Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the numerous Canadians who volunteer their time as Big Brothers or Big Sisters.
In particular, I would like to acknowledge the Brantford local agency. Big Brothers of Brantford and District has been creating friendships since 1967. This agency started matching big brothers with little brothers and has grown to include a variety of different programs which serve both boys and girls.
The Brant community is proud of the achievements of the Big Brothers of Brantford and District. We will continue to strive to be on the leading edge of the movement in Canada.
I myself am proud to have been a former big brother for 10 years and I am honoured to be part of the longstanding alumni of Canadians who have given their time and effort to providing a positive role model for children in Canada.
The goal of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada is that every child in Canada who needs a mentor has a mentor. I would like to encourage all of my hon. colleagues to become involved by volunteering a few hours of their time and in turn making a significant difference in a child's life.