Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute today to the 2007 Canada Winter Games Bid Committee led by President Doug Inglis.
The Government of Canada along with the Yukon territory and the Canada Games Council have just announced that the 2007 Canada Winter Games will be hosted in Whitehorse. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their support for this history-making event.
The Canada Games will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Whitehorse, marking the first time that the Canada Games will be hosted north of the 60th parallel. Since the first Canada Games in 1967 in Quebec City over 50,000 young athletes have participated in the games. The Canada Games are held every two years, alternating between winter and summer games.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Mayor Bourassa, Premier Pat Duncan, Mr. Inglis and the many volunteers involved in preparing the bid for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. We wish them much success in their planning and preparations. The next Canada Games will be held in Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick, from February 22 to March 8, 2003.