02-06-2025
Anne Murray donates iconic bedazzled JUNOs jersey to raise funds for IWK
Anne Murray acknowledges the crowd after receiving the Lifetime Achievement award during the Juno Awards, in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, March 30, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)
Canadian music icon, Anne Murray, is turning heads once again—this time for a meaningful act of generosity.
The singer has donated the now-famous bedazzled Team Canada hockey jersey she wore while accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 JUNO Awards. The one-of-a-kind outfit, covered in rhinestones, is being auctioned off to raise funds for the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
'I tried to think of what would be the best thing to do with it, and of course IWK came to mind right away,' Murray said in an interview with CTV Atlantic's Katie Kelly.
The red-and-white jersey first made waves at the JUNOs in March, where Murray made a rare public appearance to receive her 26th career JUNO.
In her speech, Murray noted she was pressured to move to New York or Los Angeles early in her career because most of her work was in the U.S., but she said – to a loud round of applause and cheers – she 'just couldn't do it.'
'I knew instinctively that I needed a place to go to escape when my work was done,' she told the crowd. 'Canada was my safe haven, my safety blanket, my light at the end of the tunnel and it still is.'
Murray says the idea came together at the last minute.
'I couldn't find a thing to wear, and my friend said, 'Why don't you wear a hockey jersey?' I thought, 'What a great idea!'' she said. Her daughter Dawn suggested she 'bling it up,' and with help from her Vancouver-based team, the glittering garment was born.
While the outfit stole the spotlight on JUNO night, Murray hopes it will now do even more off-stage.
'What's more heart-wrenching than a sick child? I didn't even hesitate when we talked about donating it,' she said. 'I'm really happy that's where it's going.'
The auction runs until June 12, with 100 per cent of proceeds supporting the IWK Health Centre, which provides specialized care to women, children, youth and families in the Maritimes.
