Mr. Speaker, this is National Volunteer Week and it gives us an opportunity to look at some of the profiles of our volunteers.
In a report entitled “Religion, Volunteering and Charitable Giving” there is one very startling correlation. The more active one is religiously, the more active one is in making Canada a civil society.
Only 14% of Canadians describe themselves as active religiously, but they make up 43% of the volunteers and contribute over 50% of the overall time volunteered. In addition, they are responsible for over 65% of charitable giving.
If the religiously inactive contributed in the same manner, donations would double and volunteer time would increase by 60%.
All members should congratulate those who are religiously active in their communities and who make our society more civil as a result of their faith and their commitments.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of my constituents, religiously active or otherwise, to find time and moneys to truly make a difference.