The Canadian Press

A disabled track athlete from Moose Jaw carried the Olympic flame Wednesday into the House of Commons to launch a 10-day torch relay that will culminate with the kickoff of the Paralympic Games in Vancouver.

Five-time paralympic athlete Arnold Boldt brought the flame into the Commons just three days after it was extinguished in Vancouver.

“It's very humbling to have been asked and invited to come here to be the first to light the torch,” said Boldt, who competed in his first Games in 1976. “It's quite the honour to represent all my fellow paralympians and those that have been interested in athletics for the disabled over the years.”

Boldt, who lost his right leg in a farming accident, has competed in three Paralympics summer games as a high jumper and long jumper.

The flame for the recently completed Vancouver winter Olympics Games began its odyssey in Greece, travelling for 106 days over 45,000 kilometres.

The torch will now be carried by more than 600 torch bearers through 11 Canadian communities, culminating at BC Place for the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 12.
This is the first time the Paralympic torch relay and the Paralympic Winter Games are being held in Canada.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper joined other dignitaries at a Parliament Hill ceremony including the mayors of Vancouver and Whistler, Vancouver games committee head John Furlong and ministers James Moore and Gary Lunn.

Harper wished Paralympic athletes luck in the games and praised the performance of Canadian athletes in the Games which closed on Sunday. Canada won 26 medals including a record-breaking 14 gold medals.