Mr Speaker, Next week the Great Canadian Theatre Company will be launching the premiere performance of "The Children’s Republic".

The play is the story of Dr. Janusz Korczak, a champion of children's rights who ran a remarkable orphanage in pre-world-war Poland.  After the Nazi invasion, Janick followed the Jewish orphans into the Warsaw Ghetto to protect their rights and dignity.

Mr. Speaker, the story was discovered through one of Ottawa’s community leaders Leon Gluzman who was one of Janusz’s orphans.  Today, he is a businessman and a great philanthropist whose support for the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama has made our community so much better.

The powerful story of commitment and legacy has been captured in the play written by Ottawa- born Hannah Moscovitch who herself has been nominated for Governer General’s awards.

I wish to congratulate the Great Canadian Theatre Company and the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama, particularly Amanda Lewis, for their joint effort in staging this timely play.

I invite the community to see “Children’s Republic” at GCTC.