WHISTLER, B.C. (CP) -- Arturs Irbe wants to play in the NHL for another five seasons because he intends to compete for Latvia in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. 
 The 30-year-old netminder from Riga will watch the Nagano Winter Olympics from the sidelines because his country failed to qualify for 1998. 
 "I love my country and some day I will go back there and help with the hockey," Irbe said Thursday during training camp with the Vancouver Canucks. 
 "I want to make sure kids get enough ice time and enough equipment to play. Kids love to play. The success of Sandis Ozolinsh has made this game so popular." 
 Ozolinsh, a defenceman with the Colorado Avalanche, and Irbe have combined to establish a foundation to benefit future players in Latvia. 
 "We need new hockey rinks because all we have is two and one-half artificial (ice) rinks in the whole country," Irbe said. "Most kids that want to play are from not so wealthy families." 
 Irbe joined the Canucks this summer as an unrestricted free agent after one year with the Dallas Stars and five with the San Jose Sharks. 
 He played for Latvia during the world championship tournament in Finland earlier this year and Irbe hopes to help his country qualify for the 2002 Olympics.