OTTAWA, March 12, 2011 - Exactly one year ago, for the first time in our history, Canada hosted the Paralympic Winter Games. We prepared to witness the outstanding feats of our athletes with great pride and "With Glowing Hearts," in the words of the motto for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games gave us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show the world who we are and to demonstrate our pride in our sport excellence, our artists, our richly diverse culture, and our two official languages.
Canadians across the country were able to applaud the dazzling success of our Paralympic athletes, who won an unprecedented 19 medals-including 10 gold-and enabled Canada to finish third in the medal count.
One of our athletes' major achievements is getting the public excited about Paralympic sport. Canadians attach great importance to the Paralympic Movement and they deeply admire the athletes involved in it as models of courage and tenacity.
On this first anniversary of Canada's hosting of the Paralympic Winter Games and with the wonderful memories of that event in mind, we invite all Canadians to practise a sport or physical activity that they love. Whether having fun on the playground or competing at the highest level internationally, we can all harness the power of sport.
Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
vanessa.schneider@pch.gc.ca
