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CCVO Federal Election Website Information |
A Federal Election has been called for October 14. The election provides an opportunity for the voluntary sector to raise the profile of the challenges and opportunities we face and to assess the voluntary sector policy positions of various political parties. For general information about the election, visit Elections Canada online.
A National Sector Platform
Earlier this year, CCVO’s Board of Directors endorsed a Sector Platform developed as part of an Imagine Canada Election Task Force. The platform’s three position papers were sent to the leaders of Canada's 5 federal parties and our 308 Members of Parliament.
The Sector Platform focuses in the following areas:
- Canada’s charities and Nonprofits: What we do for our Communities,
- Tax Incentives to Stimulate Giving,
- Financing the work of Canada’s Charities and Nonprofits, and
- Advocating the needs of Canadians in their Communities.
Charities and Advocacy During Elections
Across Canada, charities have a wealth of in-depth knowledge about their community and the populations they serve. Organizations working on the ground can identify new or emerging issues and opportunities, and be a source of insight and expertise. Sharing this knowledge with all levels of government can lead to the development of and implementation of effective policies that build a healthy and vibrant community.
Often charities are hesitant to engage with government, particularly during an election campaign for a number of reasons including confusion about what is allowed under Canada Revenue Agency’s rules for advocacy by charities. Although there are rules that limit a charity’s ability to engage in certain types of political activities, there are a number of advocacy activities that are allowed.
Advocacy and Charities Resources
Overview of CRA Guidelines for Charities
In Canada, federally registered charities must devote substantially all of their resources to their charitable purposes and activities. They can only use 10% of their resources for allowable political activities (non-partisan) that further their charitable purpose. These restrictions, known as the “10% rule,” are set in policy by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and are an interpretation the Income Tax Act.
A charity can engage in political activities so long as they advance, not supersede, its charitable purpose. In other words, though an organization cannot be established for a political purpose, such as running candidates in a general election, a charity can take part in some political activities as a way of furthering its charitable purpose. A charity must also ensure that the information that it presents in support of public policy issues be informative, accurate and well reasoned.
In what ways can a charity advocate? Current policy divides a charity’s activities into three categories:
- charitable activities- allowed
- political activities- allowed up to 10%
- prohibited activities- never allowed
Charitable Activities- Unlimited
In carrying out their mandate, charities often need to communicate with the public or with public officials. Acceptable communication as part of the charitable purpose includes:
- Public awareness campaigns to help the public to make informed decisions related to the work of the charity. The information must be connected and subordinate to the charity’s purpose and cannot be primarily emotive.
- Communication, whether invited or not, that occurs with an elected representative or public official. Such activity should be subordinate to the charity’s purpose, and all representations should relate to issues that are connected to a charity’s purpose, be well-reasoned and not contain any information the charity knows or ought to know is false, inaccurate or misleading.
- Sharing the entire text of a representation to an elected official or public official provided there is no explicit call to action within it.
Political Activities- 10% of Activities
These activities must be non-partisan and connected and subordinate to the charities’ purpose. Only 10% of a charity’s activities can fall into this category.
Allowable political activities include:
- explicitly communicating a call to political action (i.e., encouraging the public to contact an elected representative or public official and urging them to retain, oppose, or change the law, policy, or decision of any level of government in Canada or a foreign country);
- explicitly communicating to the public that the law, policy, or decision of any level of government in Canada or a foreign country should be retained (if the retention of the law, policy or decision is being reconsidered by a government), opposed, or changed; or
- explicitly indicating in its materials (whether internal or external) that the intention of the activity is to incite, or organize to put pressure on, an elected representative or public official to retain, oppose, or change the law, policy, or decision of any level of government in Canada or a foreign country.
Prohibited Activities- Don’t Even Think About it!
A charity may not take part in an illegal activity or in a partisan political activity which involves direct or indirect support of or opposition to, any political party or candidate for public office.
When a political party or candidate for public office supports a policy that is also supported by a charity, the charity is not prevented from promoting this policy. However, a charity in this situation must not directly or indirectly support the political party or candidate for public office.
Finally, a charity may provide information to its supporters or the public on how all the Members of Parliament or the legislature of a province, territory or municipal council voted on an issue connected with the charity's purpose. However, a charity must not single out the voting pattern on an issue of any one elected representative or political party.
To learn more, refer directly to the Canada Revenue Agencies policy statement on Political Activities by Charities.
For general information about how to plan and engage in advocacy, visit the Advocacy Planning section of CCVO’s website |
