Bill S-201 (Historical)

National Philanthropy Day Act

An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day

National Philanthropy Day Act

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

moved that Bill S-201, An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day, be read the third time and passed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like members to stay in the chamber and enjoy the wonderful speeches I am sure they are going to hear this evening on this topic of Bill S-201, the national philanthropy day act. I am very happy to be speaking to this bill. I hope that during the speeches from members of other parties, they might indicate whether they would be agreeable to a motion for unanimous consent to have the bill passed at third reading today. I will not move that at the moment.

I am very proud to sponsor this bill in the House of Commons and to offer my congratulations to Senator Mercer, who initiated this piece of legislation. He has committed a good portion of his life to various charitable efforts. The good senator has touched a lot of lives over the years in Toronto, Halifax and Mount Uniacke, where he now resides. He has lived in all those places over the years.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to colleagues from the government benches and the opposition benches of the NDP for their generous support of the bill and what it is trying to accomplish.

The all-party support we have seen for Bill S-201 shows the commitment of all sides of the House for the establishment of National Philanthropy Day.

We should all give our thanks to the countless volunteers who make Canada the most caring country in the world.

I am very pleased that the bill was reported back to the House by committee without amendments. I am pleased to hear about the strong level of support it received at committee and about the stories others in this place have shared, here and in committee. They are members who share a commitment to helping others through a wide range of fundraising efforts. I know that many members are involved in charitable efforts across the country.

As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage said, this bill is about more than Canadians helping Canadians, although it is certainly about that. It also recognizes that we step up when help is needed around the globe. Just look, for example, at the recent disaster relief efforts in Haiti, Japan, and East Africa. I am sure that there are Canadians involved along the eastern seaboard of the United States where they have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. We hope the devastation from that storm is finished or is about to be finished.

This act would designate the 15th day of November each year as National Philanthropy Day.

Let me recap the purpose of the bill. First of all, it would increase public awareness of National Philanthropy Day as a time to thank those who give throughout the year. Second, it would focus public attention on the major accomplishments made possible through philanthropic contributions. Third, it would honour key local individuals and corporations for their philanthropic endeavours. Fourth, it would recognize local fundraisers and volunteers, which is really important, and thank them for their time, their talent and their dedication, which is so critical in our society.

This type of nationally recognized day would encourage schools, community groups and individuals to become more aware of the impact of philanthropy and to get involved themselves as volunteers or donors.

Some organizations are having a tough time these days. Some of their volunteers are getting a bit older and have decided that they have given their time and are going to do something else now or take a break from their volunteering. Some organizations are having a difficult time getting new volunteers.

It is really important that we find ways to encourage Canadians to give the time they have. Most Canadians are very busy. They have busy lives, often with young families. They are running them off to soccer and hockey and so on. We need to encourage people to take part in volunteering activities.

This day would also be used to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions philanthropy has made to our lives, to our communities, and of course, to our country.

My colleague from Sudbury knows about this, as the former executive director of the United Way in Sudbury. He was right when he said earlier in debate on the bill that he believes that National Philanthropy Day will heighten public awareness of the importance of charitable giving and volunteerism. It will also move us towards having nearly 100% of Canadians getting involved and getting engaged in charitable activities on a regular basis. Those are worthwhile goals he alluded to.

The first National Philanthropy Day was held in 1986 to celebrate the endless daily contributions individuals and organizations across the country and across the world make to countless causes and missions.

This year, more than 100 National Philanthropy Day events and activities are taking place across North America. Over 50,000 people are taking part.

Sixteen Canadian events honour philanthropists and volunteers in most major Canadian cities.

When Senator Mercer testified at the heritage committee of the House, on October 16, he pointed out that recent research revealed that the troubles we have with the economy have negatively impacted charitable giving. In difficult times, it becomes tougher.

A lot of Canadians have a history of digging a little deeper in tough times. It is just that fewer Canadians have had the ability, perhaps, to dig as deep during an economic slowdown.

As Senator Mercer said:

The number of Canadians giving to charities has stagnated, and donation levels are not rising in response to the increase in the need for the services that charities provide.

That is why he believes it is so important to recognize people who so generously give of their time, their energy and their resources.

Canadian giving has dropped for the last three years, according to Statistics Canada. The charitable sector, however, has over $100 billion in annual revenue. It is made up of more than 161,000 organizations in Canada. The numbers involved here are incredible. There are over a million paid staff and over six million volunteers. That is a huge chunk of this country's population. It is a remarkable number.

Both at home and around the globe, Canadians are recognized for their generosity and compassion. As members of Parliament, we all continue to be inspired by the dedication of volunteers who give freely of their time to improve the lives of others.

Through Senator Mercer's persistence, dedication and hard work, the Senate has passed the bill on several occasions in the past. However, it has always been sidetracked for one reason or another, whether it was elections or what have you. I hope that this time it will be passed by my colleagues in this House and given royal assent by our Governor General.

Every one of us is a beneficiary of Canada's generous spirit of volunteerism. I think of the ways I benefited as a young person, as a child, from hockey coaches, soccer coaches and teachers who went out of their way to give extra time to help out. I probably needed lots of extra time.

We can all think of ways we have benefited over the years. Today I benefit from the fact that my son has people in scouts. He is in Venturers now. Leaders in scouting and Venturers make contributions to my family with their great work.

The philanthropy I am speaking of is exemplified by organizations such as Beacon House, a food bank that serves the Bedford-Sackville area, part of which is in my riding, and Phoenix House, in Halifax.

My colleagues across the way are anxious to have the question asked, I think. I am getting a good sign about possible unanimous consent.

Large organizations such as Feed Nova Scotia, which collects and distributes food to over 150 food banks and meal programs, thrive under the caring spirit of Nova Scotians.

Nationwide, Canadians give more than two billion hours of their time a year to help others. Two-thirds of all Canadians donate to charitable organizations each year.

As members of Parliament, we know about the thousands of groups that do tremendous work in our towns, our villages and our cities. I know that all colleagues here are most generous with support for these groups. They have shown their support for Bill S-201.

It is in recognition of these immeasurable contributions that we look to recognize National Philanthropy Day every year, and with their support, we are about to see that happen.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our position is also clear: the NDP supports the senator's bill. That said, an official day of philanthropy is not enough; it is merely a first step.

In my colleague's opinion, apart from simply declaring an official day of philanthropy, what concrete measures should be taken to help organizations and volunteers?

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, who is also my neighbour in the Confederation building.

I agree that other measures are needed. We talked about a tax credit for certain volunteers. There are various ways we can help organizations that make significant contributions to our communities.

This bill is about a national philanthropy day, and that is important. As my hon. colleague knows, it is up to the government to decide on spending. All we can do for now is create a philanthropy day to indicate that it is very important to recognize people who donate their time or money to good causes.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member for Halifax West that we ought to be celebrating volunteerism every day of the year. However, it is a great idea to have one day a year to celebrate it officially through a national philanthropy day, which is the inspiration of good Senator Mercer, of the other place. It is a great idea. I think we can all agree on that.

Would the hon. member agree, as well, that we should also find ways to strengthen support for volunteers? We have moved forward in certain ways with, for instance, tax credits for volunteer emergency service workers, such as volunteer firefighters. Would it be helpful to make those tax credits refundable such that low-income firefighters would benefit as well? Is that one of the ideas we should be considering as a House?

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and friend from the neighbouring riding of Kings—Hants, where Senator Mercer resides. I know that he was not rising just to solidify that vote in the next election. He already has that, but his point is well taken. It would be a positive move if the existing tax credit for firefighters, for example, were extended so that it was refundable, because at the moment, people who are low income would not receive it. That would be a very positive move.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the hon. member's presentation quite attentively. For a nation of 34 million people, we are a nation of givers. Our nation was built on the backs of volunteers. It might be interesting to note that there are over 13 million volunteers in this country.

I am standing in support of the member's bill. I applaud him for taking the time to put this together and bring it to the House. It highlights the importance of saying a big thank you to the many volunteers who make Canada, and its communities, the country it is.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this is, of course, the time for questions and comments, and that was a very appropriate comment. I am grateful for the House's support for this legislation and for all the comments we have heard.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank the hon. member for bringing this bill forward. I also thank the gentleman from the other place who sponsored it.

We have seen this bill come forward in the House before. As was mentioned, it came before the Canadian heritage committee and it was one of those moments at committee where members really took in what was being said and agreed on everything.

It goes without saying that volunteers have helped build our country. It is on the backs of people who have volunteered their service to the country that we have built the nation we have.

The member for Richmond Hill stated quite succinctly how important volunteers were to our country.

On the weekend, I had an opportunity to be at what is called the “Celebration of Hope”. It is the 24th anniversary of this spectacular event in my riding, where volunteers bring together hundreds of people to raise funds for cancer research.

At that time, I also had the distinct pleasure to present the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal to two people who had helped make this 24-year fundraising campaign such a success, Allan and Betty Bell, two pillars of the community, who despite the fact they suffered the loss of Ms. Bell's daughter and Allen Bell's sister, they took that and built it into something that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over 24 years for our community. It was not just the fact that these two individuals had spent so much time building and putting their time and efforts into making the Celebration of Hope such a success. It was the thousands of people who came together on a Sunday afternoon to hear the stories of people who had been touched by cancer and to hear of the successes that 24 years of fundraising by not only the people in this organization but from across Canada had led to by providing better results for people who suffered from cancer.

I also had the distinct honour this weekend of presenting 17 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals to individuals from across Ontario, but predominantly from my riding, who had done the same. They have gone just a bit further, worked just a bit harder and have given a lot of their time and energy to causes to help build our community and our province, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee is an opportunity for us to thank them.

I will not take up too much of the House's time with respect to the bill. It is quite clear that members on all sides of the House are supportive of taking a day and recognizing all the individuals who have helped to build our country and to thank them for their service to their communities and the province. I know we on this side of the House, as well as members on both sides of the House, look forward to moving this bill forward and having that one day a year to build on, as the Prime Minister announced, November 15, the day that we would celebrate our volunteers. He also brought forward the volunteer service awards in recognition of those individuals who had worked so hard. We will build on that. This is a great opportunity for us to do that.

I thank the members of the heritage committee who helped bring this forward very fast and the hon. member for his stewardship of it through the House.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the last time I was here, I talked about philanthropic organizations. I spoke from the heart about my bill, C-399, for 15 minutes. I was very clear and I never looked at my notes. This subject is very important to me. Yesterday I mentioned that it was "Madeleine Nadeau's bill"; Madeleine Nadeau was my grandmother.

Today I am going to take another tack and ask everyone to be patient. I am going to go at this point by point because it is important to paint a picture of the situation.

National Philanthropy Day is important, but, for me, it is the first stage. In the strategic planning of a responsible government, it is important not just to thank people, but also to adopt a vision and put specific measures in place.

The purpose of National Philanthropy Day is to increase public awareness of charitable activities and to thank people who make donations throughout the year, not just those who give money, but also those who offer some of their time on a volunteer basis.

A Statistics Canada study based on 2010 data confirms that the number of Canadians who donate to charities has stagnated since 2007, which is troubling. The volume of donations has also not increased, despite the greater need for services. As for volunteer hours, the same study shows that, despite an increase in the number of people who do volunteer work, the number of hours has not changed.

Failing an adequate number of donors and volunteers, charities will be unable to provide essential services to the communities we live in. It is therefore essential to put tools and mechanisms in place to help these organizations continue to offer their services. In a way, these organizations are our last resort.

Since macroeconomic statistics do not provide a clear idea of the pressures many Canadians are under, let us consider some more telling figures. In 2011, approximately 3.5 million Canadians, nearly one in 10, were living in poverty; that is enormous. According to Food Banks Canada's 2011 report, no less than 850,000 people—that is almost one million—used food banks in March 2011. That is a 25% increase over the figures observed before the 2008-09 recession.

The European economy could go back into recession and that of the United States is still very fragile. Emerging markets are also slowing down. Consequently, people who are vulnerable are increasingly so.

The Canadian economy does not operate in isolation. We are subject to everything that goes on around the world. The pressures on food banks and other charities, which are straining to make ends meet, will rise further. Despite the increase in demand, the supply of assistance to charities could unfortunately be limited. Most charities depend to a large degree on government financial assistance. Those organizations will have to fight for the essential funding to maintain their activities.

In short, today I believe we have to ask ourselves two basic questions about National Philanthropy Day. First, why is it important to recognize National Philanthropy Day? Second, what more can the government do to assist this essential sector?

The answer to the first question is quite clear. This kind of day obviously costs the government very little and can generate big returns. On the one hand, National Philanthropy Day is an occasion to encourage Canadians to do volunteer work, to make donations and simply to say thank you. On the other hand, it is also an opportunity to pay tribute to major donors, to philanthropists and to local volunteers for the services they provide to the community.

The second question is much more specific and more complicated. First, we must determine what the organizations need. Imagine Canada and other organizations have asked that question many times and have made demands to the government. For example, in August 2011, they proposed an increased tax credit for charitable donations. This proposal is currently under review, but it is not clear whether the government will agree to it.

The sector also asked us to ease the limits on political activities that the Conservative government set in 1986. It is still is trying to do that here, and it has almost succeeded. No matter what the government may think, political activities are important to this sector. They are often the only way to be heard amidst the flood of claims and lobbying from the private sector.

I have an example. A mining company opens in a region where people are very poor and rely on the existing services. For contractual reasons and all kinds of other reasons, this company does not fulfill its commitments. It pollutes, destroys and does not give back what it should to the community. The community ends up just as poor as it ever was. The only collective recourse it has is to get together, create an organization that will inform officials about the issue and that will promote the community's interests.

However, this government has decided that this organization must absolutely not be involved in any kind of politics. But it knows the local issues. That is how the community can represent itself.

Let us look at the private sector. In 2011, about $26 billion was spent on lobbying. Let us assume that the volunteer sector spent 10% of its total expenses of $10.6 billion, which represents about $1 billion. What did it spend this billion dollars on? To inform the government about existing problems. And what was done with the $26 billion? It was spent on advertising, providing misinformation and on spinning the situation.

People who have problems also have the solutions, and they are the ones who do something about it. They are also the ones invited to be in government, to stand for election, and they have lived the reality.

In closing, let us consider the mammoth budget implementation bill that was introduced in the spring and which would crack down on expenses related to political activities. I just cannot imagine that, nor can charities. We have to start thinking more strategically in order to ensure that the sector is strong.

That is why I introduced Bill C-399. It conveys the message that a national philanthropy day is a good thing and that it is important. Our position will not change. We are grateful and thankful, every day, that people who are victims can receive services, and that the poor are lifted out of poverty through the great generosity of volunteers. Introducing the bill is a way of saying that we want to take this one step further. The government has to take responsibility and do more.

Today, our position is that a national philanthropy day is important. However, the matter is not closed. There are the demands of the organizations and volunteers, but, above all, there are the demands of the people who are not satisfied with current services, whether they are private or public services, because of budget cuts. People are tightening their belts, people are starving, people no longer have the resources to move forward. We want a strong country that can move forward in the future. It is our responsibility to provide the tools.

Yes, philanthropy day is important, but we need a global vision.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of speaking in the House, I am once again honoured to rise today to speak about this particular private member's bill, because it fundamentally deals with how we love and support our communities.

Some time ago at the heritage committee, I had the honour of witnessing Senator Mercer's bill and hearing him talk about how he so passionately believed in this. He has been such a strong advocate for the necessity of what we are now doing that he impressed everyone at committee.

We talked about many aspects of establishing this philanthropy day, including charities and how they work throughout this country. Here I will for a moment be somewhat provincially biased in saying that Newfoundland and Labrador, according to the statistics, is by far one of the most giving provinces in this country. That is for the record, of course.

I also want to talk about the fact that Canadians in general are very giving, because we are passionate and have a belief, to our central core, about who we are as a community and how we love our communities and children. As a result, there are millions, if not billions, of dollars devoted to philanthropy in this country. We have to look at the essential character of this country and recognize the people who have given so much of their time and finances that they have made this country as great as it is.

As I have said before, when it comes to volunteering time, there are 200 communities in my riding alone and the amount of money saved by volunteers providing essential services to our communities is absolutely phenomenal. The measure of humanity involved is absolutely phenomenal. To declare a national philanthropy day as a token is well worth receiving by anyone who volunteers in this country on behalf of any Canadian.

I would like to congratulate everyone who has spoken on this bill. I would also like to congratulate Senator Terry Mercer of Nova Scotia and my hon. colleague from Halifax West who brought this forward. To the people who spoke on this, I say congratulations. This is an immeasurable token that we can give to people who give of their time and finances. What a beautiful day it will be to recognize people who give so much to their communities, provinces and country.

On that note, I would like to seek consent for the following motion, that at the conclusion of today's debate on Bill S-201, An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day, all questions necessary to dispose of Bill S-201 be deemed put and that the bill be read a third time and now pass.

[The Acting Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

Does the hon. member for Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Acting Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

There is no consent.