Ask your Member of Parliament to
support advancing religion as a charitable purpose.
Contact your MP in more than one way for even greater impact, for example, by calling
and writing. Even a voicemail message left at your MP’s office has an impact. Signing petitions also brings this issue to your MP’s attention. Personal communications are most effective.
How to reach your MP
- Go to www.ourcommons.ca and click on "Find Members of Parliament"
- Enter your postal code, then click on your MP's name
- Look under the “Contact” tab for their phone number and email address
- Written mail may be sent postage-free to your MP at the following address:
[ Name of Member of Parliament, MP ]
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Some key points you can use
- The House of Commons finance committee recommended that in the next budget, the government should “Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose.” (recommendation 430)
- The Finance Minister is not required to adopt the recommendation, but it is significant that a parliamentary committee has made it.
- More than 30,000 charitable organizations fall under the advancement of religion, roughly 42% of the charitable sector.
- This change, if adopted, would have a far-reaching and devastating impact – on religious charities, the people they serve and Canadian society.
- Religious communities help provide a purpose for living and hope for the future, foster social cohesion, provide community support and spark local volunteerism.
- This is a time to encourage the presence and participation of religious charities – which foster hope, mutual support and belonging – rather than taking steps to destabilize them.
Sample email or letter
Dear MP ______,
Thank you for your work in our community. I am writing about the finance committee’s recommendation to remove advancing religion as a charitable purpose. I think it’s important to keep charitable status for religious charities. Religious charities benefit our communities in so many ways. Removing charitable status would be a blow to religious charities, to the people they serve and to Canadian society.
I’d like you to oppose the finance committee’s recommendation and to support keeping advancing religion as a charitable purpose. Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely,
[ Your Name ]
[ Your Postal Code ]
Sample phone conversation or voicemail
Hello, my name is______ and I live in MP _____’s riding. I am calling about the charitable status of religious organizations. I’ve heard about the finance committee recommendation to remove advancing religious as a charitable purpose. I think religious charities benefit our community and removing charitable status would have a negative impact on all of us. I would like MP _____ to oppose this recommendation. Thank you for your time and service to our community. I look forward to hearing back from your office.
Petition to collect signatures
- Print and gather signatures on a petition to support charitable status. Minimum 25 names are needed. Send completed petition to your local MP. (PDF or Docx)
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