query: country_of_citizenship shawn mcneil
supports: The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the American Midwest or simply the Midwest, is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, occupying the northern central part of the United States of America. It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984. Professional ice hockey has existed since the early 1900s (decade). The professional game originated in the United States in 1904 and became prominent in Canada during the early 20th century before expanding back into the United States and eventually to many other countries. In addition to the United States and Canada, high-level professional hockey is present in Germany, Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland; professional hockey is also played in many other countries, as diverse as Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Austria, Australia and Japan. Huntersville is a town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. A part of the Charlotte metropolitan area, the population was 46,773 at the 2010 census, and had increased to 52,704 according to the 2015 census annual estimate, making Huntersville the 17th largest municipality in North Carolina. It is located about 12 miles north of uptown Charlotte. It is thought that the town derives its name from the Rev. Humphrey Hunter, a minister at Steele Creek and Unity Presbyterian Churches and a local Revolutionary War hero. Others debate that it is either named for Robert B. Hunter, a local cotton farmer, or the generous and kind grade-school teacher Elizabeth Hunter and her husband, Travis Hunter, the town's first Crossing Guard. The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the midwestern United States. Shawn McNeil ( born March 17 , 1978 ) is a professional ice hockey centre . He is currently playing for the Louisiana IceGators of the Southern Professional Hockey League ( SPHL ) .
candidates: american australia canada czech republic japan teacher ukraine united states of america
answer: canada