Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, November 24, the sixth annual Word on the Street book and magazine fair was held on Queen Street West in my riding of Trinity-Spadina.
It is not only a celebration of the very best in Canadian writing, but it also draws our attention to the importance of literacy by promoting reading, writing and learning.
Last year a crowd in excess of 100,000 people jammed Queen Street West to view the many exhibits and to discover the large sampling of new Canadian writing. This year the crowds in Toronto grew and were joined by large parallel festivals at either end of the country.
Thanks to the grants from the Literacy Secretariat and the Department of Canadian Heritage, Word on the Street has grown to include festivals in Vancouver and in Halifax, making it a truly national event.
I take this opportunity to salute the organizers for their hard work and for their efforts to promote literacy.