Canada’s athletes have been preparing for this moment for years.  Now, with the full support of our Nation from coast-to-coast-to-coast, Canada is ready to show the world not only our world-class facilities, but also our world-class competitive spirit. When the Olympic Games begin on February 12, our Athletes will strive to win a Gold medal on Canadian soil for the first time in our Nation’s history.
 
Essential to our Athlete’s success has been the “Own the Podium” program, a funding envelope consisting of $22 million per year to train our athletes and prepare facilities.
 
It is thanks to the spirit of our athletes, combined with record funding levels from the Government of Canada and the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) that we are anticipating one of the best medal showings our nation has ever had at the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
 
We wish luck to our athletes and we know that Canadians across the country are going to be cheering very loudly, and very proudly, over the course of the next 17 days of international sporting competitions.
 
GO CANADA GO!
 
Pat Davidson