In his opening statement at the 2011 National Summit for the Charitable and Nonprofit Sector, Adam Spence – one of the co-leads of the priority stream focused on more sustainable and diversified financing – observed that while the two-day Summit...
Should a charity divert monies from its programs to attempt to influence public policy? A charitable mission is about making some aspect of the world or community better. If a current or proposed public policy works against that mission, the...
Citizen protests come in a variety of forms. Some take to the street or show up at Parliament Hill, placards in hand. Others strike, petition, blockade and sit-in (or bed-in, a la Lennon; but I digress).Then there are blackouts –...
Canadian charities and terrorism aren’t generally subjects associated with one another. But recent legislative changes to Canada’s anti-terrorism laws, the Criminal Code and heightened scrutiny by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on how domestic charities finance and oversee projects abroad...
To say we're witnessing some interesting times is akin to stating Harry Potter has a way with wands: it's an understatement. It seems every day there's a disparaging revelation, a new accusation, pitting charities against federal leaders or special interest...
Is it ethical for a member to demand a list of fellow members of a charity, or is this a breach of confidentiality? I'll have to break this question into component parts. a) Is this a breach of confidentiality? This...
Readers in British Columbia may be aware of the current consultations taking place regarding Ministry of Finance staff recommendations for changes to the Society Act – the legal framework for societies in BC. Consultations took place in February in Vancouver...
The Canada Revenue Agency's new guidance on fundraising is scheduled to be released in March. Preliminary details were revealed in an hour-long webinar on February 10, hosted by charity lawyer Mark Blumberg and co-sponsored by both the CRA's Charities Directorate...
Call it teamwork. Collaboration. Synergy. Whatever term you wish to use, there's a lot of it going on between sector organizations and government. Over the last few years it has become apparent to both people working in nonprofits and civil...
Since 1917, federally incorporated nonprofits had to rely on the Canada Corporations Act (CCA) to provide the legal framework for their creation and governance. But its vagueness and inability to reflect the modern reality of today's nonprofit led to 20...
