Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to pay tribute to the Women's Institutes of Canada, particularly the members of the women's institutes in Perth county and the Avonton branch which is celebrating its 70th anniversary in community service.
The Women's Institutes of Canada was founded as an educational organization based on principles of sound nutrition, safe food, health and fitness and the right of women to have access of up to date information on issues that affect themselves and their families.
There are over 16,000 members in Ontario alone. The organization has been instrumental in accomplishing a number of improvements in our way of life.
Mr. Speaker, did you know that it was women's institutes that fought for the pasteurization of milk, signs at railroad crossings, buses stopping at railroad crossings, clear marking of poison on containers and the painting of white lines on our highways for safety? These are just some of the things that we take for granted today that were once the rallying cries of women's institutes.
I congratulate all members of the organization.