Notes for an address by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to the 15th Biennial Word Volunteer Conference of the International Association for Volunteer Effort

The 1990s have been years of far-reaching reform and change for governments and around the world - and Canada is no exception. Of asking ourselves hard questions that we have ducked - for too long - about our proper role and place.

After decades of thinking otherwise, we have had to come to terms - squarely and honestly - with the truth. That governments don't have the wisdom or the resources to do everything. That plans which sound good when they are dreamed up in far-away capitals are often not in touch with the daily needs and circumstances of many citizens. That the work of making a nation more prosperous, more humane and more caring is not our exclusive preserve.

Improving the quality of life is the work of all of us. A common cause. One in which each of us has a unique role and responsibility. One that calls on the experience, the imagination and the commitment of everyone.

That is why I am very pleased to be addressing the 1998 World Conference of the International Association for Volunteer Effort. Your Association is the most visible example of a deep, global well of caring that is making a real difference for the better in the lives of people everywhere. It is a well that this Government of Canada wants to draw from more deeply than any other government in our history.

Canada has always enjoyed an active and creative volunteer spirit. Countless men and women who - quietly and without fanfare - give freely of their time. Helping the sick and the disadvantaged. Fighting against crime and violence. Celebrating our culture. Building new economic opportunity in our neighbourhoods, our communities, our country.

This is one of the strongest fibres in our national fabric. The compassionate face that Canadians show to one another and to the world. And one of the main reasons why the United Nations always ranks Canada as having the highest quality of life in the world .

As a country, we have always honoured and admired the work of the volunteer sector. But, to be honest, we have not known how to harness your energy and creativity. Governments have looked upon your sector as - first and foremost - a preserve of high ideals and noble intentions. Not as a valuable source of insight and experience.

In my judgement this has been a mistake. A mistake our government is working to correct.

We have invited the voluntary sector to join us in partnership. To share ideas and plans for the future. To make common cause. We have asked for input. We have listened. Today, I would like to share with you some of the key actions we have taken to make our promise of partnership a reality.

Every delegate here knows that effective voluntary action requires the will to do good and the resources to translate that will into concrete action.

As you know, nothing more clearly engages the spirit and interest of the public in a cause than the act of giving. Committing time, effort and money brings with it a sense of ownership. A kind of personal investment in the successful achievement of the goals of a project. That builds an appetite to do even more. And it builds that sense of personal involvement in the wider community that is the mark of a healthy society.

In 1996, our government convened a Voluntary Sector Roundtable. As a direct result of these discussions, we have introduced a number of new measures - particularly tax measures - to encourage charitable giving - both by individual Canadians and businesses. To encourage that sense of personal investment.

And if giving is a pillar of effective voluntary action, so is public confidence that its giving is being put to good uses. Our voluntary partners have expressed concern about this. So, we are committed to exploring new models for overseeing registered charities.

The information highway is also opening up a whole new universe of voluntary action in cyberspace. For sharing information and ideas. For bringing in new recruits. For tapping into new sources of giving.

So, as part of our overall goal of making Canada the most connected nation in the world by the year 2000, we have embarked together on the creation of something we call VolNet. A dedicated network, designed to link voluntary organizations to each other and to the Internet.

We have pledged $15 million over the next three years to VolNet. We have set an ambitious, initial goal of getting 10,000 voluntary organizations on-line by the year 2000.

And in June, our Minister of Industry announced the establishment of the VolNet Advisory Committee. A 30-member committee with representation from key voluntary partners, including, health, social services, faith groups and the arts. It will provide our government with the widest possible input on the best and most practical way to make VolNet happen.

Ladies and gentlemen, today, we saw the latest piece in our partnership put into place. With the release of the National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating.

We know that Canadians have always been moved by a deep spirit of community. One that transcends traditional social divides of region, language and wealth. We certainly see it during times of great crisis. During the horrible forest fires in B.C. and Alberta. The recent floods in the Saguenay and along the Red River. Or the terrible ice storm that crippled parts of Ontario and Quebec this past winter.

But we also see it in quieter, more abiding ways. Responding to needs and crises that are less well-known, but no less pressing.

The Survey is intended to assist the voluntary sector to build on this bedrock of Canadian caring and giving. It is the most complete survey ever to be done in Canada - perhaps the world - of how we give, volunteer and take part in civic life.

As Prime Minister of Canada I was pleased - but not surprised - to learn that the volunteer spirit is not only strong in Canada, it is getting stronger. And that interest among young Canadians is growing as well. A generation often written off - unfairly - as being takers, not givers.

The results will serve as a springboard for more research. Which, in turn, will spark new ideas and new action. For instance, we will be looking more closely at volunteering among young Canadians. And especially the link between volunteering and the job market. The answers will tell us how we can work together to promote both.

We are also taking steps to make sure that the results are widely distributed among our voluntary partners - large and small - across the country. To help them answer their own unique questions and achieve solutions to their specific challenges.

Ladies and gentlemen, the focus of this Conference is squarely on the meaning and role of volunteering as the world prepares for a new millennium.

It is a momentous time. Of change. Of opportunity. Of a new beginning.

And, for government, a time to reform and re-think. To accept that we cannot do everything. To focus squarely on priority areas where we can make a positive difference in the lives of Canadians.

I believe that our government has risen to this challenge.

Even as we dealt with the legacy of a generation of fiscal excess, we made investments that will make Canada more prosperous and secure. That will prepare us as a people for the 21st century. Investments in knowledge and innovation. Reducing child poverty. Protecting and modernizing our national health care system. Keeping our economy on a strong growth and jobs track.

Our commitments are clear and strong. So is our record of keeping them.

So, when I speak of our desire to build a new and lasting partnership, I mean just that - a partnership. A real alliance. One that spans the length and breadth of our society. All the governments of Canada, the voluntary sector, business, committed Canadians. Each doing our part to build a better country.

Ladies and gentlemen, we and the voluntary sector have come a long way together. But we have a long way still to go. Promoting volunteering within our own ranks. Developing joint exchange programs. Taking our economic thinking and planning closer to the community level.

But the days in Canada when the volunteer sector is over-looked and under-rated are over - for good. Working together we can accomplish so much more than working apart. The only limit is our imagination.

The people of Canada deserve nothing less than our very best.