Mr. Speaker, last Thursday the chief government whip and his wife Leah, together with Afghan Ambassador Omar Samad and his wife Khorshied, co-hosted a hugely successful shawl sale at the National Arts Centre here in Ottawa.
These beautiful scarves are hand-woven by talented women in Afghanistan, using pure silk from Herat, an ancient city in western Afghanistan.
At last week's event, 296 scarves at $80 each were sold and a total of $23,680 was raised. Every dollar will be returned to these entrepreneurs, providing them with critical financial support while promoting literacy among Afghan women and children.
We wish to thank the NAC, Apotex and all the MPs and staff who supported this effort to help women and their families in Afghanistan.
This very successful event so well demonstrates the enduring Canadian spirit of people helping people, both here, at home and around the world.