Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, when 850,000 people rely on food banks for their groceries, it is time for this government to thank those who provide the food, rather than brag about its achievements.
I am honoured to rise here today to support Bill S-201, An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day.
Six other, similar bills have been introduced in this House. Unfortunately, they all died on the order paper.
Like all of my NDP colleagues, I support this measure and I hope that all members of this House will do the same.
It is high time that Canadian philanthropists and volunteers were recognized thanks to National Philanthropy Day on November 15. I also hope that this recognition will serve to make the public more aware of the importance of philanthropy.
Despite the wonderful prosperity we are heading towards, some of our most vulnerable citizens are being left behind.
Volunteers and philanthropists give their time and energy to take care of those less fortunate. They do so with tremendous dedication. If governments took on those responsibilities, it would cost the state billions of dollars—$71.9 billion, to be exact, according to Statistics Canada, or 7.8% of the GDP. That is more than the automotive or manufacturing industry. Granting these people one day of recognition is the least we could do.
The riding of Laurentides—Labelle is a model of solidarity and community spirit. It has a multitude of community resources for various aspects of the lives of its residents: organizations for youth and for the elderly, for the food, accommodation, education and environment sectors, and for international solidarity.
In the Antoine-Labelle RCM alone, there are more than 250 non-profit organizations run by volunteer boards of directors.
If the children of unemployed workers who are not receiving benefits have something to eat, it is no thanks to the sensitivity of the minister, for whom the penny dropped at the last minute just in time to patch up her botched reform. It is rather thanks to the volunteers of an organization in Antoine-Labelle called La Manne du jour, which collects donations from businesses and residents. In 2011, the organization helped to feed 1,229 people, including 465 children. This was the result of 11,110 hours of volunteer effort.
With the current investigations into corruption and collusion, there are too many stories making the rounds about elected representatives, business people and entrepreneurs undermining the well-being of society to line their own pockets and boost their status.
Fortunately, there are still people in this world who are willing to set their own personal comforts aside to devote their energy to ensuring that everyone can live in dignity.
These people are working to create a better world, which makes up for the others who are motivated by competition and personal ambition.
Canada has 160,000 non-profit and charitable organizations, more than half of which are run entirely by volunteers.
I unreservedly support Bill S-201. However, I would add that simply establishing National Philanthropy Day is not enough. Giving recognition on paper to these volunteers is only a first step towards proper recognition for what they do all the time, and the resources and tireless efforts they deploy to help society and to build a better world. This initial step needs to be followed by concrete action.
We need to face reality and look at the other side of the coin. Establishing Philanthropy Day is hypocritical given the cuts now being made by the Conservative government.
It is indeed distressing to see that at the very moment we are speaking of establishing National Philanthropy Day, philanthropic organizations are having their funding curtailed.
The government talks about austerity when it makes cuts to assistance programs for the poor. It talks about cuts as though they were a magic solution to economic problems. Many charities and non-profit organizations face financial uncertainty and wonder how they can meet the growing demands of Canadians living in precarious circumstances.
In the context of these draconian cuts, we also see partisan selection at work. Some organizations remain excluded; some are greatly disadvantaged by the selection and grants process, while others experience outright interference, which forces them to abandon their work. The volunteer sector is more than neglected by the Conservative government.
We have to wonder about the future of philanthropy and determine what direction we want to take. We must not send a contradictory message, by proposing to establish a National Philanthropy Day on the one hand and making serious cuts to grants to philanthropic organizations on the other. That simply makes no sense. I sincerely believe in the benefits of philanthropy and in establishing a National Philanthropy Day to recognize the work of all those men and women. I also believe it is necessary to offer more resources, to them and to the organizations with which they work.
I would therefore call upon the government to pass this bill. However, I would ask it to take action by introducing specific measures. As we have not yet entirely solved the social problems of Canadians, and as they are not all young and healthy, it is time for the government to take a serious interest in all these philanthropists and volunteers who are striving to correct the government's mistakes and negligent acts. Philanthropists and volunteers deserve real assistance to help them continue their work. Otherwise our entire society will lose out.