Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate one of Whitby's finest, Olivia Smith, a remarkable athlete who at just 20 years old made history. This past July, she broke another glass ceiling in women's sports, signing with the Arsenal Football Club. She earned a world-record fee of one million British pounds, becoming the most expensive signing in women's football history.
Her journey began at age five at the Whitby Iroquois Soccer Club, and she is now blazing a trail in the U.K.'s top league. With nine goals scored this past season, she has already earned the women's young player of the year award from the Professional Footballers' Association. What a feat.
As a soon-to-be dad of three girls, I know that little girls and fans all across Canada, including in Whitby, are inspired by Olivia's every move. We are all cheering for Olivia.