wasn’t just the outcome, but the way it happened. Toronto came out flat, uninspired, and completely overrun. Florida dominated from the opening faceoff, firing off 21 shot attempts before the Leafs could register a single one. Their star players vanished when they were needed most. Matthews and Marner, supposed franchise cornerstones, managed only one goal each in the entire series—none of them timely. With just four goals total over their last four games, Toronto’s offense simply disappeared when the stakes were highest.
There was one turning point that could’ve changed everything. Game 3. The Leafs jumped to an early 2–0 lead and had a prime opportunity to put the game—and possibly the series—away. Knies broke in alone during overtime, but Bobrovsky made the stop. Minutes later, a deflected shot found its way past Joseph Woll, and Florida stole the win. Had Knies scored, Toronto would have led the series 3–0—a near-insurmountable advantage. Instead, the momentum shifted for good, and the Leafs never recovered. Once again, they crumbled under pressure.
Of course, my reasons for stepping away from watching pro sports go beyond the Leafs’ consistent failure. The entire sports world has changed. Between rainbow jerseys, performative gestures, and woke-ified halftime segments, the game has been hijacked by the pagan spirit of the age. It’s no longer just about skill, grit, and competition. It’s about who can best echo the slogans of the children of the sexual revolution. That’s why I also stopped following the Raptors, Toronto FC, even the Olympics. Still, if there was any team that might have drawn me back in, at least for a season, it would’ve been the Leafs. Simply because they’re Toronto, my hometown team. Well, somehow, this sense of pain feels familiar. Almost expected. It’s what you get from being a Leafs fan, I suppose. I’ll hang up my cap again and wait for the next Leafs bandwagon.
Part II: Woke-ified Sports (4:37-8:48)
The normalization of woke ideology in Canadian sports has long ceased to be subtle. Fans are now routinely subjected to a form of ideological conditioning that masquerades as inclusion—rainbow flags at soccer fields, woke slogans on jerseys, and virtue-signaling ceremonies that have little to do with the sport itself. I saw this firsthand when I brought my eldest son to a soccer match in Hamilton. It was supposed to be a special day for kids in the Greater Hamilton-Niagara Area. But instead of wholesome fun, the event was hijacked by a Pride celebration. Rainbow flags were posted at each corner kick area, and Pride was announced as something to be honoured. What does Pride have to do with soccer? Nothing. And yet, these symbols were placed before our children, turning the match into a subtle but intentional act of indoctrination.
Will this go on forever? Not according to Clay Travis, who is observing the rise and fall of woke sports in the U.S. and has claimed that it follows a predictable trajectory. What began with Kaepernick’s kneeling soon morphed into a full takeover—Black Lives Matters logos on courts, woke-ified player uniforms, and cancel culture dominating major leagues. While some of that is now being undone in America, Canada appears to be trailing behind, still clutching the remnants of the woke era. Even Conservative politicians—those supposedly opposed to this ideology—refuse to speak with clarity. “People should be left alone to believe what they want,” we’re told. And to a point, that’s true. But beliefs are not all equally valid, and accommodating a lie out of fear or politeness is not an act of love—it’s complicity.
It reminds me of The Truman Show. Truman, played by Jim Carrey, lived in a fake world until he finally began to suspect the truth. He didn’t want to live in the illusion once he saw it for what it was. And what about the others—his friends, his “wife,” the cast members who kept up the lie? They knew better, and they felt guilty. Shouldn’t we, as Christians, feel that same weight when we silently uphold the lies our culture demands? The rainbow, a sign of God’s mercy and covenant following judgment, has been co-opted and weaponized into a symbol of radical autonomy. What once pointed to divine grace now flaunts human rebellion. That this symbol is now paraded before children, wrapped in slogans of love and freedom, is a tragic reversal—and one the church cannot affirm.
Still, there are cracks in the façade. As Travis notes, many—especially young men—are growing tired of the endless cultural scolding. They’re waking up. They’re rejecting the idea that masculinity is toxic, that their instincts are oppressive, or that their value lies in how well they conform to woke orthodoxy. The revolt against woke sports is not just political or moral—it’s existential. And while America may be entering a post-woke sports era, Canada’s awakening may still be on the horizon. But it will come—not through politicians or pundits. Canada needs more than mere moralism. No, it will come through convictional clarity, particularly from faithful churches that refuse to bow and who continue to be faithful witnesses of the truth.
In truth, the church in Canada must not act like the cast of The Truman Show, helping to keep up the illusion for fear of offending. We are not here to echo culture’s narratives with a religious twist, or to baptize pagan ideologies and traditions—we are here to proclaim truth, God’s truth. And what is that truth? That Christ is King. That the created order is good. And that the gospel alone can set captives free. That includes those caught up in the lie of Pride. In an age that celebrates confusion, the church must speak plainly, live faithfully, and love boldly. If sports are ever to become a place of unity and joy again, it will not be by appeasing woke ideology, but by confronting it with the uncompromising good news of the kingdom of God.
Part III: How then Shall We Sport? (8:52-12:13)
At a recent conference I spoke at, I was asked what I thought about sports. Could Christians participate in sports? Could they watch sports? How then shall we sport? What excellent questions.
Let me begin by first saying that sports are to be regarded as a cultural product—an expression of mankind’s God-given mandate to cultivate, to organize, and to order (e.g., wild high grass vs. a well-cut lawn with a beautiful garden). The apostle Paul made frequent references to athletics, particularly in his letters to the Corinthians and Timothy. Drawing from the athletic traditions of his Greco-Roman context—especially the Isthmian Games—Paul used sports metaphors to illustrate the Christian life: running to win an imperishable crown, disciplining the body, and competing according to the rules. He reoriented the cultural language of athletics away from idolatrous origins and toward godly discipline and perseverance. The “crown” was no longer a fading wreath offered by false gods, as the ancient Greeks believed, but the eternal reward given by Christ, the righteous Judge. Paul’s message was not a rejection of sport, but a redirection of its meaning toward the glory of God.
Sport continues to reflect deep human longings: for fellowship, for victory, for transcendence. These longings, however, are often misdirected. While ancient sport paid tribute to man-made deities, modern sport often exalts man himself—an explicit form of humanism that celebrates man as his own saviour. Though intended to unify, international events (like UEFA, FIFA, the Olympics, etc.) frequently reveal the brokenness of the world, as seen in outbursts of ethnic hatred and prejudice, violence, and nationalistic pride. Despite man’s efforts, true peace and unity cannot be achieved through sport alone, but only through the gospel, which teaches that all people are made in God’s image and reconciled through Christ.
Sports, unfortunately, also serve as tools for the world to shape public values and promoting cultural ideologies. It has a capacity, not only for worship [of the one true God], but also for idolatry, when it displaces God and elevates man. Like any cultural product, it can be directed religiously from true worship to apostasy.
Yet sport, like any cultural expression, can be redeemed. When used rightly, sport reflects God’s creative handiwork and brings glory to His name. Athletes like Stephen Curry, who openly honour Christ in their achievements, exemplify how sport can point to the Lordship of Jesus rather than the greatness of man. Sport testifies to the order, law, and intelligibility of creation—things that only make sense in a world upheld by God. When detached from Christ, sport becomes an idol; when submitted to Him, it becomes a stage for worship. True and lasting unity in sport—or in any cultural endeavour—is only possible through the transforming power of the gospel, where all nations glorify Christ in love, righteousness, and truth.
Did You Know? (12:20-13:27)
The 1967 Stanley Cup Finals marked the end of an era. It was the last Final of the NHL’s Original Six Era, and it featured a classic showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens—two of Canada’s most storied franchises. Toronto emerged victorious in six games, claiming their 13th Stanley Cup title. It remains the Maple Leafs’ last championship win and their most recent appearance in the Final, beginning what has become the longest-active Stanley Cup drought in the league.
Since then, the Cup has largely resided in the United States. No Canadian team has hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens’ triumph in 1993, a victory that occurred while Jurassic Park topped the box office and Janet Jackson dominated the music charts. Over three decades later, Canadian hockey fans are still waiting. But hope is still alive in Canada—led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Edmonton Oilers are back in the Final for the second straight year, just four wins away from ending Canada’s 32-year championship dry spell.
Recommended Reading (13:28-14:02)
This week’s recommended resource is Christian Culture: An Introduction by Dr. P. Andrew Sandlin, a concise yet stirring call to recover what has been lost. Sandlin explores how Christians forfeited cultural influence, the steep consequences of that retreat, the current state of cultural disarray, and the urgent, hopeful task of rebuilding a distinctly Christian culture for the days ahead. As President of the Center for Cultural Leadership and Preaching Pastor in Santa Cruz County, California, Sandlin brings both theological depth and cultural insight to this vital conversation.
Closing Words
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation and Additional Reading:
NHL (Mike Zeisberger)
Maple Leafs eliminated due to struggles at home, lack of production from key forwards
OutKick (Clay Travis)
The Era of Woke Sports Is Dead
Steven R. Martins, “Sports for the Glory of God”, Ezra Institute.
P. Andrew Sandlin, Christian Culture: An Introduction (Santa Cruz, CA.: Center for Cultural Leadership, 2013).