Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the organizers and entertainers of the 11th Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival which took place in Fredericton from September 12 to 16. This year's event, which had over 50,000 people in attendance, was a true test of the festival's strength due to the tragic events in the United States.
After considerable contemplation the festival went forward with taste, respect, and provided a much needed diversion in our community during a time of pain, shock and horror.
This speaks to the quality of leadership in the organization, the flexibility of the volunteers and the generosity of the entertainers, many having pulled double duty due to the fact that other groups could not fly into Fredericton.
I thank them on behalf of the people of Fredericton who found some normalcy in a world we did not recognize.