Mr. Speaker, it is with pride and a heavy heart that Stanstead will officially open the Pat Burns Arena this weekend. We lost Pat Burns last November. Throughout his career he was one of the most popular coaches in the National Hockey League.
His fans cheered when he won the Stanley Cup and was named coach of the year. His fans were also there for him during his three bouts of cancer. Pat Burns said about the arena that the next Mario Lemieux or Sidney Crosby might come from Stanstead and play at the arena that bears his name.
I am sure that is true and that one day, he or she will win gold with Team Canada. It was a great privilege to have someone so determined and so passionate living in our community, and thanks to this arena, he will continue to have a positive influence on young people for a long time to come.