According to Dan Ralph of the Canadian Press on Thursday, Canadian offensive linemen Lloyd Fairbanks of Raymond, Alberta and Josh Bourke of Windsor, Ontario were announced as part of the inductee class of 2023 for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton. They are joined by former Canadian Football League Commissioner Larry Smith of Hudson, Quebec and Montreal Machine head coach Jacques Dussault of Quebec City, Quebec.
Fairbanks played 17 seasons in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders, Montreal Concordes, Montreal Alouettes, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1975 to 1991. He was a CFL All-Star in 1979 and 1982 while with the Stampeders. In 1982, Fairbanks was a finalist for the most outstanding lineman award, but lost to Rudy Phillips of the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Bourke played 10 seasons in the CFL with the Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts from 2007 to 2016. A two-time Grey Cup champion with the Alouettes in 2009 and 2010, Bourke won the CFL’s most outstanding offensive lineman award in 2011.
Smith was the CFL Commissioner from 1992 to 1997. Dussault coached the Machine in 1991 and 1992, and was also an assistant coach for the Concordes and Alouettes.
Meanwhile, there were three more players inducted. They were BC Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian, Alouettes defensive lineman John Bowman and Lions defensive back Larry Crawford. Elimimian was the CFL’s most outstanding player in 2014, and is the last defensive player to win the award. Bowman meanwhile is the Alouettes’s all-time leader in sacks with 134.