Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): Madam Speaker, do I have leave for a nonpolitical statement?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Sturgeon Creek have leave? [agreed]
Mr. McAlpine: It is my pleasure to rise today and pay tribute on behalf of all members to the St. James Canadians, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions for two years straight. The St. James Canadians beat the Opaskwayak Cree Nation 4-1 in the best of seven series. Last night the Canadians showed their leadership, spark and offensive production with a 3-0 win over the OCN Blizzard. The St. James Canadians will now play for the Anavet Cup against the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League winners between Weyburn Red Wings and the North Battleford North Stars. The OCN Blizzard also deserve accolades for their fairy-tale rise from a brand new franchise last May to their finish as the second overall club. Truly, they have a strong future ahead of them.
As a fan and supporter of junior hockey and the St. James Canadians who play out of the St. James Civic Centre in the constituency of Sturgeon Creek, I want to offer my congratulations to the management, the coaches, the players of OCN on a very successful season and best wishes to them in the future. The 1,500 fans present at last night's game and at all the games saw some of the best junior hockey level of hockey available in Canada today, Madam Speaker. However, with the announcement today that Winnipeg will host the 1999 World Junior Championships, all Manitobans will soon be able to witness the calibre of junior hockey unparalleled.
With last evening's win by the Canadians and this announcement, Winnipeg is poised to become the dominant junior hockey city in Canada and indeed the world. On behalf of my colleagues in government, I would like to extend my congratulations to Coach and GM Wayne Chernicki and the players of the St. James Canadians on their success as champions and wish them well in bringing the Anavet Cup to Manitoba for all of us to celebrate. This will be a tremendous event for our province and an opportunity to show the community spirit Manitobans possess and to show all Canadians why Manitoba is the place to live, work, invest and raise a family. Thank you.
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I would like leave for a nonpolitical statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Leader of the official opposition have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, I, too, would like to join in congratulating the St. James Canadians Junior Hockey team on their successful championship here again in the province of Manitoba and also join with all members in congratulating the OCN Blizzard team on, as the member opposite described, its fairy-tale rise in its hockey fortunes in this its first year of junior hockey.
It has been a truly phenomenal success that we have witnessed with this junior hockey team from The Pas with a lot of great hockey being played across the province, whether it has been in Winkler, Neepawa, Selkirk, Dauphin and other communities, and it certainly has been a very, very strong community strength, this new hockey team in The Pas, to have the whole community basically fill that arena every night to watch good junior hockey being played in our province.
I know that we all wish the Canadians well in playing--I believe its Melfort that is the Saskatchewan team. Well, I will find out--
An Honourable Member: Weyburn.
Mr. Doer: Weyburn. Weyburn playing Melfort, is it not?
An Honourable Member: No.
Mr. Doer: Okay. Well, I wish us well at playing the team in Saskatchewan. We hope that the St. James Canadians will continue to do well. I would say on behalf of the member for The Pas (Mr. Lathlin) that I know he would want us to know that with such a young team in its first year, watch out in 1997-98 in the hockey season with the OCN Blizzard. Thank you very much.
Mr. Jim Ernst (Charleswood): Madam Speaker, I wonder if I might have leave to make a nonpolitical statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member have leave? [agreed]
Mr. Ernst: Madam Speaker, I, too, want to offer my congratulations to the hockey teams that have won championships, but I wanted to share with you today the story of one of my constituents, Shannon Rempel.
Shannon is 12 years old and is an active speed skater. This past weekend Shannon participated in the Canadian national short track midget speed skating championship in Prince Edward Island. She came home with two gold medals, a silver and a bronze. In the 333-metre distance, Shannon set a new Canadian record, completing the distance in 34.81 seconds, breaking the Canadian record of 34.91 seconds. She won the overall midget girls class championship with the highest number of points derived from the medal scoring system.
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We can all be very proud of Shannon's accomplishments. There were over 10 provinces represented at the short track championship, and Shannon was the first Manitoban to win the competition since 1980. She also competed in the North American short track event the weekend previous in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where competitors came from all over the U.S. and Canada, and in this event Shannon placed second overall.
She has been speed skating for three and a half years and has certainly demonstrated her speed, her skill and her expertise in winning championships and events and setting new records. I would like to congratulate Shannon for her recent victories, and I know we will hear Shannon Rempel's name mentioned again and again as she develops and grows in the sport of speed skating. Thank you.
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): May I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Swan River have leave? [agreed]
Ms. Wowchuk: Madam Speaker, recently friends, families and supporters turned out in full force in Swan River for Brent Chief Day. Brent Chief is a Special Olympian who had the opportunity this year to participate in the World Winter Games in Toronto and Collingwood last February. Brent was one of 12 Manitobans to qualify for the games which were attended by competitors from 60 countries. Brent is a member of the Manitoba Special Olympics team, has been a member since 1988 and took home a silver medal for the three-by-one Nordic ski relay and placed fifth in the one-kilometre ski, fourth in the three-kilometre ski and sixth in the five-kilometre ski.
When this reception was held, Brent was very outgoing in his appreciation to his coaches and to his family who have been very, very supportive, particularly his grandmother, Mrs. Snider.
I want to take this opportunity to recognize all Special Olympians who participated in these games and pay special tribute to Brent who is out every day skiing and building up his strength so that he can further his competitions, and I want to recognize his coaches and his family who have supported him very much. When you saw the enthusiasm on his face when he talked about his accomplishment, it was rewarding for all people who supported him, and I extend my deepest congratulations to him.