Madam Speaker, as this week has been National Volunteer Week, I would like to take a moment today to speak about the importance of volunteer work.
Each year, the Canada Revenue Agency congratulates and thanks volunteers from across the country, particularly because thousands of them actively help support free tax clinics under the community volunteer income tax program. Last year, these free tax clinics made it possible for almost 650,000 Canadians with a modest income to file their taxes and receive more than $1.75 billion in benefits, credits and refunds. More than 3,400 community organizations, composed of more than 14,700 volunteers, contributed to achieving these results.
I would encourage all members to take a moment to thank all of the phenomenal volunteers and the program.