Here is an updated version of my article Top Ten Canadian Charity Law Issues. incorporating some of the recent changes. A lot has happened over the last 2 years and here is an updated version of Top Ten Canadian Charity…
Cathy Hawara, Director General of the Charities Directorate, made some comments on the 2012 Federal budget changes affecting the category of qualified donee charitable organizations outside Canada to which Her Majesty in right of Canada has made a gift. She…
CRA has imposed a penalty on the HINDU MISSION OF MISSISSAUGA and the HINDU TEMPLE SOCIETY OF CANADA. You can read on the CRA website the amounts and the reasons. HINDU MISSION OF MISSISSAUGA http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/charity-eng.action?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%3Fs%3Dpenalized%26amp%3Bk%3D%26amp%3Bp%3D1%26amp%3Bb%3Dtrue&bn=886232198RR0001 HINDU TEMPLE SOCIETY OF CANADA…
So much is written about legal issues relating to charities in Canada. In this article I try to distill the ten most important things you need to know about charity law in Canada. Here is an updated version of the…
I presented to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance today along with 5 other witnesses. There was a lively discussion of transparency, cross border philanthropy, tax incentives and preventing abuse of registered charities. Here is a copy of…
The Canada Revenue Agency has revoked the registration of Help Eliminate Disease and Addiction Canada as a registered charity. Here is the notice from the Canada Gazette: CANADA REVENUE AGENCY INCOME TAX ACT Revocation of registration of a charity…
The Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) is holding hearings on tax incentives for charitable donations. Here is the Finance Committee: Chair – James Rajotte Vice-Chairs – Scott Brison, Peggy Nash Members Mark Adler Guy Caron Shelly Glover Randy Hoback Brian…
The Charity Commission of England and Wales has released its revised Counter-terrorism Strategy recently. It also has links to a number of helpful UK guidances on how charities should operate to avoid involvement with terrorism. Many of the same principles…
Here is information on a webinar that I will be delivering with AFP International entitled “Fundraising from Canada” on May 22, 1-2:30 p.m. ET. Fundraising from Canada Overview Ever confused by how to deal with Canadian supporters? The program will…
Finance has just released the “Notice of Ways and Means Motion to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures”. There are also “Explanatory Notes” that are helpful. Here are the parts…
Canadian registered charities must file the T3010 Registered Charity Information Return within six months of the end of their fiscal year, although some are not able to meet that deadline and file soon thereafter. It is a very important form…
In an article by The Chronicle of Philanthropy by Caroline Preston entitled “Update: IRS Levies Fine on Food for the Hungry Over Drug Valuations” it describes how the US IRS has levied a penalty against a charity that misreported donations…
On March 4, 2012 Debra E. Blum of the Chronicle of Philanthropy wrote an interesting article “Think Tank in Koch Brothers Dispute Could Find Its Tax Status at Risk”. The article discussed the litigation surrounding the US Cato Institute. It…
The Charities Directorate of the CRA has posted information on the Federal 2012 Budget. “Message from the Director General Budget 2012 – Transparency and Accountability On March 29, 2012, the Minister of Finance presented the 2012 federal budget which…
Here is the CRA FAQ on “Gifts to foreign charitable organizations” “Gifts to foreign charitable organizations 1.What are the new requirements for registration of a foreign charitable organization that is the recipient of a gift from Her Majesty in right…
The 2012 Federal budget has an important piece on transparency namely “…to ensure that charities are accurately reporting in respect of all the activities in which they engage, the CRA will be granted the authority to suspend the tax-receipting privileges…
On March 29, 2012 Finance Minister Jim Flaherty released the Federal Budget at approximately 4PM. There are about 10 pages of information dealing with charities in the almost 500 page document. Here are the pieces of the 2012 Canadian Federal…
As noted before the Canada Revenue Agency Charities Directorate has revoked the registration of Escarpment Biosphere Foundation Inc. () as a charity for participating in the Canadian Humanitarian Trust tax shelter gifting arrangement (Donation Program). Here is detailed information from…
Recently, Alastair Bland of the Review and Analysis Division of the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency presented on the subject of “The Threat of Terrorism – How Charities Can Protect Themselves.” Here is a copy of the slides…
Marcel Lauzière of Imagine Canada has written a good piece entitled “Role of Charities” in which he nicely summarizes why charities have, and should have, involvement in the political process. Remember that charities cannot be involved in partisan political activity,…
Here are some letters from the Canada Revenue Agency dealing with Article XXI (7) (formerly XXI(6)) of the Canada-US Tax Treaty. 2011 Letter from CRA on Article XXI of the Canada-US Tax Treaty 2011-040840 2010 Letter from CRA on…
Here is the Blumbergs submission to the Department of Finance on AML and Anti-Terrorism Provisions affecting Canadian charities -March 2012 Some of the suggestions we made relate to improving understanding of “direction and control”; improving the capacity and training opportunities…
Here is a copy of the Letters from CRA about revocation of charity World Assembly of Muslim Youth for supporting terrorism. We noted at globalphilanthropy.ca (TM) on February 23 the revocation at The National Post also covered this story…
The Jerusalem Post has written articles on an Israeli soup kitchen that received a large amount of funds from Canada and other countries around the world. The Canadian charity was concerned that their agent in Israel was not providing adequate…