Proceedings of the Special Senate Committee on the
Charitable Sector

Issue No. 12 - Minutes of Proceedings - March 18, 2019 (afternoon meeting)

OTTAWA, Monday, March 18, 2019
(23)

[English]

The Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector met this day at 2 p.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Terry M. Mercer, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Black (Ontario), Duffy, Martin, Mercer and Omidvar (5).

In attendance: Havi Echenberg and Nicole Sweeney, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament, Barbara Reynolds, Committee Clerk, Senate Committees Directorate, and Ben Silverman, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, the committee continued its study on the impact of federal and provincial laws and policies governing charities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and other similar groups; and to examine the impact of the voluntary sector in Canada. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 2.)

WITNESSES:

Farm Radio International:

Kevin Perkins, Executive Director.

Islamic Relief Canada:

Zaid Al-Rawni, Chief Executive Officer (by video conference).

Canada World Youth:

Mike Power, Vice-President, Programming and Operations.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada:

W. Matthew Chater, National President and Chief Executive Officer.

Centre d'action bénévole Léonie-Bélanger:

Suzanne Parisé, Director General.

Équiterre:

Sidney Ribaux, Co-founder and General Manager (by video conference).

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission:

The Honourable Gary Johns, Commissioner (by video conference).

As an individual:

Myles McGregor-Lowndes, Professor Emeritus, Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies, Queensland University of Technology (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Perkins, Mr. Al-Rawni and Mr. Power each made statements and answered questions.

At 2:58 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:06 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Ribaux, Mr. Chater and Ms. Parisé each made statements and answered questions.

At 3:59 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:07 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Johns and Mr. McGregor-Lowndes each made statements and answered questions.

At 4:59 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Kevin Pittman
Clerk of the Committee