Canada: Falun Gong Group is Warmly Received While Participating in Public Events

On the afternoon of August 13th, 2005, Health and Long-Term Care Minister of Ontario George Smitherman held activities in his district in Toronto to meet local residents. The Toronto Falun Dafa Association was invited to take part in the activity and to give music and dance performances. The weather was cool and several hundred local residents attended the activities.

Fan dance	Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman taking a group photo with Falun Gong practitioners

The Falun Gong practitioners performed traditional Chinese dances and performed on the lute. They also demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. Their performances were warmly received. Several people from the audience requested to have their photo taken with practitioners. Health Minister Smitherman also took a group photo with practitioners who performed the dances. Some practitioners distributed truth-clarification materials to the audience.

According to Mr. Zhang Zhaojin of the Toronto Falun Dafa Association, one of the organisers of this activity immediately expressed her wish to learn the exercises after she watched the performances. A Toronto lawyer said that he would be willing to provide some free legal services for Falun Gong practitioners. He told this reporter later, "These [practitioners'] performances are so beautiful! I love them."

This reporter noticed that when the Master of Ceremonies went onto the stage and stated that Falun Gong practitioners would be the next to perform, many people in the audience clapped. In fact, because of Falun Gong practitioners' outstanding performances in various kinds of public events, they are already well known. While spreading Falun Dafa, practitioners also help people to learn more about traditional Chinese culture, and their efforts are acknowledged and praised.