CALGARY – Twenty-four officials from across Canada and three international delegates will attend the Hockey Canada Level VI Officiating Seminar from November 7-11, 2007 in Cambridge, ON, Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday.

The Level VI Officiating Seminar prepares top officials in Canada for National Championship finals and designated IIHF competitions (i.e, RBC Cup, Allan Cup, University Cup, World Championships, Olympics).

"Canada has always been a top provider of quality level of officials throughout the World," said Maurice Roy, referee-in-chief with Hockey Canada. "This begins with the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, an instruction program that is the envy of other hockey nations around the world."

Level VI seminars are held based on a national need for Level VI officials. The last Hockey Canada Level VI Officiating Seminar was held in Vancouver in 2005. Hockey Canada’s manager, officiating, Todd Anderson, is responsible for the organization of the site and program, establishing criteria and reviewing the candidates’ qualifications.

Candidates on hand have been nominated by the Hockey Canada Branches and are already fully certified Level V officials. An established selection committee reviewed all the candidates and selected those that will be in attendance in Cambridge.

The instruction will be handled by, among others, Roy, Anderson, former QMJHL referee-in-chief Doug Hayward and Hockey Canada Referee Committee members Vernon Doyle and Kevin Muench. Guest instructors will also be making presentations throughout the seminar.

There are approximately 70 active Level VI officials registered annually in Canada.

Delegates for the 2007 Level VI Officiating Seminar are:

BC Hockey – Colby Smith (Surrey, BC), Grant Tyson (Trail, BC)

Hockey Alberta – Lance McKinnon (Red Deer, AB)

Saskatchewan Hockey Association – Nathan Wieler (Regina, SK)

Hockey Manitoba – Ryan Galley (Winnipeg, MB), Graham Heather (Winnipeg, MB)

Ontario Hockey Federation – Brent Holdsworth (Hamilton, ON), Peter Kostyk (Niagara Falls, ON), David Lewis (Pickering, ON), Michael Marley (Thornhill, ON)

Ottawa District Hockey Association – Patrick Brown (Kingston, ON), Paul Matte (Orleans, ON), Chad White (Nepean, ON)

Hockey Quebec – Domenick Bedard (Laval, QC), Jonathan Trudel (St-Janvier, QC)

Hockey New Brunswick – Thayer Doyle (Hanwell, NB)

Hockey Nova Scotia – Tim Connors (Halifax, NS), Jonathan Langille (Upper Sackville, NS), Jonathan McIsaac (Truro, NS)

WHL – Matt Kirk (Vancouver, BC), Graham Skilliter (Medicine Hat, AB)

International – Daniel Stricker (Switzerland), Jacob Grumsen (Denmark), Georg Jablukov (Germany)

NOTE FOR MEDIA: All media inquiries during the Level VI Officiating Seminar should be directed to Todd Anderson, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada who will be on-site and can be reached at [email protected] or (403) 880-5826.

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