Statement made on 04 March 2010 by Senator James Cowan
Hon. James S. Cowan (Leader of the Opposition):
Honourable senators, it is with tremendous pride that I rise today to honour the Vancouver Winter Olympics and the extraordinary members of our own golden Team Canada.
Over those 17 days, all of Canada joined together in awe and celebration to witness the incredible achievements of our athletes pushing themselves to the absolute limit in sports where success is measured in small fractions of a second. As my leader Michael Ignatieff phrased it in The Globe and Mail last Monday, the country itself felt like a team. For a couple of weeks we lived the same exhilaration, disappointment and elation — two and a half weeks of excellence, a shining window open to the ultimate competition of the best of the best.
In this great competition of athletes from the world over, Team Canada emerged triumphant. We had 206 athletes competing in Vancouver; 206 extraordinary Canadians at the top of their game and, of course, right here at home our athletes managed the feat of winning the most gold medals ever won by a country at a Winter Olympics. They accomplished it right here at home, cheered on by the entire nation — 14 gold medals and 26 medals overall. We are truly a nation of excellence taking our rightful place amongst the best.
Honourable senators, I am proud of that medal count but prouder still of the true Olympic spirit that shone from all of Team Canada day after day. That spirit was there in the extraordinary courage and determination of Joannie Rochette. It was there in the explosion of joy that resounded across this country when Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's first gold medal of the games and first ever on Canadian soil. It was there again when Alexandre told the world of his own source of inspiration, his older brother Frédéric who lives with cerebral palsy and whose triumphant fist pump for his Olympian brother carried the jubilation of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Sadly, it was there when all of Canada stopped to mourn the tragic death of young Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia who died during a training run on the luge hours before the opening ceremonies. All young deaths are hard, but the terrible death of a young athlete carrying the dreams of his nation to Olympian heights moved all of us especially deep.
In the Olympic spirit, the Games went on, and what games they were. First, the triumphs of the women of Team Canada, resulting in blazing national headlines of "Women Reign!" Then, in the final weekend, our men put on a final push and also racked up medal after medal: curling, skiing, skating, snowboarding. Winter truly belongs to Canada.
On the subject of hockey, was there ever such a glorious Winter Olympics? First, there was our women's hockey team, towering so high above all others. Then there was Sunday. One could not have scripted a better Olympic day of competition among titans. Sidney Crosby, a fellow Nova Scotian, now belongs to all of Canada. Sidney Crosby has taken his place among the all-time greats of this most Canadian of sports.
Honourable senators, I cannot conclude without recognizing the distinction and honour given to Senator Roméo Dallaire as he carried the Olympic flag into BC Place for the opening ceremonies, and to Senator Nancy Greene Raine, our own in-house Olympian, who was given the honour of passing the Olympic torch to Wayne Gretzky for the final lighting of the cauldron.
I know that all honourable senators will join me in extending congratulations and deep appreciation to VANOC for making the dream a reality; to the army of volunteers who worked smoothly behind the scenes to ensure everything went so well; to the great and beautiful city of Vancouver, whose spirit from the Japanese "fusion" hotdogs to the unbelievable cherry blossoms in February lit up these Games, welcoming and inspiring visitors and setting a new standard for host cities of Olympic Games; to the 2,632 athletes from around the world and especially to all 206 athletes of our Team Canada who, with the support of their trainers and families, made the world stop, sit up and take notice. Yes, we are nice and polite, but we also have what it takes and we are not afraid to show it. Next up, the Paralympics. Go, Canada, go!