Media Advisory - 2010 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Athletes to be Honoured
by the Government of Canada

Over 150 Athletes to be Received in the House of Commons

OTTAWA, April 20 /CNW/ - Just weeks after the close of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the Government of Canada will be honouring Canada's 2010 Olympians and Paralympians with a Tribute in the House of Commons on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010.

Olympians and Paralympians to Visit Ottawa and Gatineau Schools

As part of their visit to the Nation's Capital, a number of Olympians will be visiting local schools in the Ottawa and Gatineau region. Two of these school visits will be open to members of the media.

    
    Ottawa:    Thomas D'Arcy McGee Catholic School, 635 LaVerendrye Drive,
               Gloucester ON K1J 7C2
               Athletes: Scott Niedermeyer (2010 Olympic gold medallist,
               men's hockey), Colette Bourgonje (2010 Paralympic double
               medallist, cross-country ski)
               Time: 9:30-11am

    Gatineau:  École secondaire Du Versant, 808, boul. de la Cité, Gatineau
               QC J8T 3S8
               Athletes: Charles Hamelin (2010 Olympic double gold medallist,
               short track speed skating), Jean Labonté (2010 Paralympic
               sledge hockey)
               Time: 9:30-10:45am
    

Availability at the Hilton Lac Leamy

The athletes will be available for informal meetings with members of the media at the Hilton Lac Leamy, in the Foyer of the Conference Centre, lower level.

Time: 1:15pm-1:45pm

Tribute in the House of Commons

The Olympians and Paralympians will be honoured in the House of Commons at 3:15pm, following Question Period. Media accredited for the House of Commons Press Gallery will be welcome to attend. Non-accredited media will need to request accreditation from Colin Lafrance at the Parliamentary Press Gallery at [phone].

Following the athletes' visit to the House of Commons, the Government of Canada will host a reception in their honour in Room 200, West Block. This reception will be open to the media at 3:45pm, who will need to be accredited through the Parliamentary Press Gallery in order to access the venue.

On the Road to Montreal

Athletes will be travelling to Montreal following their visit to Parliament Hill, in order to take part in a parade hosted by the City of Montreal at 11:30am on Friday, April 23rd. Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to be on site to greet the 2010 Olympians and Paralympians. The athlete parade will culminate with a show hosted by Gregory Charles at Phillips Square.

About the Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic Movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For news and information, visit the COC website at www.olympic.ca and find the team on both Facebook (Canadian Olympic Team) and Twitter (CDNOlympicTeam).

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee ("the CPC") is a non-profit, private organisation with 43 member sports organisations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The CPC is responsible for creating an optimal high-performance environment for Canadian Paralympic athletes to win at Paralympic and ParaPanAmerican Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the CPC inspires all Canadians with a physical disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organisations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee by becoming a fan on Facebook, and following on Twitter.

For further information: Sylvie Bigras, Canadian Olympic Committee, Cel. [phone], Email: [email protected]; Anna Parisi, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Cel. [phone], Email: [email protected]