‘The Time for Real Change Has Come’: Canadian Government Urged To Rebuild Relationship With Charities

Canada’s charity sector has suffered from “benign neglect” for too long and desperately needs meaningful policy reform, a federal Senate committee has warned.

The Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector released a report last week urging the Canadian government to renew its relationship with charities, not for profits and volunteers to help the sector continue its good work into the future.

Over the past 18 months, the committee has held 24 public hearings and heard from 160 witnesses, including government officials, legal and policy experts, funders, volunteers, and those working in the sector.

The report said the legal framework governing the sector was out of date and could sometimes impede on the work of charities.

“The charitable and non-profit sector has suffered from benign neglect for too long. Legal rules have been reformed in a piecemeal fashion; task force recommendations have gone unimplemented; and kind words have all too often served as a substitute for meaningful action,” the report said.

“The time for real change has come.”

Click here to read more from the article on Pro Bono News Australia’s website.