Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday, in front of hundreds of fans, dignitaries and Korean War veterans, members of the Canadian armed forces, MPs, NHL alumni and Canadian ex-pats from Korea gathered on the Rideau Canal to play a hockey game that commemorated the Imjin River cup games played some 60 years ago by Canadian soldiers during the Korean War in the winters of 1952 and 1953.
Those brave Canadian troops who were deployed in Korea thousands of miles away from their families, fighting to free the Korean peninsula, found time to play the game Canadians love, proving the boy can be taken out of Canada, but Canada cannot be taken out of the boy.
Sunday's game was fast-paced, full of thrills and spills, and I am pleased to report there were only winners as the teams finished play in a 12-12 tie.
I want to congratulate all those who took part in this commemorative event, particularly Senator Yonah Martin for organizing the game, Andrew Monteith for resurrecting the Imjin Cup in Korea and especially our Korean War veterans and honoured fallen, who in giving their best to the people of Korea left behind a proud legacy of freedom, democracy and an iconic part of our Canadian identity, ice hockey.