OTTAWA, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A Canadian politician is demanding to know why the federal government has spent $1 million on training clowns, the Toronto Sun reported Thursday.

The newspaper learned the funding came as grants in the past two years to the Montreal-based National Circus School, where students learn clowning and acrobatics.

Many of the graduates end up working with one of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil troupes, one of which has a longstanding Las Vegas contract, while five others travel the world.

Member of Parliament Pat Martin of the leftist New Democrat Party is furious.

"If we're underwriting the training for Cirque du Soleil, it's time to claim some equity share," Martin said. "There's no need to be funding Cirque du Soleil now that it's hit Vegas."

Martin said he was baffled about the government's priorities.

"What are they doing training clowns when there's a skill shortage for carpenters?" he said.

Bruce Winchester of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation agreed.

"People think there's enough of a circus going on in the House of Commons. Why would we need to train more people for that profession?"