TORONTO, 27 February — A civic reception has been planned here for Canada’s hockey heroes as countrywide Olympic victory celebrations continued on Monday. “Our hockey heroes deserve all the compliments in the world,” said Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman while congratulating Team Canada on their 5-2 victory over the US in the hockey final at the Winter Games.
On Monday afternoon, members of all political parties in the House of Commons in Ottawa stood up and unanimously applauded the Canadian athletes. “Yesterday, you know, the nation stood still,” Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said, calling the men’s hockey win “just marvelous.”
“This was a moment we will never forget,” said the jubilant prime minister. Details for this week’s grand reception are being worked out, said a Canadian official.
Meanwhile, Canadian flags and cheers greeted about 80 members of Canada’s Olympic contingent in Calgary when the Canada’s best Olympic team ever returned home from Salt Lake City.
Canada’s fourth place finish in the overall medal standings — with six gold, three silver and eight bronze medals — was its best-ever performance at any Olympics.
Canada placed fourth overall in the Games behind Germany, the United States and Norway. The athletes — including the women’s hockey team — arrived at Calgary’s airport on an Air Canada charter flight after a two-hour delay caused by security snags in Salt Lake City, newspaper reports said. “Canadian athletes were stars for the two weeks,” Sally Rehorick, the Canadian team’s chef de mission, said proudly during the airport ceremonies honoring the athletes.
“I said we’d have a team of class, showing sportsmanship both on and off the field. And we would be the envy of the international sporting community in everything we did. This team represents exactly those values and performance,” said Rehorick.
Superstar speed skater Marc Gagnon and curler Kelley Law were among the athletes from curling, speed skating, luge, skeleton, bobsled, alpine and freestyle skiing who arrived in Calgary Monday. Talking to newsmen on arrival, Gagnon thanked all Canadians for their support at the Games, not only for his personal performance but the team as a whole. “I think these were great Games for us,” Gagnon said while speaking in French.
