OTTAWA, March 4, 2008 -- A group of 20 Canadian government officials gathered on Parliament Hill Tuesday to lend a hand to relief efforts aimed at helping victims of snowstorms that ravaged southern regions of China during the Lunar New Year period.

The group, called Ice Breaking Care, is eliciting the support of business operators, artists and even students to raise 100,000 Canadian dollars (100,000 U.S. dollars) through a variety of events, including auctions, the sale of T-shirts, and the sale of bubble tea at high schools for aid to the people in Bijie region in China's Guizhou Province.

Member of Parliament (MP) Raymond Chan is spearheading the cause. His goal is to help 5,000 people with a March 25 delivery of blankets, food and cash.

"About four weeks ago I got a phone call from my friend in Guizhou. He said to me that the government is doing what it can, but that people have no idea how much people are suffering," said Chan.

"That's when I knew we had to do something. And now, it is exciting to see the response from the community. I hope this is going to be the beginning of a continuing project."

China's Ambassador to Canada Lu Shumin attended the gathering. He reported that the recovery efforts have been dramatic, with electricity and water restored to most areas, thanks to the determination of those living in the affected zones.

"This kind of function demonstrates friendship and good sentiment from all Canadians to the Chinese people who are enduring difficulties and hardships," he said.

"Your efforts will add a great deal to their efforts. On behalf of the people of Bijie and all the people of China, I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you for your generosity and for stretching out your hands to the Chinese people."

Like Chan, many of the officials involved are friendly to China.

"When you do get to Parliament Hill you do see the very strong bonds that exist between China and the people of Canada, and particularly among the people of Chinese heritage. That is why we can respond in the very best way we know how," MP Shawn Murphy said.

"I'm here as a long time friend of China," said MP John McCallum, who in 2003 became the first Canadian Defense Minister to visit China in many years.

"My wife is 100 percent Chinese, my boys are 50 percent Chinese and my riding is 40 percent Chinese. My son is working in Beijing now. So I have a personal tie and friendship with China. And I'm delighted that we can make at least a small contribution to the problems that are going on in China."

"When disaster strikes it can strike anywhere on the globe," said Bell. "We have had our share of disasters and we've seen it hit other places. We have to remember that we are in a relatively wealthy country and we should be prepared to share our good fortune with other parts of the world that are less fortunate," Bell said.

The national capital, Ottawa, experienced a devastating ice storm in 1998, an experience that is still unforgettable to MP Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons.

"Having gone through an ice storm back in the late 90s, and how unpleasant it was, and so we have some understanding of what the Chinese are going through with their snow storm," he said.

George Chen is a Vancouver tourism operator who is involved. "We have the opportunity to prove that we are living in different places, but that we are family because we are living in a global village. It is very important that if someone needs help, someone is there to help them," he said.

Jacky Ng, a student at St. Georges High School in Vancouver, will join the contingent traveling to Bijie. He said the reason is purely altruistic.

"As a group of students we aim to alleviate the conditions of the unfortunate around the world. Everyone has the right to the basic necessities, and especially children have the right to an education," he said.