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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 11h

This was the extent of the information I was able to get out of CRA on this issue a few years ago after a lengthy delay

This needs to be addressed by parliament because as it stands, the federal government is effectively giving convicted criminals tax breaks to fund their legal battles:

The CRA registers charities in Canada and is responsible for making sure they comply with the requirements of the Income Tax Act and related court decisions. The CRA achieves this through a balanced program of education, client service, and responsible enforcement. To be eligible for registration as a charity, an organization must have purposes that are exclusively charitable, and it must devote all of its resources to activities that further those purposes. The term “charitable” is not defined in the Act, so the CRA considers relevant court decisions to determine what is charitable. As you noted, the courts have stated that charitable purposes must fit within one of the following categories:

relief of poverty
advancement of education
advancement of religion
other purposes beneficial to the community in a way the law regards as charitable

A registered charity’s purposes and activities must provide a tangible benefit to the public, and that benefit must be directed to the public as a whole or a significant section of it. Further, a charity’s purposes and the activities it conducts must not violate the law or officially declared and implemented public policy. For an activity to be contrary to public policy, there must be a definite and officially declared and implemented policy, such as through an Act of Parliament or a regulation. For more information, see Charitable purposes and activities.

With respect to activities involving the financing or provision of legal services, such activities can further a charitable purpose in certain circumstances. For example, establishing legal aid clinics for persons experiencing poverty to ensure their access to legal protection and remedies could further a charitable purpose under the “relief of poverty” category. Another example could be to provide legal advice and representation to victims of human rights violations, which could further a charitable purpose under the “other purposes beneficial to the community” category.

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 11h

This was the extent of the information I was able to get out of CRA on this issue a few years ago after a lengthy delay

This needs to be addressed by parliament because as it stands, the federal government is effectively giving convicted criminals tax breaks to fund their legal battles:

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 11h

I've asked Canada Revenue Agency about this issue before, they won't comment on the activities of individual charities due to the "confidentiality provisions of the Income Tax Act"

They note the public can report charities suspected of non-compliant activities here:

www.canada.ca/en/revenue-a...

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 15h

Good reporting by @markramzy.bsky.social here:

Aspiring NDP leader who has raised thousands may be breaking party rules, official says

Yves Engler, an author who has written several books criticizing Canadian and Western foreign policy, said he has already raised the money for his leadership bid.

www.thestar.com

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 15h

To be clear, every declared NDP leadership candidate is offering prospective donors tax credits

Engler is the only one who is not (albeit he's the only one soliciting funds for a leadership campaign without actually being registered as a leadership candidate)

Avi Lewis campaign website:

"Every contribution counts

Help Avi Lewis lead an NDP that's proud to fight for transformational change"

Heather McPherson campaign website:

"Donate today! Help make Heather McPherson the next leader of the NDP"

Rob Ashton campaign website:

"Give working people a voice

Help Rob Ashton put workesr and families at the heart of Canadian politics"

Yves Engler campaign website:

"Donate by Interac e-Transfer:

To donate through Interac, please make the donation through your financial institution to yvesenglerndp@gmail.com.

Important: In order for us to accept these funds as required by Elections Canada, you must also complete the form below (the maximum donation amount is $1,750):

* Donations are not tax-deductible."

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 15h

Yves Engler is explicitly soliciting funds for his NDP leadership campaign citing Elections Canada rules yet includes an asterisk: "*donations are not tax deductible"

Why would funds for a leadership campaign collected under Elections Canada rules *not* be eligible for tax deductions?

Yvews Engler campaign website:

"Donate by Interac e-Transfer:

To donate through Interac, please make the donation through your financial institution to yvesenglerndp@gmail.com.

Important: In order for us to accept these funds as required by Elections Canada, you must also complete the form below (the maximum donation amount is $1,750):

* Donations are not tax-deductible."

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 17h

"Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice"

- Matthew 26:34

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 17h

Convoy livestreamer "Patriot Smoothie" (Jonathan Villeneuve) seemingly pretending he doesn't know who Mathieu Venne is, describes him only as an unidentified "man who has been previously seen at Ottawa protests"

Here's Villeneuve literally standing next to Venne and naming him in a Facebook post:

Patriot Smoothie: "Brian Derksen got into a fight with a man outside the Ottawa courthouse. I didn't see what started it but police arrested the other man, who has previously been seen at Ottawa protests.

Brian Derksen was later taken into the courthouse by police."

Patriot Smoothie: "On the hill with Dacey Chris, SG Fawkes and Mathieu Venne"

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 18h

International audiences discovering Canadian Liberals for the first time:

Between These Lines 🇪🇺 ⚽ 🏈 🏀⚾ 🏒 @footballlibrettist.bsky.social · 19h

Why are Canadians on the comments trying to pretend Carney isn't missing his ass in front of the whole world?

All you're doing is making excuses and lying to yourselves. This is embarrassing from a man who ran on the platform of fighting back against the US and fascism.

Pathetic.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20h

"You are a transformative president" -- I regret to inform you that Mark Carney is kissing Trump's ass

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 18h

(The full video goes on for another two minutes but it mostly just consists of random people egging on Derksen while random Ottawa Police run around in chaos while "With or Without You" by U2 plays in the background)

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 18h

Mathieu Venne uploaded video which he alleges shows "the truth about the story of this morning"

The video shows Venne singing along to U2 when Derksen approaches and threatens to "smash that fucking camera." Venne replies: "go ahead, I will smash you so bad, le," at which point a fight breaks out

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 19h

This display of grovelling subservience defines Mark Carney, both as a politician and as a man

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20h

"You are a transformative president" -- I regret to inform you that Mark Carney is kissing Trump's ass

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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20h

"You are a transformative president" -- I regret to inform you that Mark Carney is kissing Trump's ass

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 20h

*clears throat* no

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 20h

It appears Venne was arrested

x.com/judyatrinh/s...

Mathieu Venne being led away by police in handcuffs (Photo: Judy Trinh, X)

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 20h

The two convoy influencers who got into a Greco-Roman wrestling match in front of the Ottawa Courthouse this morning would be "Wellington Street Regulars" Mathieu Venne & Brian Derksen

Venne is prolific on TikTok and Derksen has hung out in front of parliament nearly every day for the last 3 years

Judy Trinh @judytrinh.bsky.social · 23h

Supporters of Freedom Convoy leaders- Chris Barber and Tamara Lich get into a scuffle ahead of their sentencing today. Both have been found guilty of mischief. Their lawyers want full discharge, crown seeking 8yrs for Barber and 7years for Lich.

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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

Jason Markusoff @markusoff.bsky.social · 1d

Coca-Cola Coke Zero

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 22h

Could they continue wearing the heritage throwback robes for special cases or hearings on Labour Day?

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 23h

I feel like this would be roughly equivalent to using 40-year-old photos of Soviet breadlines in a story about how the unemployment rate ticked up 0.5% from August to September

People like up at a Universet food store in Leningrad, USSR, in 1991. (Photo: F. Folwell / USA Today)

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 23h

CNN is using a photo from the 1992 Los Angeles riots for an article explaining why Trump wants to deploy national guard troops to Portland:

CNN: “Two National guardsmen stand guard outside a burning donut shop in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992. The National Guard was called in to aid police during the second day of rioting in the city. Mark Elias/AP)”

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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

PressProgress @pressprogress.ca · 2d

Vancouver’s film and TV industry is facing one of its ‘toughest slowdowns’ ever. Animators and visual effects workers are unionizing to take back control:

“It’s time to level the playing field for the workers ... so they can have more of a say, more control and a democratization of their workplace”

Vancouver’s Film and TV Industry is Facing One of its ‘Toughest Slowdowns’. Animators and Visual Effects Workers Are Unionizing to Take Back Control.

Canadian animators and visual effects workers aren’t giving up during turbulent times, they’re organizing their workplaces and unionizing

pressprogress.ca

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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Trump to the Navy: "We have to take care of this little gnat that's on our shoulder called the Democrats."

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Reposted by Luke LeBrun

Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 4d

NEW: Reuters took a closer look at violent crime in D.C. after President Trump began a show of force here. Despite the big investment of federal resources, it's really hard at this point to see any dramatic changes.

www.reuters.com/world/us/did...