Canada's long time support of its artists has helped them to achieve incredible heights both nationally and internationally in a variety of disciplines. For me personally, and for The National Ballet of Canada, government funding has allowed us to tour internationally and to keep our dancers and productions in the top tier of dance companies worldwide. Gaining this kind of acclaim on a worldwide scale, not just for our company but for our museums, symphonies, art galleries and artists as a whole, is critical to preserving Canada's place on the world map.