In a letter dated February 21, 2025, addressed to Canadian Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc, Leo called upon the Liberal government to stop its planned attacks against the charitable tax status of pro-life and religious groups.
(LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Francis Leo of the Archdiocese of Toronto is expressing "profound concern" over the Trudeau government's desire to strip pro-life groups of their tax charity status.
In a letter dated February 21, 2025, addressed to Canadian Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc, Leo called upon the Liberal government to stop its planned attacks against the charitable tax status of pro-life groups.
“I write today to express my deep concern regarding the recent Finance Committee’s pre-budget report. The committee proposes to remove advancement of religion as a charitable purpose,” wrote Leo, who was elevated to cardinal late last year.
Specifically, Leo cited the report's "recommendation 430" which reads, “Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of ‘advancement of religion’ as a charitable purpose.”
Additionally, Leo brought up section 429, which recommends the government “no longer provide charitable status to anti-abortion organizations.”
“I strongly urge the federal government to reject these recommendations... If you wish to discuss tangible examples of how religious charities are strengthening our country, I would be most pleased to meet with you along with those on the front lines of care, ministry, and accompaniment,” he wrote.
Leo noted to LeBlanc that when it comes to religious charities in Canada, they “strengthen the very fabric of our nation through their dedicated service, outreach and care.”
“The recommendation itself to strip away official charitable status from these organizations demonstrates a lack of understanding of the critical role religiously-affiliated groups offer in every corner of our nation,” he wrote.
Leo also noted to LeBlanc that it is “astonishing to think that a pro-life approach to public living is no longer seen as acceptable in a country that enshrines freedom of religion and belief in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
“A government truly at the service of the population must necessarily consider that society, our Canadian society, is made up of innumerable persons and communities who are religious and for whom religion places a most important role in their life and activities," Leo continued, characterizing the proposals' approach as "draconian."
The good news is that in light of Trudeau’s shutting of Parliament in order to step down from office, already planned legislation to strip pro-life pregnancy centers of charity status is on pause, at least for now.
The bill, according to the finance department, would have required “registered charities that provide services, advice, or information in respect of the prevention, preservation, or termination of pregnancy [i.e., destroying the unborn]” to disclose that they “do not provide specific services, including abortions or birth control.”
