Readout: Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector – August 29, 2019

The launch meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector (ACCS) took place on August 29, 2019. This was a brief meeting that was held over teleconference.

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, and Bob Hamilton, Commissioner of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), opened the meeting with some welcoming remarks.

Members then introduced themselves and spoke briefly about their expectations for the ACCS. They expressed a keen interest in ensuring the work of the ACCS also reflects the perspectives and priorities of those not at the table, by leveraging members' networks and finding ways to consult with the charitable sector more broadly.

Once introductions were completed, the Committee discussed the Terms of Reference (ToR). Members were generally satisfied with the ToR, and expressed support for working groups to gather broader input. Most of the conversation was focused on the roles and responsibilities of members. Mr. Trueman proposed that the ToR could be considered approved by the ACCS, and the members agreed.

Following this, the Assistant Commissioner of the Public Affairs Branch and Chief Privacy Officer then spoke about the Letter of Agreement members signed as it relates to confidentiality and release of information. He also explained the type of communication support that could be provided to the members.

The remainder of the launch meeting was spent discussing operational aspects of getting the ACCS up and running. Ms. Pearson, former President of the Philanthropic Foundations Canada, and Ms. Khare, a Director with the CRA's Charities Directorate, discussed next steps for planning the first in-person ACCS meeting. This included the process for establishing topics of discussion, and onboarding for ACCS members.

Over the next few months the ACCS will prepare for its first in-person meeting, which will be held in Fall 2019. At this meeting, the ACCS will formalize its objectives and working arrangements.