Olympic Flame Crosses Into Ontario

1948 Canadian Olympic figure skater Barbara Ann Scott carries the Olympic flame into the House of Commons during a ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. (The Canadian Press)

(ATR) The Vancouver 2010 flame crosses into the Canadian province of Ontario on Day 43 of the Olympic torch relay.

Yesterday highlights include the torch reaching Quebec’s largest city, Montreal, and taking a ride on BIXI, the city’s bicycle sharing system. The featured highlight of Day 42 was the Olympic Flame’s visit to Canada’s Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. 1948 figure skating Olympian Barbara Ann Scott carried the torch from the Prime Ministers’ corridor through the historic Canada doors into the House of Commons chambers. VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong joined the members of Parliament to welcome the flame.
The flame received a large welcome yesterday from many prominent members of the Olympic Movement. IOC member and former WADA president Richard Pound told Around the Rings that he “represented VANOC in Laval and on my way to do the same thing in Westmount (both suburbs of Montreal).“

Today, the torch relay travels through 19 towns with Repentigny being the first welcome. The flame continues through the towns of

John Furlong during his speech at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, Quebec. (Vancouver 2010)

L’Assomption, Joliette, Crabtree, Saint-Jacques, Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Mirabel, Saint-Jerome, Lachute and Hawkesbury where a welcome celebration is planned at Parc de la Confederation and will include a theatrical performance and symphonic orchestra.

The Olympic Torch will then enter Grenville where athletics Olympian Bruce Kidd is scheduled to carry theflame.

The torch travels next to Montebello, Papinequville, Plaisance, and Thurso where athletics Olympian Bruny Surin will be a torchbearer.

The flame continues its journey through Masson-Angers and Buckingham.

The torch reaches its final destination of the day in the town of Gaineau where weightlifting Olympian Pierre St-Jean will carry the Olympic Torch and a welcome celebration is planned at Place de la Cite and will include unique performances from Aboriginal singing to slam poetry.

Three-time Paralympian and captain of Canada’s national ice sledge hockey team Jean Labonte will light the cauldron in the town of Gatineau where he was born and still resides.

Over the weekend, the torch makes its way through 15 towns and will be carried by five Olympians. On Saturday, the flame enters Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Thousands of Canadians plan to gather on Parliament Hill to welcome the arrival of the Olympic Torch.

View FULL STORY of Day 42:
Vancouver 2010 Torch Receives Welcome in Canada’s Parliament.

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Written by Tristan Luciotti

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Your best source of news about the Olympics is http://www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.

(Copyright 1992 2008, all rights reserved. The information in this report may not be published, excerpted, or otherwise distributed in print or broadcast without the express prior consent of Around the Rings.)

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Olympic Flame Visits Kahnawake First Nation Community

Olympic equestrian torchbearer Mario Deslauriers passes the flame from horseback to Torchbearer 28 in Bromont, Quebec. (Vancouver 2010)

(ATR) The Vancouver 2010 flame travels through an important First Nations reserve as the Olympic torch relay approaches Montreal.

Yesterday highlights include the torch being carried by three Olympians as it traveled to its final destination of the day in the town of Longueuil.

Today, the torch relay will travel through 22 towns with Saint-Lambert being the first stop where speed skating Olympian Jonathan Guilmette will be a torchbearer.

The flame will then continue through Greenfield Park, Longueuil, Brossard, Chambly, Iberville, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu where diving Olympian Marie-Eve Marleau will be a torchbearer and then to La Prairie and Candiac.

The flame will then advance through the town of Saint-Constant where athletics Olympian Bruny Surin and fencing Olympian Michel Boulos will be torchbearers.

The Four First Nations and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay confirm the flame will then progress to a large Indian reserve near Montreal. The Kahnawake First Nation community was the site of an uprising and standoff in the summer of 1990; the Canadian army was eventually called out to diffuse the situation. Residents will not allow the RCMP escorts on the Indian reserve. 1984 canoe/kayak gold medalist Alwyn Morris will be the solo torchbearer. His new claim to fame is running Bodog, what is essentially the biggest illegal gambling website on North American soil.

Torchbearer lights his torch outside of City Hall in Sherbrooke, Quebec. (Vancouver 2010)

The torch will continue through the village of Chateauguay where canoe/kayak Olympian Emilie Fournel, cycling Olympian Martin Gilber and swimming Olympian Nathalie Giguere will be torchbearers. A community welcome is planned at the Bibliotheque municipal de Chateauguay and will include music and dance performances.

The flame will then journey to the towns of Mercier, Beauharnois, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield where rowing Olympian Henry Hering and fencing Olympian Julie Mahoney will be torchbearers and then to Saint-Lazare where synchronized swimming Olympian Marie-Pierre Gagne will be a torchbearer.

The torch will then travel north to Hudson where sailing Olympian Evert Bastet will be a torchbearer and then to the cities of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Pincourt, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Bai-d’Urfe.

The flame will arrive at its final destination in the town of Beaconsfield where a welcome celebration is planned that evening at Centennial Park and will included music, dancing and a Celtic band.

Tomorrow, the torch will rest in the town of Mont-Tremblant as it makes its way to Montreal the largest city in Quebec on Thursday.

To read daily coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch relay visit www.AroundTheRings.com

To subscribe to Around the Rings
Click Here

Written by Tristan Luciotti

For general comments or questions, click here

Your best source of news about the Olympics is http://www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.

(Copyright 1992 2008, all rights reserved. The information in this report may not be published, excerpted, or otherwise distributed in print or broadcast without the express prior consent of Around the Rings.)

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