MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Nov. 25, 2011) - National Bank is delighted to help celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Just For Laughs Festival by presenting the série Théâtre. In 2012, the featured play will be "Le Prénom", which has already had a successful run in France. The play, written by Alexandre De la Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte and starring Patrick Bruel, garnered 6 nominations at the prestigious Molière Awards in 2011. For the série Théâtre, the play, directed by Serge Denoncourt, has been adapted for a Quebec public, and will feature a cast of local actors.

"National Bank is proud to take part in the celebrations marking Just for Laugh's 30^th anniversary. For three decades now, the Festival has showcased the comedic talent of artists from Canada and abroad. As a proud partner, we are delighted to support actors, comedians and theatre professionals. This is another way for us to contribute to arts and culture in Quebec," said Diane Giard, Executive Vice President of Marketing at National Bank.

This is National Bank's third year as presenter of the popular série Théâtre. In Montreal last year, over 19,000 theatregoers flocked to performances of Les Fourberies de Scapin, a play which then went on a tour of a dozen or so stages across the province.

Every year, through its donations and sponsorships program and the initiatives of its employees, National Bank helps support hundreds of organizations across Canada. It focuses primarily on four main areas of activity-health, education, arts and culture, and community outreach-with the goal of generating positive benefits for communities.

For more information on the many causes and events National Bank supports as part of its commitment to the communities it serves, please consult our social responsibility report at www.nbc.ca/socialresponsibility.

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. National Bank has over $153 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,217 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). For more information, visit the Bank's website at [ www.nbc.ca ]. To access National Bank's financial education portal, visit [ www.clearfacts.ca ].

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