QUEBEC CITY, Canada—A Shen Yun Performing Arts production is not only world-class entertainment, but also an educational experience. Bringing one’s children to attend the show is a wonderful gift, letting the youngsters enjoy themselves while learning about traditional Chinese culture at the same time.
That was the thinking of Quebec minister Bernard Drainville when he decided to spend an evening at the show with his family at the Grand Théâtre in Québec City on Saturday night.
Mr. Drainville saw the Shen Yun ad on television and thought that the show was beautiful, so he decided to buy tickets for himself and his wife and three children to see the performance during the holiday season and break from parliamentary affairs.
“The last of my three kids was adopted from Korea when he was six months old, so I always liked to have him learn about Asian cultures,” Mr. Drainville said in French.
Mr. Drainville, a former Radio-Canada journalist, is the current Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship in the province of Quebec.
During his 20-year reporting career, one of his assignments was in Latin America, where he interviewed the late Hugo Chavez. He has also been a correspondent on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and he hosted the debate between Montreal mayoral candidates in 2005. Mr. Drainville started his political career in 2007.
Epoch Times spoke with the minister during the intermission of the Shen Yun spectacle. Mr. Drainville said he was very pleased with the show.
“It’s a very pleasant show and wonderful to see with the whole family. It’s like travelling from dynasty to dynasty, from one Chinese region to another.
“It’s educational; it is educating society and me as well. We need to be educated about this topic.”
Indeed, each season the New York-based company produces an all-new program that showcases many aspects of traditional Chinese culture: myths and legends, music, ethnic minorities, traditional values, incredible landscapes, as well as the divine / spiritual aspect of China’s 5,000-year-old culture.
“It’s also this spiritual aspect that I like in Shen Yun. Spirituality is important for a society,” Mr. Drainville said.
He especially elaborated on the theme of tolerance conveyed in the show, while noting the diversity of cultures and beliefs in his province.
“Tolerance is essential. In Quebec also, we need tolerance in order to have a harmonious society that comprises so many cultures and beliefs,” said Mr. Drainville.
Reporting by Nathalie Dieul, Xiuxin Zhen, and Cindy Chan
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
