Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today regarding recommendation 430 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, which would remove the “advancement of religion” as a recognized charitable purpose under the Income Tax Act.
The petitioners recognize that religious charities in Canada provide vital services to society, including food banks, care for seniors, newcomer support, etc. Freedom of religion and belief are fundamental rights in Canada, protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and singling out or excluding faith-based charities from the charitable sector based on religious belief undermines the diversity and pluralism foundation of Canadian society.
The undersigned are asking the government to reject recommendations 429 and 430 of the House of Commons finance committee's pre-budget report, refrain from including these recommendations in the federal budget or any related legislation and affirm the charitable status of faith-based organizations, whose members' work flows from sincerely held beliefs and whose contributions serve the common good of Canada.