The Liberals are not considering removing the advancement of religion as a qualifying charitable purpose, but MP Marc Miller recently stated that some texts in the Bible are hateful.
There was some relief among churches and ministries across Canada when the Liberals released their budget earlier this month.
There had been considerable speculation about the possibility that they would remove charitable status for religious groups. That immediate concern has been allayed, but there are signs that there still may be trouble ahead.
Deina Warren, Director of Legal Affairs for the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, wrote in her CCCC Federal Budget 2025: Charity Highlights blog post:
Though they don’t occupy the headlines, there are some important updates for charities in the 493-page, $78B deficit-predicting Federal Budget 2025 and accompanying Supplementary Information released on November 4. . . .
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- What is not in the Budget
Before we look at what is in the Budget, even more important is what is not included.
Two recommendations from the House Finance Committee in December 2024 created ongoing concern about charitable status.
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- Recommendation 429: no longer provide charitable status for anti-abortion organizations
- Recommendation 430: amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of charity which would remove the privileged status of advancement of religion as a charitable purpose.
Neither recommendation is included in the Budget.
As we shared before the Budget was tabled, the Finance Minister confirmed the government did not intend to remove advancement of religion as a charitable purpose. No similar statement was made about “anti-abortion organizations”; however, neither 429 nor 430 appear in Budget 2025.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has also been keeping a close eye on the situation, noting November 11:
The EFC received an email from a Finance Department manager this week, confirming that “The Government is not considering removing the advancement of religion as a qualifying charitable purpose under the ITA.”
It echoes the response by the Finance Minister to a petition about charitable status that was tabled on November 3. “The Government of Canada is not considering amending the Income Tax Act to remove the advancement of religion as a qualifying charitable purpose, nor is it actively developing policy on this issue.”
This is the kind of direct, official confirmation we’ve been hoping to see. . . .
The EFC will be sending a follow up letter to say thank you. We are thankful for this response and for the recognition of the vital role of religious charities in Canadian society.
We will also ask again for official confirmation that the government does not plan to proceed with legislation to place additional requirements on charities that provide pregnancy options counseling, as was proposed by the previous government last year. . . .
Go here for the full comment, including related resources.
‘Good faith’
A November 17 EFC post struck a cautious note, referring to comments made by the Liberal chair of a committee convened to study legislation introduced September 19, which would make it a crime to intentionally promote hatred against identifiable groups in publics:
Recently, in [an October 30] Justice Committee meeting on Bill C-9, MP Marc Miller directed a question to Derek Ross from the Christian Legal Fellowship. MP Miller said:
“I want to dig in a little bit to the concept of ‘good faith,’ Mr. Ross. In Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Romans . . . . there’s other passages . . . there is clear hatred towards, for example, homosexuals. I don’t understand how the concept of ‘good faith’ can be invoked if someone were, literally invoking a passage from, in this case, the Bible, but there are other religious texts that say the same thing, and somehow say that this is good faith.
“Clearly there are situations in these texts where these statements are hateful. They should not be used to invoke or be a defence and there should perhaps be discretion for prosecutors to press charges. I just want to understand what your notion of ‘good faith’ is in this context where there are clearly passages in religious texts that are clearly hateful.”
These comments are very concerning. It is disturbing to hear a parliamentarian describe biblical passages, in and of themselves, as “clearly hateful.”
Go here for Miller’s question, followed by Ross’s response, and here for Ross’s original comment before the committee.
But the EFC also urged Christians to “do things differently” as they respond to negative comments and legislation:
As disturbing as Mr. Miller’s comments were to us, and to many others, so too have been many of the responses about him and directed toward him.
It is reasonable, fair and appropriate to disagree with his comments and express deep concern about them. But a lot of ugliness was also directed Mr. Miller’s way – threats, insults, slurs. And that is not the way of the gospel.
As Christians, we are called to be different. To do things differently. To stand in stark contrast to the ugliness that is so often directed at our leaders. . . .
MP Miller’s question was referring to the good faith religious belief defence in the law against wilfully promoting hatred. This defence isn’t currently changed in Bill C-9, but the Bloc MP on the committee has suggested the bill should be changed to remove the defence. It seems likely he will introduce an amendment to remove it.
If you are concerned, this would be a good time to reach out to your local MP. Explain why the good faith religious belief defence is an important protection in the Criminal Code and that you’d like your MP to ensure it’s not removed. You could even reach out to Mr. Miller to explain why his comments are concerning to you.
Go here for the full EFC comment.