Madam Speaker, in 1955 a small-town hockey club from my riding represented Canada at the World Hockey Championships. In the gold-medal final, the Penticton Vees defeated the Russians five to zero and returned home as champions.
Fifty-seven years later, yet again something as magical is happening within my riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla. If the Penticton Vees win tonight's game against the Vernon Vipers, it will be their 33rd consecutive victory. Already the Vees have broken a 22-year-old BCHL record for the most consecutive wins.
However, what is really exciting is the leadership of this organization. From the governor through to coach Fred Harbinson they have built a culture of courage, character and commitment that is not just winning hockey games but is also a formula for success that builds great players who are model citizens off the ice. Three of these future leaders have been drafted by the NHL and a further 15 committed to the NCAA.
What is more important is that these young men visit local schools and share these values with students, which helps us to build better communities. Go Vees, go.