COMMENTARY – MAKING SENSE OF POLITICAL DONATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FEDERAL ELECTION
If you’re involved in even the smallest way politically, you’ve received emails from your political party soliciting donations. It’s inevitable, like death and taxes, but what does it mean when a political party claims that donating money to them doesn’t cost you bucks?
The answer is simple. It’s all about the tax credits.
If you donate money to a registered federal political party, you qualify for a tax credit on your federal income tax returns. You can also donate money to an individual candidate in a federal election and get the same tax credit, providing that individual is a “registered” candidate.
For example, if you donate $400 to the Conservative Party of Canada, the party will issue you a tax receipt for your contribution and a full 75% of that donation will be tax deductible. This reduces the amount of taxes you will have to pay, making the actual cost of your $400 donation only $100.
You could donate that same $400 to an individual federal candidate, say Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney or M.P. Bob Zimmer, and get that same tax break since they are both “registered” candidates.
Of course, you can donate more than $400 – up to a maximum of $1,500, in fact – but the maximum tax credit is $650 even if you donate $1,500.
It’s also important to note that this contribution limit is PER PERSON, not per family. Businesses and trade unions cannot give money to political parties or their candidates. According to Revenue Canada’s guidelines, only Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada “can make political contributions to registered parties, registered electoral district associations, candidates, nomination contestants, and leadership contestants.”
Let’s say you want to give $1,000 to the Conservative Party of Canada. You and your spouse would get more “bang for your buck” if you each donated $500 individually than if just one of you gave $1000. Your individual $1,000 donation would net you a tax credit of $558.33, whereas your $500 donation and your spouse’s $500 donation would net tax credits of $350 each, or $700 total. That’s an extra $141.67 in tax credits for your family simply by splitting your $1,000 donation into two individual $500 contributions.
The Hon. Steven Blaney, our Minister of Public Safety, stated: “Allan Rock said he came to Ottawa with the belief that only the police and military should have firearms. I believe that firearms ownership is a right, but a right that comes with responsibilities.”
Minister Blaney’s actions show that he believes the words he speaks. He’s done more for firearms owners in Canada than any previous Minister of Public Safety in our history, and he will continue to do so after the next election.
The CSSA recommends supporting your local Conservative candidate financially and with your volunteer time since this is the ONLY political party in Canada willing to defend our right to own and use firearms. Consider your donation as an investment in our collective gun-owning future.
You can donate online using this form: https://donate.conservative.ca/ or you can contact your local Conservative candidate and donate directly to his or her campaign.
Both the NDP and Liberal parties would happily strip us of our firearms should either of them form the next federal government.
That’s not a future we at the CSSA want, and we doubt you do either.
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“Allan Rock said he came to Ottawa with the belief that only the police and military should have firearms. I believe that firearms ownership is a right, but a right that comes with responsibilities.” – The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety
HELP SUPPORT THE GREAT WORK THE CSSA DOES TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. DONATE HERE
MICHEL DION WINS BRONZE IN PAN AM GAMES SHOOTING EVENT (The Globe and Mail | July 17, 2015)
Canada moved closer to cracking the 100 medal mark at the Pan Am Games on Friday afternoon.
Michel Dion claimed the bronze medal in the Men’s 50-metre Rifle Prone event. Dion finished with a total score of 183.8.
Cassio Cesar Rippel of Brazil took the gold with a Pan Am Games record score of 207.7 while Michael McPhail of the United States picked up the silver.
This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone
For Dion, it’s his second Pan Am medal in this event, having first won bronze at the 1995 Games in Mar Del Plata.
The medal gives Canada a total of 98, one behind the United States in the overall count. Canada still leads with 38 gold medals.
Canada is on pace to surpass the 119 medals won four years ago at the 2011 Pan Am Games in Mexico
See the story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/michel-dion-wins-bronze-in-pan-am-games-shooting-event/article25561084/
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DO TRIGGERS PULL FINGERS? A LOOK AT THE CRIMINAL MISUSE OF GUNS IN CANADA (By Dr. Gary Mauser | The MacKenzie Institute | Briefing Note 58 | July 16, 2015)
Gun control will again be an important wedge issue in the 2015 federal election as it has been for at least two decades. The Conservatives have repeatedly tossed this cat amongst the pigeons, first with Bill C-42, “The Common Sense Firearms Regulation Act,” and then more recently with the Prime Minister’s provocative comments about the defensive uses of firearms. Harper’s comments in Saskatchewan on the usefulness of firearms for security stimulated both NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Wayne Easter, the Liberal public safety critic, to warn about the dangers of firearms in hands of civilians and the risk of “vigilantism.”
Bill C-42 would amend the existing Firearms Act by streamlining regulations that are arguably overly complex. Specifically, Bill C-42 relaxes a few of the conditions attached to firearm licences, such as merging Possession Only Licences (POL) with Possession and Acquisition Licences (PAL), introducing a grace period for licence renewal, putting common and coherent controls on both Provincial Firearms Officers and the RCMP, and attaching Transportation Authorizations to PALs. The government argues that the bill does not reduce safeguards for public safety, while critics contend that these changes are likely to increase criminal violence, particularly the use of guns in domestic disputes.
Based on analysis of Canadian statistics, such fears appear misplaced. In 2013, the first year following the demise of the long-gun registry (and the most recent year statistics are available), the homicide rate dropped 8% from the year before, falling from 1.56 to 1.44 victims per 100,000. There were 41 fewer firearms murders in 2013 than in 2012 and the rate of firearm homicides was the lowest in 40 years. The number of intimate partners who were murdered also fell from 82 in 2012 to 68 in 2013. So far at least, scrapping the registry has not increased homicide rates or gun violence, which suggests that Bill C-42 would not have a noticeable effect either.
Read the rest: http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/triggers-pull-fingers-look-criminal-misuse-firearms-canada/
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CSSA TRAINING COURSES – The CSSA is teaching Club Level Safety/Train the Trainer and Range Safety Officer courses at its headquarters: 116 Galaxy Boulevard, on the following dates:
· July 25th and 26th
· August 22nd and 23rd
Room is still available and the only requirement is that anyone attending be a CSSA member. Book your space now as class size is limited to 20 students! To RSVP, please phone Monday to Friday at (416) 679-9959.
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LOOKING FOR UPCOMING GUN SHOWS AND MATCHES? Visit our website at: https://cssa-cila.org/upcoming-events-matches/
CANADA IN THE ROUGH – WATERFOWL WHITEOUT
This week, Keith and Kevin Beasley head to the beautiful province of Manitoba to hunt with good friend and owner Kris Wujcik of Michitoba Outfitting! With the snow just melting, the boys head out into the waterfowl fields after snow geese!
See the teaser: http://www.canadaintherough.com/waterfowl-whiteout/
Canada in the Rough can be found on OLN, WILD TV, and CHEX. For a full schedule, visit: http://www.canadaintherough.com/schedules/
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OSHAWA CONSERVATIVE TARGET SHOOT FUNDRAISER – AUGUST 15, 2015 – ORONO FISH AND HUNT CLUB – ORONO, ONTARIO. Located at 3292 – 7th Concession between Brown Road and Leskard Road. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $65 per person. Barbecue lunch will be served. This is an annual favourite, providing supporters the opportunity to safely handle and discharge a wide assortment of firearms with the assistance of trained and seasoned firearms owners. Special guest: MP Colin Carrie. To purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.oshawaconservatives.ca or call 905-721-9022.
See the invitation: http://oshawaconservatives.ca/products/target-shoot-fundraiser
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SHOOTERS DISTRUST GUN BUREAUCRATS ON GUN LAW CHANGES (By Chris McLennan | The Weekly Times | July 22, 2015)
ANY decision to restrict lever-action firearms in Australia is unlikely to be made until at least next year.
The delay comes despite high-level talks among authorities regarding how best to change the classification of lever-action shotguns such as the controversial Adler A110 seven-shot lever-action shotgun.
More than 7000 shooters have ordered the Turkish-made firearm, which is due to arrive in Australia next month.
A recent meeting of state-based police firearms registry officers “agreed in principle” to reclassify lever-action shotguns.
A spokeswoman for Victoria Police Minister Wade Noonan assured shooters the minister was still gathering information and no decisions had been made.
A Sporting Shooters Association of Australia spokeswoman said: “The SSAA National is aware the Adler is being discussed as part of the ongoing review into the National Firearms Agreement,”
“Any changes to the current legislation, including upward categorisation, that is not based on scientific evidence and facts, and does not bring any further public safety benefit, will not be supported by the SSAA.”
Under the NFA, lever actions such as the Adler are in Category A, for general gun licence holders, but Mr Noonan and other senior police have suggested it should be restricted into Category C, the general classification for semiautomatic firearms.
The Weekly Times has been told any changes to firearms laws may be made retrospective and involve other lever action firearms.
Shooters are now raising petitions, donating to a fighting fund and lobbying politicians to keep the status quo on national firearms laws.
Shooters and Fishers Victoria MP Daniel Young claimed government officials had been working to change the laws well before the Adler issue arose.
NIOA managing director Robert Nioa, importer of the Adler, said the shotgun was not a threat to the community.
See the full story: http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/national/shooters-distrust-gun-bureaucrats-on-gun-law-changes/story-fnkfnspy-1227450728189
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
The CSSA is the voice of the sport shooter and firearms enthusiast in Canada. Our national membership supports and promotes Canada’s firearms heritage, traditional target shooting competition, modern action shooting sports, hunting, and archery. We support and sponsor competitions and youth programs that promote these Canadian heritage activities.
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To join or donate to the CSSA, visit: http://www.cssa-cila.org
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CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION | CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
116 Galaxy Boulevard, Etobicoke ON M9W 4Y6
Phone: 416-679-9959 | Fax: 416-679-9910
Toll Free: 1-888-873-4339
