Canada needs a national Jamaal Magloire Day?

< Isn't it about time? By Stephen Weir Isn't it about time the City of Toronto handed Jamaal Magloire the Key to the City — and the Province of Ontario proclaimed a Jamaal Magloire Day? He has done it again. The former Toronto Raptor, NBA All-Star and Scarborough basketball giant has made Caribbean Carnival history, adding another remarkable achievement to a career that has taken him from the basketball courts of Scarborough to the NBA, the Raptors' championship bench and now the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame. But basketball is only part of the Jamaal Magloire story. For two decades, Magloire has also been one of the biggest names in Toronto mas, building the Toronto Revellers into one of the city's most successful Carnival bands. And this year, the Revellers have done it again — winning 2026 Band of the Year, their second consecutive title. But there was more. The Toronto Revellers also captured the 2026 Junior Band of the Year title, giving Magloire and his Carnival family two major victories to celebrate. As Magloire told his many band members after the latest triumph: “Back to Back. Congratulations to the entire Toronto Revellers family on bringing home another Band of the Year title. Thank you to everyone who poured their heart into this season. We did it!” Now, as the Toronto Revellers prepare to celebrate their 20th anniversary, Magloire is preparing for another extraordinary honour. On August 20, he will be inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, joining the 2026 class of athletes, coaches, officials and builders being honoured in New Brunswick. For a Scarborough kid of Trinidadian heritage, it is an extraordinary journey — and one that his parents, both of whom were deeply involved in Toronto Carnival and supported their son's Revellers, would surely have celebrated with enormous pride. Sadly, they are no longer here to see it. But their son has made sure that the traditions they loved continue — on the basketball court, in the Carnival parade and in the community he has spent much of his life helping to build. So, as the Caribbean Camera says isn’t it time the Nobel mett a real Canadian Caribbean hero?

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