Statement made on 06 December 2011 by Senator Elizabeth Hubley
Hon. Elizabeth Hubley:
Honourable senators, yesterday, December 5, was International Volunteer Day. Created in 1985 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution, International Volunteer Day is an opportunity to recognize and thank the millions of volunteers who are hard at work in our communities. Volunteers are often the unsung heroes who, whether coaching children's sports teams or responding to an emergency situation, lend their skills, time and boundless energy to making the world a better place.
I once heard volunteers referred to as "an enormous renewable resource of social, economic and environmental problem solving throughout the world." I think that is certainly true and a great way of thinking about volunteerism. We all have our own unique talents and abilities. By sharing them, we can create something very powerful.
In my home province of Prince Edward Island, I belong to the CUSO-VSO Circle. CUSO-VSO is Canada's oldest volunteer-sending organization. They have so far sent 15,000 volunteers overseas. These volunteers are usually older people who have had professional careers in Canada and have developed highly specialized knowledge and skills. By matching these individuals with needy communities in Central and South America, Asia and Africa, CUSO-VSO has helped to create partnerships that have built everything from schools to websites.
In honour of International Volunteer Day, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of the volunteers out there. Your contributions have not gone unnoticed and, in fact, are making an incredible difference in the lives of your fellow citizens.
In Canada, we have almost 13 million volunteers. Together, they contribute more than two billion hours of community service every year. That is truly remarkable.