Hon. Claude Carignan: Honourable Senators, I rise today to pay tribute to an athlete from my region, my province and my country, Mikaël Kingsbury, an Olympic champion in moguls skiing. Mikaël claimed a third straight world title in singles moguls and then another in dual moguls in Bakuriani, Georgia, on February 25 and 26.

Hon. Claude Carignan: Honourable Senators, I rise today to pay tribute to an athlete from my region, my province and my country, Mikaël Kingsbury, an Olympic champion in moguls skiing. Mikaël claimed a third straight world title in singles moguls and then another in dual moguls in Bakuriani, Georgia, on February 25 and 26.

He has a record 115 podium finishes at the World Cup, including 80 wins. He is obviously the most decorated mogul skier of all time.

He is now 30 years old, but he was only 20 when he won his first World Cup title in moguls in Voss, Norway, in 2013.

Since then, Mikaël has been taking home medals both at the world championships and the Olympics. I have known Mikaël personally for over 16 years, since I first supported him through the Fondation Élite de Saint-Eustache when he was just beginning his career on Canada’s freestyle circuit.

Mikaël is an unusually passionate individual. He has always been very serious, diligent and determined about practising his sport, and he has always pushed his limits. In fact, that’s what stands out about him the most. He is someone who always pushes his limits and never settles for good enough.

This high-performance athlete is a role model for all the young people in our country who are involved in sports. He could also be a role model to all of us who aspire to push our limits in our own disciplines.

Mikaël has become a legend in his sport in particular and in the world of competitive sports in general.

At only 30, when the vast majority of athletes his age have already retired, Mikaël is still in peak form. Outside of his regular world cup competitions, he is getting ready for the 2026 Olympic Games.

As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. In Mikaël’s case, his original tribe was his immediate family: his father, Robert, and his mother, Julie, who always supported him, not to mention the time and money that went into helping him achieve his dreams as a young, ambitious, audacious and talented athlete.

I should also say that beyond his magnificent talents as a skier, Mikaël is down to earth. He is humble and has both feet on the ground — when he is not on skis — and he is exceptionally friendly.

Mikaël continues to dazzle us at lightning speed. Congratulations, Mikaël. You are an inspiration to several generations of young athletes and you are our national pride. Thank you.