Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning it was my great pleasure to sponsor a meeting concerning the Stratford Festival of Canada.
The Stratford Festival employs some 700 people and is responsible for contributing $125 million to the economy. The festival is world famous for its excellence in presenting Shakespearian classics and has taken a leadership role in offering new works illustrating the cultural mosaic of Canada.
The festival is truly a national performing arts organization. The stages at Stratford also serve to train young emerging Canadian actors and playwrights and prepare them for careers.
The federal government's matching endowment program is a very important and appreciated source of funding.
I want to thank the MPs representing multiple parties who took time out of their busy schedules to discuss this great Canadian institution.
I am proud to have the Stratford Festival of Canada located in the heart of my riding of Perth--Middlesex.