Bill C-390 (Historical)

Conscientious Objection Act

An Act respecting conscientious objection to the use of taxes for military purposes

This bill was last introduced in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, which ended in March 2011.

This bill was previously introduced in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session.

Sponsor

Bill Siksay  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of May 15, 2009
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment permits individuals who object on conscientious or religious grounds to paying taxes that might be used for military purposes to request that an amount equal to the income tax paid by the individual in a taxation year be credited to a special account established by this enactment.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Conscientious Objection ActRoutine Proceedings

May 15th, 2009 / 12:10 p.m.
See context

NDP

Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-390, An Act respecting conscientious objection to the use of taxes for military purposes.

Mr. Speaker, today is International Conscientious Objectors' Day. It is a very appropriate day to reintroduce a private member's bill, seconded by the hon. member for Windsor—Tecumseh, that would allow Canadians who object on conscientious or religious grounds to paying taxes for military purposes to divert their income tax to a special conscientious objector or peace tax account. That account could only be used for purposes other than military expenditures.

The bill would recognize the deeply held views, often related to deeply held religious convictions of some Canadians, that participating in any way in the activities of war and the accumulation of weapons sanctions and perpetuates killing and violence.

The bill would provide an important option for conscientious objection and ensure that the tax dollars of those Canadians who hold these beliefs are spent for peaceful purposes.

A particular feature of the bill is that regulations should be developed in consultation with the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Conscience Canada, the Mennonite Central Committee Canada, and Nos impôts pour la paix.

It has been an honour to work with Conscience Canada on this project.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)