Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to speak to recommendation 430 of the House of Commons finance committee's pre-budget report proposing removing the advancement of religion as a recognizable charitable purpose under the Income Tax Act.
Religious organizations are more than just places of worship; they are pillars of civil society. Every day, they run programs, food banks, shelters, counselling services and services that governments alone could never provide. They mobilize volunteers, teach our children, comfort the elderly and create bonds of trust to hold together our beautiful communities.
Studies have shown that people active in faith communities give more, volunteer more and strengthen the very social fabric that keeps our country resilient. To deny them charitable status would be to deny the countless Canadians who rely on these services.
If the Liberal government is so desperate to find different ways to tax Canadians, this is the wrong place. Recognizing religious organizations and their tax-exempt status is not a privilege; it is an acknowledgement of the essential role they play in serving the common good.