On Monday, 10 March 2025, the members of the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) expressed their grave concern regarding two recommendations made by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance within Report 21: Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2025 Budget. These recommendations (#429 and #430), if adopted, would be profoundly detrimental to Canada’s charitable sector, because they would:
- Revoke the charitable status of “anti-abortion organizations” (#429);
- Amend the Income Tax Act such that “the advancement of religion” would no longer qualify as a legitimate purpose for granting charitable status. (#430)
After consulting widely, including with experts in charity law, the members of the Permanent Council sent a letter to the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance, defending the value and role of faith-based charities for Canadian society, as well as the unfairness of targeting pro-life organizations. They urged the government to abandon the two recommendations and to conduct comprehensive consultations within the charitable sector before embarking on any legislative changes that could threaten the viability of charitable organizations and adversely affect the millions of Canadians who depend on them for essential services and support.
Letters were sent to:
- Letter to The Hon. Dominic Leblanc, P.C, M.P, Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs
- Letter to The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, P.C, M.P., Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Leader of the Opposition
- Letter to The Hon. Mark Holland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Health
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