Madam Speaker, as we celebrate World Teachers Day, I would like to pay tribute to my fellow teachers who have dedicated their lives to educating our children.
A recent study by the International Bureau of Education confirmed that the quality of life and social status of 50 million teachers across the world had dropped drastically.
According to UNESCO, the teaching profession is the largest in the world. In Canada there are more than 400,000 teachers.
I would like to recognize in particular the work of the Canadian Teachers' Federation, represented in our gallery by its president, Jan Eastman, its secretary general, Mr. Schryburt, and his deputy, Mr. Weiner.
I would also like to salute the French speaking teachers of Quebec, who belong for the most part to the Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec, represented by Joanne Fortier and Carl Charbonneau, and the Fédération nationale des enseignants et enseignantes du Québec, formerly presided over by my neighbour on Montreal Island and current member for Mercier.