Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomes the Olympic Flame to the Canada Pavilion

February 12, 2010

VANCOUVER – Prime Minister Stephen Harper, accompanied by children, welcomed the Olympic Flame today as the Torch Relay stopped at the Canada Pavilion during its final journey to open the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
 
“The Olympic Flame has travelled across this great country, from community to community to bring the spirit of the Games to all Canadians,” said the Prime Minister.  “The Torch Relay has ignited our passion for sport and our pride for our athletes.”
 
The Olympic Flame will end its journey at the opening ceremonies at BC Place, where the flame will light the Olympic Cauldron, officially marking the start of the Olympic Winter Games.  When the Flame ends its journey, it will have been carried by over 12,000 torch bearers and will have travelled over 45,000 kilometres in 106 days.  It will have visited over 1000 communities and come within a one-hour drive of over 90 per cent of the population.  Through the torch relay, Canadians have been able to share in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games experience. 
 
The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a chance for Canada to show the world what it means to be Canadian.
 
The Canada Pavilion is located at the LiveCity site in downtown Vancouver.  The Pavilion will open its doors on February 13 at 11 a.m.  It will welcome visitors from all over Canada and the world.  The Pavilion will give visitors a chance to discover Canadian sporting excellence and golden moments in the history of sport in Canada.
 
For more information, please visit the Government of Canada 2010 Website at www.canada2010.gc.ca/media.
 


Backgrounder

CANADA PAVILION
 
The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are Canada's opportunity to showcase our athletes, culture, heritage and achievements to the world.
 
The Canada Pavilion is a prefabricated two-story temporary structure, situated in Vancouver’s LiveCity Downtown celebration site.  It will welcome visitors from all over Canada and the world during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.  The Pavilion offers a truly Canadian experience through fun and interactive activities on several multimedia platforms.
 
The Pavilion’s focus is Canadian sport and sport excellence, displaying the best of Canada’s Olympic, Paralympic and sporting history.  It also highlights the Government of Canada’s contribution to the Games and promotes the tourism opportunities our country has to offer.  Finally, through displays and interactive exhibits, the Pavilion will feature Canada’s cultural richness, our country’s two official languages and our regional diversity.
 
All Canadians and international guests are invited to visit the Pavilion and discover our country’s excellence in sport.
 
Location and hours of operation
Location: LiveCity Downtown
(City of Vancouver, corner of Georgia and Beatty Streets)
 
Hours:
February 13-27, 2010: 11:00 a.m. to midnight
February 28, 2010: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
March 12-14, 2010: 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
March 18-21, 2010: 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
 
For more information, visit http://www.Canada2010.gc.ca