Mr. Speaker, hockey is the tie that binds this country together from coast to coast. It is the game that Canadians love the most.
As a new NHL season begins tonight we must not forget the athletes who play on our country's most important hockey team, Team Canada.
I am very proud to announce that one of my constituents in the great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke has just been named to our national team.
Last season Shawn Heins was the top rookie defenceman in the International Hockey League. He set an IHL record with a 99.5 mile an hour slapshot. He is now under contract to the San Jose Sharks. Shawn Heins is from Eganville.
Two years ago another Eganville lad, Dale McTavish, played for Canada's national team. He went on to play for the Calgary Flames before becoming the top scorer for Saipa in the Finnish Elite League.
It is indeed a remarkable achievement for any small village of 1,300 people to produce such high calibre hockey players. It is the contribution to Team Canada which we enjoy the most.
The people of Eganville and the entire valley salute and are proud of both Shawn and Dale.