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Lynn and Rod local heroes: Smith

Lynn Johnston has been producing the cartoon strip for Better or For Worse for 25 years. Photo by Phil Novak. ________________________________________________________ Nipissing MPP Monique M.

Lynn Johnston has been producing the cartoon strip for Better or For Worse for 25 years. Photo by Phil Novak.
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Nipissing MPP Monique M. Smith paid tribute Wednesday to local world-known cartoonist Lynn Johnston.

Here is a transcript of Smith's remarks in the legislature, as recorded by Hansard:

"Last week, one of my riding's and our country's treasures celebrated a milestone. Lynn Johnston, the celebrated cartoonist and creator of the very popular comic strip For Better or For Worse, celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the creation of the Patterson family.

Lynn Johnston is celebrated worldwide but lives in my riding, just outside of North Bay in East Ferris. She and her husband, Dr Rod Johnston, are local heroes -- major contributors to countless local charities and community events.

Many of us have grown up with the Pattersons: watched their ups and downs, their children go off to school, their parents age, their nest empty. Recently, their daughter graduated from teachers' college. As part of the great celebration, real-life graduates of Nipissing University's faculty of education graduating class received a copy of the comic strip which illustrated the great day.

I have had the chance to see Lynn Johnston among her fans first-hand. In New York City, I watched at BookExpo America, North America's largest book fair, as hundreds lined up for her autograph. And just last week I was lucky enough to be at Gulliver's Quality Books and Toys, a fabulous bookstore on Main Street in North Bay, where together with 30 or 40 fans we sang Happy Birthday and celebrated this great milestone. Lynn sang, served cake, and then signed books with her usual smile and humour and a personal caricature.

I am proud to rise today to congratulate Lynn Johnston on 25 years of making Canadians and people who follow her strip in over 2,000 different newspapers in 20 countries smile every day. Thanks for 25 years of smiles, Lynn.