30 October 2009
Victoria, BC
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Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Premier Campbell for your kind introduction. Greetings to John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee, to BC Lieutenant-Governor Point and to Deputy Premier Hansen. Greetings as well to mayors Robertson and Melamed of Vancouver and Whistler respectively. I’d also like to acknowledge the presence of Gary Lunn, Canada’s minister for sport. And of course, special greetings to the respected Aboriginal leaders and many other distinguished guests joining us this morning.
Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the untimely passing of Canada’s 2010 Olympic chairman, Jack Poole. Many say were it not for Jack’s charisma and powers of persuasion, Vancouver-Whistler, British Columbia, Canada might never have been awarded these Olympic Games. So, on behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to thank Jack for his tireless dedication to Canada’s Olympic cause. But we extend our thanks and our sincere condolences to the Poole family.
Ladies and gentlemen, as Prime Minister, it is an honour, indeed a great pleasure, to be here today in Victoria, as we celebrate the arrival of Canada’s Olympic Flame. Ignited by the rays of the sun at the Temple of Hera in Greece, this flame is emblematic of the spirit of the Games. It embodies the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect – values that resonate deeply with our national character as Canadians.
In touching down on Canadian soil for the first time today, this flame has rekindled the Olympic ember that has been glowing in Canadian hearts since Calgary ’88. The legacy of Canada’s first Winter Games lives on: the True North now boasts one of the strongest Winter Olympic teams in the world. And there is no doubt that Canada’s Olympians and Paralympians will build on that legacy as we host the biggest and best Winter Games in history!
Ladies and gentlemen, just as the Olympic flame blazes with promise and potential, so too, do expectations for an unforgettable international event. Canada has been waiting for this moment. From far and wide, Canadians are ready to welcome the world. And the path to Canada’s golden moment will be illuminated by this very flame.
Thank you.
