Minister Lebouthillier commends the recipients of The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers

From: Canada Revenue Agency

News Release

March 15, 2017 - Calgary, Alberta - Canada Revenue Agency 

The Government of Canada is committed to improving its service model and making it more client‑focused to ensure tax fairness for the middle class. Canadians who interact with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) must be treated as important clients and not simply as taxpayers. 

While in Alberta, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, visited with employees working at CRA offices in Edmonton and Calgary.  At the Edmonton Tax Service Office, she participated in a ceremony on behalf of the Governor General, presenting The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers to seven deserving volunteers from the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). The recipients were honoured for their exceptional dedication to their community, volunteering their time and expertise to prepare income tax and benefit returns for eligible individuals. 

The Minister also toured La Cité Francophone. She was encouraged by the facility’s mandate to provide cultural, social and educational services to support Edmonton's Francophone and Francophile community. She also discussed the delivery of government services in both official languages by the CRA. 

At the Southern Alberta Tax Services Office in Calgary, the Minister met with employees and discussed their vision of the federal public service and the importance of providing quality service to Canadians and business owners. 

Throughout her events in Western Canada, Minister Lebouthillier emphasized that the CRA helps Canadians through its fast, easy, and secure online services. With the launch of Auto-fill my return, the MyCRA mobile app and MyBenefits CRA mobile app, as well as the redesigned tax correspondence that is simpler and easier to read, Canadians now have more resources to help them easily file their tax return and get their refund faster.

Quotes

“Congratulations to the seven exceptional individuals honoured with the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. Their dedicated volunteer efforts with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program is why the collaboration between the CRA and community associations across the country is so successful in ensuring Canadians can access the benefits and credits they deserve.”

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue

Quick Facts

  • The Canada Revenue Agency works in collaboration with community organizations, associations, and their volunteers who offer free tax clinics available in their communities under the CVITP.

  • The CVITP has been helping eligible individuals for 46 years. In 2016, 2,442 community organizations and 15,032 volunteers prepared 749,963 income tax and benefit returns on behalf of eligible individuals.

  • For more information about the CVITP, to find out how to become a volunteer, or to find a participating community organization in your area, go to, www.cra.gc.ca/volunteer or call 1 (800) 959-8281.

  • The Liaison Officer Initiative provides in-person support to businesses at key points in their business life cycle. Providing information and assistance in navigating the tax system helps business owners ensure they are able to get it "right from the start."

Associated Links

Contacts

Chloé Luciani-Girouard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Revenue
613-995-2960

Media Relations
Canada Revenue Agency
613-952-9184

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