OTTAWA, July 6, 2004 -- The Honourable Stan Keyes, Minister of State (Sport), today congratulated the 144 Paralympians who have been selected to represent Canada at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to 28. More than 4000 athletes from 130 nations will compete in these XIIth Summer Paralympic Games, at the same venues as the Olympic Games. "Canada's Paralympic athletes are a source of inspiration and great pride. We will join all Canadians as we cheer on our athletes and their achievements at the 2004 Paralympic Games," said Minister of State Keyes. "The Games will provide Canadians with the opportunity to see Paralympians achieve world-class results. I congratulate these high performance athletes, their coaches, the support staff and volunteers who make up Team Canada."Canada is recognized as a world leader in the Paralympic movement and has competed at every Paralympic Games since 1968. The Government of Canada is a proud supporter of Canada's Paralympic Team and provides $1.04 million in direct funding to the Canadian Paralympic Committee. At the last Games in Sydney, Australia, in 2000, Canadian Paralympians ranked third with 96 medals, including 38 gold. The Government of Canada has worked in partnership in a coordinated long-term strategy with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the sport community to undertake the Sport Review Process. This partnership has created both the Excellence Fund and La Relève, two programs aimed at developing and supporting high-performance athletes with medal potential in Athens and beyond. The Government contributed almost $10 million in 2003-04 to both of these programs which will benefit our athletes. The Government of Canada is the single largest investor in Canada's sport system. A total of $120 million is being provided in 2004-05 to support initiatives for our high-performance athletes and for the increased participation by Canadians in sport.To learn more about the various programs offered by the Government of Canada in the area of sport, visit the Canadian Heritage Web site at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/sportcanada.Information:Caroline JacquesPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of State (Sport)(613) 995-2960
