Statement made on 23 March 2010 by Senator James Cowan
Hon. James S. Cowan (Leader of the Opposition):
Honourable senators, once again it is with great pride that I rise to honour Canadian athletes. On this occasion, the athletes are the extraordinary members of Team Canada for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, which recently concluded in Vancouver.
The Paralympics — the "parallel" Olympics from the Greek origin of the name — are truly the stuff of Olympic dreams. These men and women, some born with disabilities and others injured later in life, refuse to be defined by their disability, and push the limits of their bodies to the ultimate in athleticism to prove to themselves and to the world that dreams can be made real — that determination, spirit and fierce hard work can let us touch the sky of greatness.
What a year 2010 is for our athletes. Canada captured 19 medals, including 10 gold medals, placing third among the competing nations for gold medals; and tying for third place overall in the medal count.
Statistics do not begin to express the exhilaration and phenomenal breathtaking accomplishments of these games. Brian McKeever scored a gold medal hat trick by flying literally blind down mountains. The incredible Lauren Woolstencroft, born without legs below the knees and without her left arm below the elbow, skied to medal after medal for five gold medals in total. Paralympic rookie Viviane Forest, won five medals in five races. Colette Bourgonje, competing in her ninth Paralympic Games, racked up two more medals. Honourable senators, these are images that I, like so many Canadians, will never forget. Ms. Bourgonje was awarded the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award at the closing ceremonies in recognition of her extraordinary record of excellence.
It was particularly moving to reflect during the closing ceremonies that Sunday marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Rick Hansen's Man in Motion World Tour, which opened people's eyes and transformed the way that many in Canada and around the world look at people with disabilities. Rick Hansen, the man of perpetual motion, has not stopped. His latest mission is to raise $200 million for research to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
I cannot speak about the Paralympic Winter Games without paying tribute to the Honourable Senator Joyce Fairbairn, who has worked with her trademark energy and enthusiasm in support of our Paralympic teams since the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. She founded and chaired the Friends of the Paralympics — a group that raised money for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and in 2003, she became the Chair of the Canadian Paralympic Foundation. This year was particularly special because the Paralympic Games were held in Canada and the organizers awarded her with the special honour of inviting her to carry the torch through the streets of Vancouver — a recognition truly well deserved.
I also want to acknowledge the great contribution of our new colleague opposite, Senator Vim Kochhar, through The Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons and as Chair of the Canadian Paralympic Foundation.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.
Senator Cowan: During the opening ceremonies, Rick Hansen said:
Sport gave me meaning and purpose, helped me realize that I didn't need to be cured to be whole as a human being.
Honourable senators, the Paralympics were a glimpse not only of whole human beings but also of the best that human beings can achieve. It is at once humbling and awe-inspiring — memories Canada will never forget.