Battle of Alberta extends to city halls with friendly facepaint, cancer charity donation wager

The mayors of Calgary and Edmonton are throwing their support behind their respective home teams ahead of the long awaited return of a playoff version of the storied Battle of Alberta.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced Monday afternoon that she had agreed to a friendly wager with Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, her counterpart in Edmonton, ahead of the Flames-Oilers Pacific Division finals series.
Gondek says the mayor of the city that loses the series will wear the victorious team's jersey and full facepaint in the colours of their rival.
"What will happen in the losing city is the mayor, and hopefully all of council, will wear the opposing team's jerseys — sounds pretty familiar — but what we also agreed to, though, is the losing team, at the first council meeting following the end of the series, the mayor will be in full face paint celebrating the opposing team," said Gondek.
An unspecified financial donation will also be made to the winning city's children's cancer charity.
"The losing city council will also donate either to Kids with Cancer Society in Edmonton or Kids Cancer Care in Calgary in recognition of Ben Stelter's fight with brain cancer. It's fitting that the month of May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Ben has been incredibly brave in this past year and all hockey fans are cheering him on."
The provincial rivals last met in the playoffs 31 years ago during the 1991 Smythe Division semifinals. The Oilers defeated the Flames on an Esa Tikkanen goal in overtime in Game 7 of the hard-fought series.
Game 1 of the much-anticipated return of the Battle of Alberta goes Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | 6 dead, 24 wounded in shooting at Chicago-area July 4 parade
At least six people died and 24 were wounded in a shooting at a July Fourth parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, and officers are searching for a suspect who likely fired on the festivities from a rooftop, police said Monday.

Former Sask. premier Brad Wall gave strategic advice to key convoy organizer
Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall was in contact with a key organizer of the Freedom Convoy anti-mandate protest, providing strategic advice before and after the Ottawa occupation began, according to court records obtained by CTV News.
Daughter of Toronto Blue Jays coach killed in 'terrible accident' while tubing in U.S.
The 17-year-old daughter of the Toronto Blue Jays' first base coach died in a 'terrible accident' while tubing in the U.S. this weekend.
U.S. man to be charged with kidnapping, rape after Edmonton teen found: Oregon police
A 41-year-old man will be charged with kidnapping and rape after an Edmonton girl who was missing for more than a week was found, Oregon City Police said.
'It's the real deal': Doctors warn about future wave fuelled by Omicron variants
COVID-19 cases are rising again in Canada, with the two fast-spreading Omicron sub-variants known as BA.4 and BA.5 to blame. CTVNews.ca has a guide to what you need to know about the new variants.
Canada signs $20B compensation agreement on First Nations child welfare
The federal government says it has signed a $20-billion final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare.
Canadian airlines, airports top global list of delays over the weekend
Canadian airlines and airports claimed top spots in flight delays over the July long weekend, notching more than nearly any other around the world.
U.S. Capitol riot: More people turn up with evidence against Donald Trump
More witnesses are coming forward with new details on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot following former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's devastating testimony last week against former U.S. President Donald Trump, says a member of a U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection.
'He was a hero': Family says Ottawa man killed in fatal collision sacrificed himself
The family of an Ottawa man killed in a Canada Day crash in the west end says Tom Bergeron died exactly as he lived: selflessly thinking of others before himself.