north shore news __MAIL Box Petro-Can man will be missed Dear Editor: I'm angry to discover that Petro-Canada closed the long established Doilarton Highway facility run by Jack Plummer. Initially, 1 assumed that, after renovation, Jack’s facility would reopen. Apparently, not the case, at the choice of Petro-Canada. What a mistake. Petro-Canada should be proud of dealers like Jack Plummer and sustain commu- nity-based businesses such as ~ these. My family and our ncigh- bors know Jack's reputation for honest and trustworthy service. This was the facility where you could leave your vehicle without concern that you would be disregarded, deceived, under-serviced, over-serviced or oversold. I assume Petro-Canada plans to replace this operation with one staffed by faceless minimum-wage clerks more able to sell doughnuts than auto care. Personally, I’m disappoint- ed and have purchased my last Petro-Canada product. I encourage others to make the same choice. Norman Farrell North Vancouver ss FREE COFFE =} 6=—- Bring in this ad and enjoy a ‘The End Café ua Breakfast served from 10am - Zpm weekends | 15 Lonsdale Ave, 984-4685 ‘Are you Expecting? You are invited to a “ ” FREE Baby Steps” seminar : Join us for an hour of exceltent information on "INFART NUTRITION presented by a “Registered Dietitian: - © Breast Feeding © How to prepare and store formula © How.to make weaning your baby easier .© When to introduce solid foods * How to minimize food allergies NEXT SABY STEP CLASSES: : "Thursday. February 26th, 1998 ~The Arbutus Ciub; 2001 Nanton St., Vancouver Classes start at 7pm! tall to reserve your spot 800 883-6042 . SOA ME SRT ETN SLE ESERIES ETB MITE Compliments of Mead sinew World Leaders fn Nus pers LR IRE SY OE SEE TRS TSI TEL NER | (Cm Capilano Cem College %-College lecture addresses sexual abuse by health protessionals Shame and Blame: Obstacles to Recovery from Sexual Abuse by Heath Professionals is the subject of eminent peychiatrist ond feminut Dr. Susan Pentold on Thursday, March 5 at the 10th annual Mary Catherine Paterson Memorial Lecture. Dr. Penfold’s lecture, beiny held ac 7:30 p.m. in the Cedar building, room 148, at Capilanu College, isa highlight of Capilano College's annual International Women's Day program. It is free and the facility is wheelchair accessible. » College celebrates Internationa} Women's Day with free lectures On Thursday, March 5, Capilano College celebrates International Women's Day with tree events, including lectures, guest speakers and entertainment. Activities include opening a number of classes to the public, starting at 830a.t0. and continuing until 930 p.m. A canplete schedule of events will be available ar community centres, public libraries, at the main campus reception desk in rhe Birch building, or by calling 984-4953. Activities include: yuest presenter Flo Williams, who will describe in a Psychology class how to turn a traditional beauty pageant an a Squamish reserve inta a vehicle for increased personal growth and self-esteem based on the First Nations medicine-wheel; Anita Sleeman, who will lead a Music History class with a discussion on Canadian woMAN Composers; fashion historian Ivan Sayers, who will give a featured noon-hour e-gpresentation Waisted Efforts: fram Victorian to Punk; and Margaret Denike from Women's Studies, who will discuss Historical Mythologies of Sexual Difference; plus much more. & Information Two College departments are holding information meetings on Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. People interested in the two-year Media Resources program are invited to the Library building, room 145, Call 984-4940 for more information. The Commercial Animation program is holding its information session an the Library building, coum 316, Call 990-7820 for mure information. CAPILANO COLLEGE 2055 Purcell Way North Vancouver British Columbia 986-1911 Wednesday, February 18, 1998 — North Shore News - 9 ae P ted white, m.p. PART 2 OF 2 Last Wednesday i wrote about two reports on charities which have been tabled with the Finance Committee at # the House of Commons by Liberal MP John Bryden. Those reports contain a shocking and detailed expose of dis- honesty, deceit, and sloppy operations in Canada’s charitable and non-profit sector. Revenue Canada's definition of a chari- ty is so broad that, for example, a few years ago the Babbar Khalsa Society, which has been identified as a militant Sikh sect dedi- cated to the break-up of India, was granted charity number 095571639. In addition, Canadian rules for the registering of a charitable or non-profit organiza- tion neither require the directors of a ckarity to be Canadian, nor any of the money raised to be kept in Caneda. For exampie, in 1994 The International Council for Adult Education of Toronto received $80,000 in tax receiptable donations and $1.2 million from govern- ment, but only 2 of the 22 persons listed as executive officers were from Canada. The remainder had addresses in Chile, Kenya, Hungary, Zaire, and other countries. There is no way of knowing how or where the Foundation spent its money. NOT FOR PROFITS Not-for-profit is an umbrella term used to describe non-profit organizations and char- ities. Both are exempt from paying the faxes normally levied on for-profit busi- nesses, with charities having the added advantage that they can issue tax receipts, but neither non-profit nor charitable organi- zations are required to make public any information about how they spend their money. Try asking the non-profit Council For Canadians, or a charity like The Canadian Society for the Study of Names, how much they pay their executives in salary and benefits, for a copy of their j Revenue Canada T3010 Form, or whether they donate money to other organizations ora political party, and see how far you get. In fact, many not-for-profits appear to be lit- tle more than job creation schemes and income generators for their creators, some- § times utilizing a gigantic “loophole” in the law to permit them to spend almost all of a their income on administrative activities. THE 80/20 RULE At first glance, the Revenue Canada regulation vtir.dating that a charity must spend at least &° percent of its tax receipt- able donations om actual charitable activi- ties seems to be a good one. Unfertunately though, the rule applies only to tex receiptable donations. This means that money raised through, for example, the sale of Girl Guide Cookies, coin banks, lot- teries, gambling nights, cr the marketing of goods and services, is not covered by the f 80/20 rule and may be spent entirely on administration and management. Of even greater significance is the fact that the rule does not apply to government grants, so there is a major incentive for charities to put most of their efforts into extracting 1 money from you via government i grants, rather than appealing for donations which require a tax ) receipt. This major “loophole” in the 80/20 policy clearly discourages self sufficiency amongst our charities and fosters instead an environment of dependency on grants. In addition, it opens the door for abuse, by making it possible for charities to spend 100% of the money on activities other than their stated purpose. Another huge problem arises from Revenue Canada's specific exemption from the 80/20 rule of any donations given by one charity to another, while at the same time deeming such acts of giving to be bona fide charitable activities. In other advertorial, February 18/1998 CHARITIES AND YOUR MONEY words, every charity which relies upon an umbrella organization like the United Way for its fundraising, is theoretically free to spend 100% of the money it receives on execu- tive salaries, office space, or admin- istration. | Perhaps worse still, it is possible for two charities to completely avoid the 80/20 rule simply by giving their funds to one another, an especially convenient arrangement if the two charities have similar stated goals. Unfortunately, there is no easy way for you to determine whether YOUR favourite charity is spending too much on salaries and administra- tion, especially if it refuses to open its books to scrutiny. All you can do is ask, and withhold your contribu- tions if the properly detailed infor- | mation is not forthcoming. SHOCKING EXAMPLES Statistics from 1993 indicated that only 9.7% of charitable revenues came from | denations that year. This meant that 90.3% of revenues, about $78.1 BILLION, was raised through grants and other exempt fund-raising activities, and could tegally be spent entirely on administration and man- agement. Here are some examples to con- sider: In 1992 the Canadian Rights and Liberties Foundation issued tax receipts for $945, raised $102,166 through bingo nights, but spent just 18% on its charitable activities. Hiqvik inc, set up to “promote, assist and establish services for adult Inuit” received almost all of | its $322,098 in revenue from. gov- ernment and SPENT EVERY PENNY on management and administration. In 1994 the Standards Council of Canada (yes - it IS a registered char- ity) received $33,000 in donations, $6 million in government grants, and $3 million for services sold. It spent 99.999% on management and administration with only $8,916 going to charitable services. The charity Quick Build Systems of Saskatoon’s only source of rev- enue (about’ $47,000) is another charity, and its stated purpose is “to provide cabinets and furniture exclusively for congregations. of | dehovah's Witnesses”. Would this activity meet your definition of a “charity”? In both 1993 and 1994 the Ontario Lung Association took in about. $2 million from other chari- ties, and in each year gave $650,000 to the Canadian Lung Association. The T3010 Forms for the Canadian Lung Association though, do not document receipt of these gifts in either year. What happened to the money remains a mystery. FIXING THE PROBLEMS John Bryden’s recommendations, with which | most wholeheartedly agree, are (a) The passage of legislation that comprehen- sively defines not-for-profit organizations, their activities and community benefit, and which sets standards of performance, gov- emance and accountability, (b) the. public release of audit results on charities by Revenue Canada, and (c) the establish- ment of standards for financial reporting. accountability and the responsibilities of directars. | hope you will join me in lob- bying the Minister of National Revenue. Hon Herb Dhaliwhal, to implement these recommendations as soon as possibie. You can write to him at The House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OA6. His fax number is (613) 995-2962 and his e-mai! address is dhalih.part.ge.ca. Please send copies of your communica- tions to my Office. . .