Tens of thousands of loud and proud Canadian football fans packed the Rogers Centre on Sunday to watch the Toronto Argonauts host the Calgary Stampeders in the historic 100th Grey Cup.
It was hardly a Royal welcome for the Stampeders' mascot as officials at the Royal York Hotel refused to let him in to the building. But just after 1 p.m., officials at the hotel changed their mind and decided to keep with Grey Cup tradition.
As the Calgary Stampeders slogged through traffic to their hotel from Pearson Airport to begin the hectic business of Grey Cup week, the Toronto Argonauts were having a love-in with their fans at a downtown rally.
The Toronto Argonauts' stunning loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 1971 Grey Cup prompted tears in front of the television from the boy who would eventually become Prime Minister Stephen Harper.