Mr. Speaker, on October 23, the eve of United Nations Day, citizens around the world are organizing a vigil. Their goal is to put pressure on their respective governments to provide adequate funding for the United Nations.
Many national governments do not pay their dues to the United Nations, which seriously weakens many organizations in that body. For example, the United States alone owes more than $1 billion in dues. Canada is in the minority, having no debt toward the United Nations.
This vigil has been organized for the past three years. In 1998 it was hosted in 42 cities around the world. This year the event is called the millennium mobilization, to recognize the entry of the United Nations into the 21st century. It is an organization which has done much to help our intergovernmental relations, to help rehabilitate war torn countries, and to fight poverty and starvation.
The United Nations needs not only moral support from its members but also financial support to continue its projects and programs. Therefore I urge all members of the world body to contribute accordingly.