TORONTO, July 25,
2024 /CNW/ - The Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF Canada) has launched legal
proceedings in the Federal Court of Appeal to contest the Canada
Revenue Agency's (CRA) wrong and unjustified decision to revoke JNF
Canada's charitable status. The appeal states that the CRA review
process was flawed and fundamentally unfair.
Throughout this multi-year process JNF Canada has demonstrated
its willingness to work with the CRA. When the CRA raised
concerns, JNF Canada made changes to its operations in the spirit
of collaboration even though it does not agree with CRA's positions
and those positions have not been tested in court. JNF Canada also
sought alternatives to the revocation prior to launching its legal
challenge. JNF Canada remains deeply concerned with the CRA's
decision to revoke its charitable status and its failure to provide
a fair due process, thereby undermining a basic fundamental right
for all Canadians.
"Similar to other charities that support the needs of children,
workers, and vulnerable communities we would expect CRA to work
with, not against, our charity," noted Nathan Disenhouse, National President, JNF
Canada. "Our position is that it is unjust for CRA to revoke a
charity because a charitable object that it accepted almost 60
years ago is now no longer considered to be a valid charitable
object. It is simply unjust to close a charity supported by
over 100,000 Canadians based on reversing a decision the CRA made
in 1967."
"Today's legal appeal," he continued, "will allow JNF Canada's
concerns to be considered before an impartial legal process."
At the same time, JNF Canada emphasized that it remains open to
liaising with the CRA in the hope of reaching a
resolution outside of the legal process.
JNF Canada remains determined to fulfill its mandate to advance
charitable projects in Israel to
benefit all citizens and to continue to act as a pillar of the
Jewish community in Canada.
JNF Canada will continue its charitable activity including
collecting and receipting donations and distributing funds while
the legal challenge is before the Federal Court of Appeal. It has
informed donors and organizations of the legal appeal, reinforcing
that JNF Canada is continuing its work as the legal appeal process
proceeds.
About JNF Canada
For decades the Jewish National Fund of Canada has cared for the Land of Israel. This mission took the role of planting
trees, building water reservoirs, preserving natural habitats, as
well as building parks and bicycle trails. This work continues to
this day.
More recently, JNF Canada has taken on projects to build the
social infrastructure of the land of Israel for the benefit of the People of
Israel. We collaborate with a
variety of important institutions and organizations in Israel to build social service infrastructure
to benefit vulnerable populations such as youth-at-risk, victims of
domestic abuse, children with special needs, veterans and the
disadvantaged.
SOURCE Jewish National Fund of Canada Inc.