Mr. Speaker, last night brought to a close the eighth Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City with Canadian athletes bringing home an exceptional six gold medals along with four silver and five bronze. Canada's total of 15 medals ranks us sixth out of the 36 participating countries, a great accomplishment, a testament to training, coaching and commitment to excellence.
Yesterday Scarborough's Chris Williamson won the men's slalom. Brian McKeever of Calgary earned his third medal of the games with a silver. Victoria's Lauren Woolstencroft won her second gold for Canada. Karolina Wisniewska of Calgary finished second to earn her fourth medal of the games.
The athletes have overcome much in life, in sport and have inspired us all.
The Paralympic tradition dates back to 1948 when Sir Ludwig Guttman organized a sports competition for World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. It was in Toronto in 1976 that the idea of merging athletes with different disabilities for international competition was first born. Later that same year the first Paralympic Winter Games were held in Sweden with over 250 athletes representing 14 countries.
The Salt Lake City games were able to boost the participation to 36 countries and over 1,000 athletes and officials. With competitions in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and sledge hockey, Canada was represented in these sports by 60 athletes, coaches and officials.
We thank all the participants. We cherish and cheer their achievements at these games. On behalf of the Progressive Conservative/Democratic Representative caucus, I would like to congratulate all of those great Canadian athletes and medal winners who represented Canada so well at the eighth Paralympic Winter Games. They have made us so proud.
They are exceptional and extraordinary. We are very proud of them.