Canadian flag-bearers waved the Maple Leaf at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics

Canadian flag-bearers Marie-Philip Poulin and Charles Hamelin waved the Maple Leaf together at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

It was a cold and clear evening in Beijing as Chinese President Xi (shee) Jinping declared the Games open during a ceremony heavy on winter imagery.

Canada didn't send any official representatives to the Games as part of a diplomatic boycott over human rights abuses.

Competition began at the Games on Wednesday, and medal events are on tap tomorrow.