Statement by the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), on the Bestowing of Diamond Jubilee Medals to Canadian Athletes

MONTRÉAL, February 28, 2013 - It gives me great pleasure to congratulate outstanding athletes who are receiving The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

At the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, these athletes demonstrated they can compete with the best and win for Canada. I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and I know our athletes will represent Canada well in Sochi, Russia, at the Winter Games in 2014.

Commemorations like the Diamond Jubilee contribute to our collective identity and help define who we are as Canadians. So it is fitting that, in Her Majesty’s honour, we recognize the achievements of these exceptional athletes who have worked hard to serve their communities and country.

On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I invite Canadians to join me in honouring the following athletes, who received their Diamond Jubilee medals at a ceremony in Montréal:

Élaine Allard
Marie-Ève Croteau
Stéphanie Durocher
Michel Filteau
Jo-Annie Fortin
Bruno Haché
Pierre-Luc Hinse
Robert Labbé 
Marie-Andrée  Lessard
Tracy Little
Dominique Mainguy
Pierre Mainville
Annie Martin
Marie-Claude Molnar
Andréanne Morin
Lizanne Murphy
Norbert Murphy
Sergio Pessoa
Aurélie Rivard           
Lyne Tremblay
Antoine Valois-Fortier
Douglas Vandor

For more information (media only), please contact:

Robert Lynch
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Bal Gosal, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
robert.lynch@pch.gc.ca