Mr. Speaker, last week I had the honour of welcoming 35 young Canadians from Rankin Inlet to Etobicoke—Lakeshore as part of a hockey exchange with students with the Mimico Canadians in Etobicoke. Mimico is a neighbourhood in my riding, anchored in, among other things, hockey. In fact, Mimico is home to five recent Stanley Cups and many hockey heroes.
As part of the Canada 150 celebrations and the 100th anniversary of the NHL, Encounters with Canada, financially supported in part by the federal government, organized the youth cultural exchange to foster a better understanding of our country and our people through one of our country's shared passions.
As the students visited hockey landmarks, such as the Hockey Hall of Fame, and recorded a segment for Hockey Night in Canada, and of course played hockey, they shared experiences and got to know each other well. The Mimico students head north next April to continue building on what I know will be lifelong friendships and to learn about life in the north.
What an amazing opportunity it is for them. I congratulate them on a successful visit to Etobicoke and wish everyone a meaningful trip to Rankin Inlet next year.