Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome members of the Canadian Fraternal Association to the nation's capital. It is a pleasure to have members of the association in Ottawa this week for their annual meeting.
The Canadian Fraternal Association represents some 400,000 Canadians and their families from across Canada. There are 22 fraternal organizations which belong to the CFA, including several organizations from the United States.
Members of the Canadian Fraternal Association provide a range of services in their respective communities. They contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, scholarships and educational programs. Communities and individual Canadians from across the country benefit from this work. Members also provide financial products and services such as insurance, savings and investment vehicles as well as educational programs, volunteer services and social activities.
I am pleased to join with other members in this House to welcome the Canadian Fraternal Association to Ottawa.