Attending the Georgetown Hockey Heritage Dinner held

Attending the Georgetown Hockey Heritage Dinner held this year in Acton on March 7,
2011, Ted Arnott delivered the following remarks:

Good evening everyone.

It’s great to be here, and great to see all of you.

I want to begin as I should, by thanking our Hockey Heritage Dinner council. Year after
year, they make the plans, invite the special guests, line up the venue and the dinner
arrangements, set the agenda, and spread the word to get us all here.

There are a lot of community dinners in Wellington-Halton Hills, but this one is extra
special, because of the extra special care that goes into bringing it off. So to the
organizing committee: please accept our warmest thanks.

Now, why Hockey Heritage?

What is it about our national pastime that is worth celebrating? Well, it’s our sport. We
are consistently the greatest hockey nation in the world. No need to elaborate.

And as I said last year, I will say again this year. Georgetown is Hockeyville! I don’t
care what the CBC says. All of you who are involved have made it so.

And so tonight when we celebrate our Hockey Heritage, in a sense we are celebrating
another “Canada Day,” a little earlier than one we observe on the 1st of July. Because
of what you do here in Halton Hills, and what others like you across the country do
behind the scenes, in the dressing room, in the stands and on the ice,

We can be proud as Canadians, proud in the very best of our character, our
determination, and our success.

And I want to congratulate and thank Geraldine Hardcastle on her award tonight.

On behalf of the Province of Ontario, thank you all so very much.