Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate International Volunteer Day. Every year more than 12.5 million Canadians contribute over two billion volunteer hours. They share their time, skills and talents to make things better in their communities and in communities around the world.
Whether in classrooms or hospitals, homes or war zones, Canadians have a long and proud history of helping out. In developing countries, where too many people are still struggling with extreme poverty and violence against women and girls, or where people lack the business training they need to become self-sufficient and to contribute to their communities' success, increasingly, Canadians are lending that helping hand.
One example, from my riding of Vancouver Quadra, is Pedram Goshtasbpour, who recently returned from a volunteer assignment in Colombia. In just 14 days, Mr. Goshtasbpour trained 165 individuals in leading-edge technical tools, enabling them to offer their services and to participate as entrepreneurs in the global economy.
On behalf of my colleagues in the House, I thank all volunteers for contributing so much to so many.