Mr. Speaker, they are the true unsong heroes of Canadian society. They deliver hot meals to shut-ins, they sift through mountains of used clothing, and they coach our children's sports teams. They are volunteers and today is their day.
Today is International Volunteer Day. I invite my colleagues to join me and warmly thank all those people who, out of pure altruism, collect donations in order to allow soup kitchens to continue helping the disadvantaged, bring comfort to patients in our hospitals, and collect and distribute toys to children.
We must always be aware of their many selfless contributions, and the tremendous social and economic benefits they provide to all of our communities.
Today, we thank these volunteers for the very precious gifts of their time and effort.
I encourage all of my colleagues to join me today in not only thanking all of the volunteers in this country but also to join their ranks a few times a year.