talked about the federal government’s commitment and the commitment all Canadians were making on this day. He made it personal and also spoke of trust and Canadian values. He was utterly on his game and nailed the emotion we needed.
Because of time constraints, we had had Larry Campbell, Gibby Jacobs and Michael Chambers tape comments, and we showed their videos. Then Charmaine Crooks talked about Canada’s multicultural heritage and her own immigrant history. She assured the IOC that athletes from around the world would receive a warm welcome from a country made up of people from around the world.
I was up next.
“Although my accent might lead you to believe that I am an Irishman,” I began, “I stand up here today a proud Canadian. The day I arrived in Canada a Customs and Immigration officer looked me in the eye, and as he handed my passport back said to me, quite simply: ‘Welcome to Canada—make us better.’ He challenged me to contribute to the greater good of Canada and for the last three decades, while I built a career in sport, this national culture of giving became a real force in my life. I came to realize that to give is the Canadian way. . . and it is expected from every one of us.”
I went on to talk about everything Vancouver and Whistler had to offer, from a wonderful airport to world-class hotels and some of the most impressive sports venues a Winter Games had ever seen. I said ours was a worry-free plan based on stability and reliability.
Steve Podborski followed me and talked about how he was the first Canadian man to bring home an Olympic medal in downhill skiing. He said the facilities we planned to build for the athletes would be second to none. And then Steve introduced The Great One.
Wayne Gretzky talked about the magic of stepping onto the ice in Nagano, not knowing the impact it would have on him. “There is no greater honour than the Olympics because there is no greater movement than the Olympic movement.” Out in the audience I could see a big smile cross René Fasel’s face. He knew how powerful Gretzky’s statement was inside that room.
Catriona Le May Doan gave part of her speech in French while talking about catching the Olympic spirit as a child and how that transformed her life. She talked about the thousands of dreams that would be ignited in children in B.C. if we received the privilege of hosting the Games.
And then it was back to me to wrap up our presentation. “As a boy, I dreamed of becoming an Olympian,” I started. “It was all I could think about. While I never made it to the Olympics, this bid has given me and my colleagues a chance to be Olympians of a different kind. We share the values of the Olympic ideal as a powerful platform for building a better world through sport. And we very much want to be your partners in building that better world.”
I thanked our opponents for making the Vancouver bid a better project, for helping many people visualize a better future for our city and for the country. I promised we would be the best partners the IOC could possibly imagine, partners it wouldn’t have to worry about, that could be counted upon. I asked the IOC members to imagine a torch relay arriving in Canada above the Arctic Circle, farther north than it had ever been before, and then travelling from sea to sea to sea, unifying our vast country in the process.
“We are ready to be an Olympic city. . . We believe that for generations to come, these Games will be a catalyst for immense promise for Vancouver . . . We believe that through sport there can be a chance for peace. That we might distinguish ourselves in the greater cause of sport and humanity. In the end we hope that you might look back on the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with great pride and affection. Our Olympic dream has transformed us and captivated our nation. Our dream is embedded in the heart of every Canadian athlete, every Canadian family, every Canadian child. Our
Because of time constraints, we had had Larry Campbell, Gibby Jacobs and Michael Chambers tape comments, and we showed their videos. Then Charmaine Crooks talked about Canada’s multicultural heritage and her own immigrant history. She assured the IOC that athletes from around the world would receive a warm welcome from a country made up of people from around the world.
I was up next.
“Although my accent might lead you to believe that I am an Irishman,” I began, “I stand up here today a proud Canadian. The day I arrived in Canada a Customs and Immigration officer looked me in the eye, and as he handed my passport back said to me, quite simply: ‘Welcome to Canada—make us better.’ He challenged me to contribute to the greater good of Canada and for the last three decades, while I built a career in sport, this national culture of giving became a real force in my life. I came to realize that to give is the Canadian way. . . and it is expected from every one of us.”
I went on to talk about everything Vancouver and Whistler had to offer, from a wonderful airport to world-class hotels and some of the most impressive sports venues a Winter Games had ever seen. I said ours was a worry-free plan based on stability and reliability.
Steve Podborski followed me and talked about how he was the first Canadian man to bring home an Olympic medal in downhill skiing. He said the facilities we planned to build for the athletes would be second to none. And then Steve introduced The Great One.
Wayne Gretzky talked about the magic of stepping onto the ice in Nagano, not knowing the impact it would have on him. “There is no greater honour than the Olympics because there is no greater movement than the Olympic movement.” Out in the audience I could see a big smile cross René Fasel’s face. He knew how powerful Gretzky’s statement was inside that room.
Catriona Le May Doan gave part of her speech in French while talking about catching the Olympic spirit as a child and how that transformed her life. She talked about the thousands of dreams that would be ignited in children in B.C. if we received the privilege of hosting the Games.
And then it was back to me to wrap up our presentation. “As a boy, I dreamed of becoming an Olympian,” I started. “It was all I could think about. While I never made it to the Olympics, this bid has given me and my colleagues a chance to be Olympians of a different kind. We share the values of the Olympic ideal as a powerful platform for building a better world through sport. And we very much want to be your partners in building that better world.”
I thanked our opponents for making the Vancouver bid a better project, for helping many people visualize a better future for our city and for the country. I promised we would be the best partners the IOC could possibly imagine, partners it wouldn’t have to worry about, that could be counted upon. I asked the IOC members to imagine a torch relay arriving in Canada above the Arctic Circle, farther north than it had ever been before, and then travelling from sea to sea to sea, unifying our vast country in the process.
“We are ready to be an Olympic city. . . We believe that for generations to come, these Games will be a catalyst for immense promise for Vancouver . . . We believe that through sport there can be a chance for peace. That we might distinguish ourselves in the greater cause of sport and humanity. In the end we hope that you might look back on the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with great pride and affection. Our Olympic dream has transformed us and captivated our nation. Our dream is embedded in the heart of every Canadian athlete, every Canadian family, every Canadian child. Our
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