RCAAN August 2025 Update
Greetings RCAAN,
It has been a long time since we sent out our last update. Thank you for your patience as your leadership team took a bit of a break for the summer. However, there has been much activity in all civic fronts, local, provincial and federal. Thank you to those who have alerted us to items of which we need to be aware. Thank you, too, to our communications team for posting relevant information on our website and other various social media. I trust you are availing yourself of these useful resources and responding with appropriate action.
We are anticipating a very busy year. There are several things on the horizon that call for our attention and action. Here are a few:
Status of Religious Charities
Before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election last April, the current federal government was considering removing charitable status from religious organizations. The Standing Committee on Finance of the Federal Government made the following recommendations, which are still in place and may be put forward when the new budget is debated this fall:
Recommendation 429
No longer provide charitable status to anti-abortion organizations.
Recommendation 430
Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose.
https://www.ourcommons.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/FINA/report-21/page-69:
The impact of losing charitable status is huge! Once registration has been terminated, the revoked charity:
cannot issue official donation receipts for gifts it receives
no longer qualifies for exemption from income tax as a registered charity
must transfer all remaining property to an eligible donee, or be subject to a revocation tax equivalent to the property's full value
will have its name and the reason for its revocation posted in the Canada Gazette and online in the List of charities
will no longer be a charity or public institution for GST/HST purposes which could affect the tax status of its supplies, the way it calculates its net tax and its ability to claim a partial rebate for the GST/HST it pays
RCAAN is partnering with Freedom Advocate to bring together as many churches and religious charities as possible to frame a response to the federal government regarding these recommendations to ensure that they are not included in the next budget. We have invited the Executive Director of Freedom Advocate, Randy Crosson, to come to speak at our next RCAAN meeting on October 1st. More details of this meeting are given at the end of this update,
Action: - Be sure to attend this meeting
Invite leaders from your church or any other charity that you think could be affected by these recommendations to this meeting
Freedom of Speech
Increasingly, there are reports of situations where it seems our rights of freedom of belief and expression are being challenged and sometimes disregarded. This podcast reports on some of the more recent cases.
Conservative Speech BANNED in Canada? | Bridgehead Briefing Ep. 42
Action: Watch this podcast
Saskatchewan Party Convention
The 2025 Saskatchewan Party Convention will take place on November 7th and 8th at TCU Place in Saskatoon.
You can join, with Saskatchewan Party members across Saskatchewan, to hear about post-election plans, discuss important party policy, hear a keynote address from Premier Scott Moe, and enjoy a speech from a special guest speaker.
Hotel room blocks are available for anyone travelling from out of town. For more information regarding hotels, the Convention, or to register please contact the Saskatchewan Party Headquarters at 306-359-1638 or info@saskparty.com
In order to attend the Convention as a member, participate in the policy sessions and voting, you must have an active Saskatchewan Party membership. The deadline to purchase a membership and be eligible to participate is October 8, 2025.
Action: Consider your involvement in provincial political matters. If you are a Sask Party supporter, you may want to attend this event.
WHEN: November 7, 2025 at 6:00pm - November 8, 2025
CONTACT: The Saskatchewan Party · info@saskparty.com · (306) 359-1638
Bill C – 218
On June 20, 2025, Tamara Jansen (MP – Cloverdale – Langley City) introduced private member’s Bill C-218 in the House of Commons to prevent (MAID) euthanasia for mental illness by excluding mental illness from being considered a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” for the purposes of MAID.
If passed, no one will be eligible for MAID for mental illness alone. Bill C-218 will likely receive its first hour of debate in November 2025.
Action: Sign the petition in support of this Bill.
Contact your MP to inform him/her of your position on this bill
No MAID for mental illness | Support Bill C-218
Thanks!
Al Fedorak
on behalf of the RCAAN Team