Ottawa - October 6, 2008 - Volunteer Canada has invited federal candidates across the country to imagine their election campaigns with no volunteers - no one to make phone calls, no one to knock on doors, to one to work on Election Day. 

 

“We are asking candidates to consider what would happen to their campaigns without their volunteers,” said Ruth MacKenzie, president of Volunteer Canada. “These are individuals who put in hundreds of hours of their own time to support the candidate of their choice and to ensure a healthy democratic process, and we would like the candidates to thank them with a simple show of support.”

 

Candidates have been directed to the volunteer.ca website where an online Pledge to Volunteers, entitled The Value of One, The Power of Many, demonstrates the valuable contribution that 12 million Canadian volunteers make in our communities everyday. 

 

“Most Canadians would have a difficult time imagining their communities without volunteers – in minor sports, disaster relief, community health care, volunteer firefighting, the list is endless,” added Ruth MacKenzie. “The economic impact alone, through the delivery of cost-effective services and programs in the voluntary sector is tremendous. 

 

About Volunteer Canada

Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism in Canada. Since 1977, the organization has been committed to increasing and supporting volunteerism and civic participation through ongoing programs, special projects and national initiatives, by developing resources and by engaging in research and training across the country. Working with volunteer centres, community and national organizations and businesses, Volunteer Canada actively leads national dialogues on how volunteerism relates to citizen engagement and civil society and provides leadership on issues and trends in the Canadian volunteer movement. To learn more about Volunteer Canada, please visit volunteer.ca. 

 

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For more information, contact:

Jung-Suk Ryu

Manager of Communications

Volunteer Canada

613-266-9427