(Minghui.org) On July 1, 2024, Canada Day, practitioners in Ottawa participated in Canada’s 157^th birthday celebrations. Many people showed great interest in learning about Falun Dafa.

Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises during celebrations on Spark Street in Ottawa on Canada Day.

Mr. Lü, a retiree from southern China, told practitioners that he quit all the Communist organizations he joined, and was interested in learning Falun Dafa “...not just because of it’s health benefits, but also for it’s power to purify one’s spirit.”

Mr. Lü learns the Falun Dafa exercises.

Mr. Lü explained that one of his colleagues in China was a Falun Dafa practitioner who was persecuted. “Every workplace was responsible to make sure no employees practiced Falun Dafa. The leaders were held accountable if anyone did. The authorities wanted to remove him from his position, and forced him to retire,” Mr. Lü recounted. “He is a righteous person and an excellent employee. I can tell that Falun Dafa is a righteous practice from my colleague’s behavior.”

Mr. Lü said that he was touched by his colleague’s steadfastness in his belief. Knowing the nature of the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Lü didn’t believe its propaganda. “I don’t believe the self-immolation on Tiananmen Square. It’s part of the Communist Party’s brainwashing, as always,” he said.

Ms. Martha Fowler, a local resident, said after watching the exercise demo that everyone should do the exercises to get more energy.

Ms. Martha Fowler (left) learns the Falun Dafa exercises.

Martha said of Falun Dafa, “It’s beautiful! I would like to follow them right now. I think you should invite everybody to come and meditate together, because it’s about the energy. I can practice alone, but there is an energy as a group. It’s [about] the connection, finding the truth, connecting to our own compassion, and being compassionate and tolerant with others as a part of this big world. We can make the world better.”

Ms. Liu, another local resident, asked where and what time practitioners met to do the exercises, because she was interested in learning Falun Dafa. She said the principles of Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, resonated with her and said that lack of compassion is dangerous for society. “Compassion holds people together. Without compassion, everyone is selfish,” she said.

“Take today’s China for example, no one dares to help if an elderly person falls,” added Ms. Liu. “People are supposed to help each other and make life better, instead of being on guard against each other. The struggles between classes and between people during the Great Cultural Revolution created terrible tensions between people.” Ms. Liu continued, “Power overrides the law under the Communist Party’s rule. People don’t have their human rights and don’t see hope. That’s why many people commit suicide.” She said she hopes Chinese people will think more independently and start to rely on their own judgment in face of the CCP’s propaganda.