Mr. Brian Pallister (Portage la Prairie): Do I have leave to make a nonpolitical comment?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Portage la Prairie have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Pallister: It is a pleasure to rise in the House today and pay tribute to Mr. Barry Sadler. Barry has recently been honoured for his participation in what is truly the most noble of all modern sports: curling. The call of the ice. The whisper of the rock as it glides down towards the House and the satisfying crack as you take out your opponent's rock have all been luring Barry since the days when he practised curling on the frozen dugout near the family farm in Elgin in the fine riding of Turtle Mountain.

Barry has participated in two Tankard playdowns, two senior men's playdowns, eight mixed provincial championships, all representing the Portage la Prairie curling club. He has chaired the committees for the 1986 Canadian Seniors Championships. He has chaired committees in the 1990 World Junior Curling Championships and in the 1994 Manitoba Junior Men's Championship. He has been involved in hosting several cash bonspiels, including the McCain Superspiel West from its beginning in 1989 to the present day.

For the past 23 years, Barry has been the Zone 9 chairman for junior men's curling. At the club level he served on the executive of the Portage curling club for 11 years and held various offices including president. If any curler deserved to be made an honorary life member of the Manitoba Curling Association, it is my friend Barry Sadler.

To the sport of curling he has brought unbridled enthusiasm, dedication and a commitment few can ever come close to matching, and he is well known across Manitoba and around all the curling clubs of this province as a gentleman on and off the ice.

On behalf of all members, I congratulate Mr. Barry Sadler on this well-deserved honour. Thank you.