It is a pleasure to rise today to recognize the amazing accomplishments of one of my constituents in Perth–Wellington. Earlier this month, Corbyn Smith from Monkton, Ontario, along with his teammates on Canada’s para hockey team, took home the gold medal in the World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary. Team Canada had an amazing performance, going 5 and 0 in the tournament, and would wind up beating the United States 2-1 in the finals.

Corbyn had a great showing at the tournament, finishing with two goals and six points.

This year’s gold medal win is Team Canada’s first world title since 2017, in South Korea.

Speaker, Corbyn was on that Team Canada para hockey team as well, making this the second gold medal he has won for this great country.

What makes his accomplishment even more impressive, colleagues, is that during the 2021-22 season, Corbyn was let go because of concussion issues. Despite these challenges, he focused on his health and was able to return to the game he loves so much and, in his words, “makes moments like these that much more special.”

What also made this tournament extra special was that over 19 family members and friends were able to join him on the trip to Calgary to cheer him on and Team Canada.

Congratulations, Corbyn and Team Canada. Monkton and Ontario are proud of what you have accomplished again on the ice.

It’s my pleasure to rise here today to recognize the Arthur Vipers hockey team on their WOAA U18LL Elite Division championship victory. It was a hard-fought, best-out-of-three series against the Mount Forest Rams.

The first game saw Arthur taking it with a 4-3 win in overtime, with goals from Parker Coffey, Adam Krul, and Conner Schmidt who scored the game winner. Mount Forest bounced back in the second game, winning 2-0 and forcing a game 3. Arthur came out strong and fast in the final game, making for a hard-fought but resounding 5-0 victory to close out the series. Goals were scored by Simon Livingston, Parker Coffey and Aidan Hope. Conner Schimdt, Nate Howse, Wyatt Schill and Owen McDougall all provided assists. Wyatt Smith and Braeden van Dongen stood their grounds as goalies, keeping the puck out of the net. This capped off a fantastic season for the Vipers, winning 27 games with one loss and bringing them to a record 50 wins, one loss, 248 goals and only 76 goals against in their last two seasons.

I want to personally congratulate the entire team on winning the Elite Division championship in the past two years. As their coaches said, all three lines focused on doing the small things, fast and with intention. Congratulations, Arthur Vipers.

I rise today to recognize a great man who passed away on March 12, in his 99th year.

Arthur Boon was a skilled hockey and baseball player. He was invited to the Detroit Red Wings camp, and for many years he played senior A hockey in New Hamburg. He continued to play hockey every Sunday night until the age of 84. He was also a member of the Stratford Nationals in the Intercounty Baseball League, until a broken ankle ended his career. However, that did not stop him from playing slo-pitch until he was 71. He also coached minor baseball and was there to watch his sons, Art Jr. and Rick, play their games, and eventually his grandchildren.

Speaker, in addition to these sports accomplishments, and being a loving husband and father, he was also a World War II veteran. At the age of 15, Art signed up and eventually joined the 19th Canadian Army Field Regiment. His first action in the war was the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. He would fight in many battles up the coast of France, through Belgium, Holland and eventually Germany.

After returning home, Art proudly served with the Perth Regiment, eventually retiring as chief warrant officer.

Art was given the Order of Military Merit, the Order of St. John and the French Legion of Honour.

For over 75 years, Art organized and played a major role in the Remembrance Day service in Stratford.

We owe a great debt to Art, his family, and his fellow veterans. We will remember them.