Mr. Speaker, Maitland, Nova Scotia, in my riding of Kings—Hants is a small community that is historically important to our province and our country. Situated on the Minas Basin, with the highest tides in the world, Maitland is where Canada's largest wooden ship, the W.D. Lawrence, was built in 1874.
It is also home to Canada's oldest general store, Frieze & Roy, which has been serving customers along the Hants shore and beyond since 1839, a full 28 years before Confederation. Frieze & Roy was a key business during the golden age of sail, an era when the completion of the Shubenacadie Canal placed Nova Scotia and Maitland as a world leader in shipbuilding.
I have had the pleasure of shopping at Frieze & Roy. It remains a key hub for our community and is truly a unique experience, as there remain many items at the store that give a unique perspective on our storied past.
I would like to congratulate the current owners, Troy and Theresa Robertson, and wish them continued success in the years ahead.