Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher, announced details of his Private Members Bill – The Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act.
Member of Parliament for Provencher, Ted Falk announces Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act.
Currently, federal tax credits for political contributions far exceed the federal tax credits for donations to registered charities in Canada.
“The Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act will level the playing field between donations to political parties and donations to registered charitable organizations,” said MP Falk. “Feeding politicians should never be more important than feeding the hungry.”
Canadian charities, both secular and faith-based, deliver critical social support services to communities across the country and are well equipped to provide meaningful support to Canadians in conjunction with government services. With this bill, charitable organizations will be empowered to take on a greater role as a result of the additional donations generated from the new tax incentives. This bill will also encourage the expansion of important medical research across the country.
The number of Canadians donating to charities has been on a long-term decline across the country. The percentage of taxfilers claiming donations in 2013 fell to 21.87% from its high of 29.5% in 1990.
According to Statistics Canada (2010), 10 percent of donors account for 63 percent of all charitable donations in Canada. A rebalancing is needed. This bill will encourage donations from the largest segments of the population – those who currently donate under $400 per year as well as those who currently do not donate at all.
“Year after Year, charities across Canada strive to expand their services in the midst of an aging and declining donor base,” said Floyd Perras, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Siloam Mission in Winnipeg. “The Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act will encourage Canadians to increase their support for these critical social services with the benefit of receiving a greater tax credit at tax time. I applaud MP Falk on his support for charitable organizations and encourage Parliament to pass this important legislation.”
“Charitable organizations across Canada work hard to deliver important social support services in their communities,” said Darrel Penner of the Bethesda Foundation. “It is encouraging to see our local Member of Parliament pick up the torch on behalf of charities and their donors. I am hopeful that this bill will gain the support of Canadians and their Members of Parliament from coast to coast.”
According to Statistics Canada and reported in Macleans Magazine, the gold standard for generosity in the country is Southeastern Manitoba. While the median dollar donation across the country has generally averaged between $250 and $350 per person, residents of Steinbach were the most generous among larger communities in a 2009 study with a median donation of $1,830.
Among smaller centres in Provencher, towns such as Blumenort, Kleefeld and Landmark led the way. The median donation for residents of Blumenort was $2,420. Kleefeld came in second in this region at $1,740 dollars, followed by Landmark at $1,680.
“I am very proud to represent a riding that is so well known for its generosity,” said MP Falk. “Our area is a leader in charitable giving and it just makes sense that this bill should be launched from right here in Provencher.”
