Will the Government Commit to Providing Dedicated Support to the Charitable Sector?

On December 10, 2020, Senator Omidvar asked Senator Gold, the Government Representative in the Senate, about government support of the charitable sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: My question is for the representative of the government in the Senate. Senator Gold, in this time of traditional giving, the giving season, I want to turn our attention to charities.

I received an email from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, which has been operating in this country for more than 100 years. They have never had greater demand for their services, which have had to be retooled for a new COVID context at some considerable and unplanned cost to themselves. However, they have had virtually no revenue coming in since March. Donations are down. There are no events to raise money and, of course, door knocking is not possible.

Even with the wage subsidy, the rent subsidy and the loan program that are available to charities, they’re not sure if they can keep their doors and services open. They are just one example.

The sector is projected to lose $15.6 billion in revenue. Just as the government is stepping up to now help certain industries such as airlines, tourism and hospitality, will the government also commit to providing dedicated support to the charitable sector?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, senator, and for your ongoing work to promote the important work that the charitable sector does. It’s a sector of which I’m very intimately aware and remain involved in.

Thank you for mentioning the various programs that the government has put in place to assist the charitable sector, making sure that they can qualify for those; I won’t repeat them.

To answer your question, I am advised that the government is working with the sector to examine ways to work with both charities and not-for-profits supporting vulnerable Canadians during this crisis.

Senator Omidvar: Senator Gold, you know and understand charities very well. You were a director at the Centraide of Greater Montreal. A few weeks ago, the Senate unanimously passed the report Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector. There were 42 recommendations in the report. They were all urgent when we developed them, but they are imperative today.

Will you, as the Government Representative, commit to personally advocating the report to your cabinet colleagues and press upon them how important implementing the recommendations are for Canada?

Senator Gold: Thank you for that, and for your reference to my work with Centraide, which is the United Way in Quebec, and indeed others. I certainly will make my colleagues aware of the report and underline the importance of them taking it seriously at my first opportunity.