Mr. Speaker, yesterday was International Women's Day, a day when women around the world marched for equality. It is with this in mind that I rise to pay tribute to women's hockey in Canada.
For most of us fans, the debut of women's hockey at the Nagano olympics showed that hockey is not only a man's sport. The world championship Team Canada with Cassie Campbell, Lesley Reddon and Jayna Hefford of Mississauga proved that by bringing home an olympic silver medal.
Most of the credit for the success of women's hockey must go to the Mississauga based Ontario Women's Hockey Association. As the only organization of its kind in the world, it was the driving force behind the establishment of the World Women's Hockey Championship and can take a great deal of credit for the inclusion of women's hockey in Nagano.
No tribute to women's hockey would be complete without mention of Mayor Hazel McCallion who earned $5 a game playing professional women's hockey in the forties. As an active member of the board of directors, she has remained a strong advocate of the sport and was a key force on the road to the olympics. All Canadians can take pride in the achievements of Canada's women hockey players.