‘Most Canadian photo ever’ to be sold to benefit Syrian refugees and local ice arena

It’s one of the most iconic photos of 2015 and now the man who snapped the shot has found a way to give back.

The photo of a Mountie in full red serge playing one-on-one hockey on a frozen glacier in the Purcell Mountains on British Columbia went viral in March after BC RCMP Tweeted it from their account, many calling it the most Canadian picture of all time.

The caption read: “We may be Mounties, but we are all still kids at heart with @NHL dreams.”

Rick Wiltse took the photo of the player in the picture — RCMP Cpl. Shaun Begg.

One of Begg’s teammates is a pilot and was subcontracted to create an ice rink 9000 feet up remote Purcell Mountains. So the team decided to play a game of shinny there.

Begg thought it would make a great photo, he told Global News back in March. “I asked my teammates ‘would you mind if I brought my serge?’ I thought this was truly a Canadian moment to play pond hockey, don the serge and have a photo op, a personal photo op.”

Wiltse has now donated the picture.

On Christmas Eve, Kaslo RCMP announced the proceeds from the sale of the photo would be going to Syrian refugees and to help refurbish the ice arena in Kaslo.

“In what may be the ultimate example of ‘paying it forward’ the fulfilled dream of a Canadian Mountie to play hockey on a glacier will now help dreams come true for refugees from the conflict in Syria. What was dubbed by many as ‘the most Canadian photo ever’ – a picture of an RCMP member in the traditional red serge of the Mounties playing hockey on a glacier high up in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia will now be sold with proceeds going to Syrian refugees, and to help refurbish the ice arena of Kaslo, the small mountain village the Mountie, Shaun Begg, was stationed in,” wrote the Kaslo RCMP in a release. 

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In what may be the ultimate example of 'paying it forward' the fulfilled dream of a Canadian Mountie to play hockey on a glacier will now help dreams come true for refugees from the conflict in Syria. What was dubbed by many as 'the most Canadian photo ever' - a picture of an RCMP member in the traditional red serge of the Mounties playing hockey on a glacier high up in the Purcell Mountains of Br<span class="text_exposed_show">itish Columbia will now be sold with proceeds going to Syrian refugees, and to help refurbish the ice arena of Kaslo, the small mountain village the Mountie, Shaun Begg, was stationed in," wrote the Kaslo RCMP in a release. </span>

The RCMP say Begg, who is now a sergeant and stationed in Smithers, is very excited refugees will benefit from his “thrill of a lifetime” experience, and hopes it further enhances Canada’s reputation on the world stage as a generous and welcoming country.

The money raised will go to a government supported charity helping the refugees.

WATCH: BC Mountie tells the story behind “The Most Canadian Picture Ever”

With files from Allison Vuchnich