Advocacy is resistance: Navigating anti-LGBTQI+ violence in post-war Guatemala May 23, 2024 | Read more
Canadian coalition calls for urgent action to uphold civil liberties and Charter rights at protests and encampments across the country May 15, 2024 | Read more
Inter Pares joins call for Burma to end use of violence and respect democracy Feb 4, 2021 | Read more
Inter Pares welcomes Canada’s feminist realignment of international assistance Jun 9, 2017 | Read more
Round Table with Vigilance OGM: Agroecology, feminist approaches and the struggle against agrochemicals Oct 7, 2024 | Read more
Stopping the unstoppable: Citizen resistance to exterminator technology in Burkina Faso Sep 4, 2019 | Read more
The Immigrant Workers Centre to receive 2018 Peter Gillespie Social Justice Award Apr 18, 2018 | Read more
“Until We Find Them”: Searching for missing loved ones on the road to the North Mar 11, 2019 | Read more
Round Table with Vigilance OGM: Agroecology, feminist approaches and the struggle against agrochemicals Oct 7, 2024 | Read more
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS | Inter Pares and SUWRA launch Canadian civil society working group on Sudan Jun 25, 2024 | Read more
Round Table with Vigilance OGM: Agroecology, feminist approaches and the struggle against agrochemicals Oct 7, 2024 | Read more
Advocacy is resistance: Navigating anti-LGBTQI+ violence in post-war Guatemala May 23, 2024 | Read more
Inter Pares Submission to the Canada Revenue Agency Consultation on Guidance CG-027 on Public policy dialogue and development activities by charities resources : Briefs Share Print Inter Pares has long called for the Canadian government to uphold the crucial role of charities in public debate and in Canadian society at large. In previous submissions1, we have emphasized the importance of a charity being able to engage in non-partisan public policy dialogue and development activities without limitation, in order to advance the organization’s charitable purposes. We have done so on the basis of the government’s own commitments as expressed in the mandate letters provided to the Minister of National Revenue and the Minister of Finance; of Justice Morgan’s ruling in the Canada Without Poverty v Canada case; of the Report of the Consultation Panel on the Political Activities of Charities; and of over four decades of experience as a charity working to address the root causes of social injustice. We joined charities across the country in welcoming the amendments to the Income Tax Act enacted by the government of Canada in December of 2018 through the Budget Implementation Act, which formally removed limits on non-partisan PPDDAs, other than the requirement that they further an organization’s stated charitable purposes. We also applauded the government’s decision to discontinue its appeal of the decision in Canada Without Poverty v. AG Canada. These actions were important steps in the right direction, opening a path to remove significant barriers and administrative burdens that have prevented charities from fully engaging in public policy dialogues and processes. In January 2019, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issued its new guidance on public policy dialogue and development activities by charities (Reference number: CG-027). There were important changes, in compliance with the Canada Without Poverty decision and subsequent legislative changes. However, we are deeply concerned about other changes, in particular the very broad definition of partisan activity, which we outline in more detail below. We also take advantage of this opportunity to reiterate the importance of reforming antiquated “direction and control” requirements imposed on charities working with non-qualified donees in Canada or abroad. Summary of Recommendations Protect charities’ ability to publish clear public policy analysis Reform “Direction and Control” requirements for work with non-qualified donees Download (pdf 703.12 KB)