The Section is pleased to welcome you back to another year of working together on law reform and Section activities. We are a very dynamic Section with an active Executive and working committees. It’s an exciting time to be practicing in this area of law and we invite you to get involved!
ADVOCACY SUBMISSIONS
The Section is very involved in law and policy reform. We regularly participate in consultations on proposed changes, including the review of draft legislation, policies and guidelines as well as making submissions to CRA, the Finance Department and other government bodies.
The Section recently made a submission to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Public Safety in support of the report of the House of Commons Special Committee on Afghanistan, “Honouring Canada’s Legacy in Afghanistan: Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis and Helping People Reach Safety” (the “Special Committee Report”). The Special Committee Report addresses anti-terrorism legislation and the delivery of humanitarian aid abroad. Notwithstanding a strong desire and an urgent need for Canadian charities to operate in Afghanistan, Canada’s anti-terrorism financing legislation prevents them from effectively carrying out many essential activities. The submission highlighted the Section’s support and endorsement of the Special Committee Report and its recommendations to empower charities to offer timely humanitarian aid within the scope of a reasonable legislative regime, and offered additional recommendations to assist the federal government in adopting a legal framework that facilitates the delivery of humanitarian aid by Canadian organizations in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
We expect to be busy this year with the new rules about qualifying disbursements and pending changes to the disbursement quota. Want to contribute to the next advocacy initiative? Contact us for more information and to get involved!
“ASK ME ANYTHING” MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SESSION – REGISTER NOW!
The Section is excited to host an informal lunchtime “Ask Me Anything” session where Section members can meet the Section Executive, hear about their work and how they got into their practice area. Participants will also get a chance to meet fellow practitioners from across the country. Registration is free for CBA members.
The Section Executive will chat about what first brought them into the practice of charity and not-for-profit law, and what keeps them going in this field (spoiler: the amazing clients are a big part of that!). We would love to hear from you: what attracts you to this area, what specific challenges you face, and what the CBA can do to help support you in your practice.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Date: December 2, 2022
Time: 1:30pm ET
REGISTER NOW →
ESSAY CONTEST WINNER
The Section is pleased to announce Alexander Barnes as the winner of the 2022 Charities and Not-for-Profit Law Student Essay Contest for his paper, “Modernizing the Definition of Charity in Canada”. The award consists of a cash prize of $500 and complimentary registration to the Section’s annual Charity Law Symposium. The prize is presented annually for the best scholarly paper submitted to the Section on a subject relating to Canadian charity and not-for-profit law. Congratulations Alexander!
JANE BURKE-ROBERTSON AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
The Section also sponsors the CBA Jane Burke-Robertson Award of Excellence in Charity and Not-For-Profit Law, in memory of the late Jane Burke-Robertson, which is awarded every two years to a long-standing CBA member who has made a significant contribution to the legal profession in the area of charity and not-for-profit law. Learn more about the award and submit your nomination by March 31.
UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Save the date! Join us in Toronto for our annual Charity Law Symposium on May 12, 2023 – stay tuned for programme details!
GET INVOLVED
The success of the Section comes from the dedication of our volunteers and Section members; we invite you to engage with the Section:
Thank you,
Charities and Not-for-Profit Law Section (2022-2023)