In Search of Canada's Non-Profit Policy

Aside from a speech by Lawrence Cannon last July and recent remarks from David Johnston, the Harper government has shown almost no interest in Canada's non-profit sector.

Two weeks ago, many in the non-profit sector were delighted to hear Governor General David Johnston identify volunteerism and philanthropy as key pillars in a smart and caring society and as areas of focus in his new role as GG. How this will fit with the government’s stance on the non-profit sector remains to be seen. To date, the Harper government has made few policy statements about the contributions of voluntary and non-profit organizations and has yet to set out a vision for their place in society, the economy, and democracy.

One exception was a speech that Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon made last July at a high-level ministerial meeting of the Community of Democracies in Krakow, where Canada chairs the Working Group on Enabling and Protecting Civil Society. In his introductory remarks, the minister noted:

[A] vibrant, established, and pluralistic civil society is an essential ingredient of democracy. Civil society helps citizens find a voice to be more effective participants in political life. But beyond its role as a check and monitor, civil society is an important bridge to help governments connect to the people they serve and build positive relationships. Civil society is also a means through which citizens can contribute to thriving social, cultural, and economic sectors that are characteristic of healthy democracies.

Cannon also said that “many states are limiting the space for pro-democracy groups to act” and that “as member states of the Community of Democracies we must voice our concern about such restrictive laws openly, must dissuade their use through active diplomacy, and must provide technical assistance on how to appropriately regulate the NGO sector in a democratic society.”

This understanding of the role of civil society has not until now been articulated by any minister in the Harper government. While many will welcome and support what Cannon said, a transcript of the speech was not posted on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) website and is very difficult to obtain. This may seem strange, even unfortunate – but perhaps it is understandable, given what is actually happening here in Canada.

The Harper government has shown almost no interest in engaging a broad range of citizens on key national issues or in building a constructive relationship with the non-profit sector. Organizations that disagree with the government’s positions and/or engage in advocacy have had their mandates criticized and their funding threatened, reduced, or discontinued. Well-known, effective organizations like KAIROS and the Canadian Council for International Co-operation have seen their government contributions fall to zero. The Court Challenges Program of Canada, which has funded many human-rights cases, has had its mandate drastically reduced. The Women’s Program at Status of Women Canada now effectively excludes many women’s groups that conduct research and work to advance women’s equality and participation in society. And Canada’s role as a champion of human rights has been threatened by the political damage done to Rights and Democracy, the Montreal-based organization leading in this field.

Access to information is the life blood of an informed and engaged citizenry. However, an unprecedented level of secrecy now shrouds a long list of government initiatives and decisions, making it increasingly difficult for the public to hold the government accountable across a range of fundamentally important issues. More and more Canadian journalists complain that the government has eroded freedom of the press by centralizing and limiting the information available to them.

Canada has a large, vibrant, and diverse non-profit community sector. Canadian international organizations have been working for decades to help build the capacity of civil society groups overseas. Domestic organizations have had many years of discussions with various levels of government on non-profit legal and regulatory frameworks, as well as appropriate roles in social and environmental program delivery, citizen engagement, and policy dialogue.

In 2001, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and representatives of the voluntary sector signed an accord representing a public commitment by the Government of Canada and civil society to more open, transparent, consistent and collaborative ways of working together. The Harper government has completely ignored the commitment – starving the government of important feedback on which services need to be sustained, improved, or cut, and why. The deliverers of public goods need to be included in policy discussions in order for government decision-makers to improve program delivery.

For Canada to be a credible and trusted international player, there needs to be consistency between what we say abroad and what we do at home. Let’s hope that David Johnston can ignite a serious discussion in Canada on the role of the non-profit sector in program delivery, citizen engagement, social innovation, and policy dialogue.