Hon. Bev Busson: Honourable senators, I rise today with great pleasure to cheer on our Canadian Olympians and to acknowledge and celebrate Olympian Micah Zandee-Hart, from beautiful Saanichton, British Columbia. This wonderful 25‑year‑old made history in Beijing when she became the first B.C.-born player to play for Canada’s women’s national hockey team at the Winter Olympics. Micah began playing hockey as a little girl on a boys’ rep team as there were no girls’ teams at the time. Micah has always wanted to represent Canada at the Olympics, ever since she watched the women’s team go for gold in Salt Lake City in 2002. Well, Micah, your dream has come true.

Micah Zandee-Hart has had many career achievements in sport, among which she played in the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships in 2019, where she and Canada took the bronze medal. In 2020, the world championships were cancelled due to the pandemic. In 2021, Micah Zandee-Hart missed the world championships due to a shoulder injury — an injury serious enough to require surgery. That did not set her back, for she is now a Canadian Olympian.

The Canadian women’s hockey team opened the Winter Olympics against Switzerland on February 2. Since then, they have faced Finland, the Russian Olympic Committee and the United States, remaining undefeated in the preliminary rounds.

As a British Columbian, I’m especially proud and delighted to know that Micah is inspiring our young athletes to participate in and aspire to become great in their sport — and by extension achievers in all the aspects of life. Micah, please know that British Columbia and all of Canada will rise together, celebrate together and cheer for you and all our Olympians in the days to come. Have fun, enjoy the experience and go for gold. Thank you, meegwetch.