Preventing poverty not a charitable tax goal, CRA tells Oxfam
The Canadian Revenue Agency has told the international development agency Oxfam Canada that it cannot include "preventing poverty" as part of its mandate if it wants to keep its charitable status....
The Canadian Revenue Agency has told the international development agency Oxfam Canada that it cannot include "preventing poverty" as part of its mandate if it wants to keep its charitable status.
Oxfam has a non-profit status and can now only "alleviate" poverty, not prevent it because preventing it may benefit people who are not poor.
Until recently, Oxfam Canada's mission was to quote "prevent and relieve poverty." Oxfam has been around for half a century and is involved in humanitarian efforts around the world.
Last fall Oxfam Canada submitted documents to Industry Canada to renew its non-profit status. But that status also had to be approved by the charities directorate at the Canada Revenue Agency.
And the CRA took exception to Oxfam's mission to prevent poverty. The CRA said, quote: "relieving poverty is charitable, but preventing it is not."
And so, Oxfam Canada is now working to "alleviate" poverty. Not prevent it.
Anthony Scoggins is the Director of International Programs at Oxfam Canada.
Until recently, Oxfam Canada's mission was to quote "prevent and relieve poverty." Oxfam has been around for half a century and is involved in humanitarian efforts around the world.
Last fall Oxfam Canada submitted documents to Industry Canada to renew its non-profit status. But that status also had to be approved by the charities directorate at the Canada Revenue Agency.
And the CRA took exception to Oxfam's mission to prevent poverty. The CRA said, quote: "relieving poverty is charitable, but preventing it is not."
And so, Oxfam Canada is now working to "alleviate" poverty. Not prevent it.
Anthony Scoggins is the Director of International Programs at Oxfam Canada.