Date:
20090506
Docket: A-448-08
Citation: 2009 FCA 148
CORAM: LINDEN J.A.
SEXTON J.A.
RYER
J.A.
BETWEEN:
THE HOUSE OF HOLY GOD
Appellant
and
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE
COURT
(Delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario, on May 6, 2009)
RYER J.A.
[1]
This is an
appeal by The House of Holy God (the “appellant”), pursuant to paragraph
172(3)(a.1) of the Income Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (5th
Supp.) (the “ITA”), from a notice (the “Notice of Intent to Revoke”) of
intention to revoke the charitable registration of the appellant under the ITA
that was given by the Minister of National Revenue (the “Minister”) to the
appellant on July 3, 2007. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to
statutory provisions in these reasons are to the corresponding provisions of
the ITA.
[2]
The Notice
of Intent to Revoke arose out of an audit of the activities of the appellant
that was undertaken by the Minister in 2006. In that notice, the Minister expressed
the intention to revoke the appellant’s charitable registration, pursuant to
paragraphs 149.1(2)(a) and 168(1)(b), based upon three findings:
(a) the
appellant had not operated exclusively for, or devoted all of its resources to,
charitable purposes, in particular the advancement of religion, as required by
paragraph (a) of the definition of charitable organization in subsection
149.1(1), and thereby ceased to comply with the requirements for registration
as a registered charity, as contemplated by paragraph 168(1)(b);
instead, the appellant was solely engaged in the business of producing and
selling maple syrup and maple syrup products (the “maple syrup business”);
(b) the
maple syrup business is not a related business, within the meaning of
subsection 149.1(1) (a “related business”) because it is unrelated to the
charitable objects of the appellant and because it is run by its directors who remunerated
for their efforts, and not by volunteers; and
(c) the
directors of the appellant received remuneration from the appellant in respect
of their employment in the maple syrup business.
[3]
On
September 24, 2007, the appellant filed a notice of objection to the Notice of
Intent to Revoke, as permitted by subsection 168(4). By notice of confirmation,
dated August 22, 2008, the Minister confirmed the Notice of Intent to Revoke on
the basis of two of the three findings that were stipulated in the Notice of
Intent to Revoke. The matter of personal benefits being provided by the
appellant to its directors was not mentioned in the notice of confirmation.
[4]
The conclusions
of the Minister that the appellant ceased to comply with the registration requirements
under the ITA, as contemplated by paragraph 168(1)(b), and that the
appellant carries on a business that is not a related business of the charity,
as contemplated by paragraph 149.1(2)(a), are conclusions of mixed fact
and law that are reviewable on a standard of reasonableness (see Hostelling
International Canada – Ontario East Region v. Canada (Minister of National
Revenue – M.N.R.), 2008 FCA 396, [2009] 2 C.T.C. 89). To succeed in this
appeal, the appellant must demonstrate that both of these conclusions are
unreasonable, as each of them is a sufficient basis upon which the Notice of
Intent to Revoke can be justified.
[5]
The
appellant argues that the maple syrup business is a related business because of
a direct relationship between the activities of food production and the objects
of the appellant, which require the appellant to carry on the teaching of the
principles of Holy God. With respect, this assertion is unsupported by the
record. While the objects of the appellant refer to the principles of Holy God,
nowhere in the record is there any evidence of what those principles entail. In
particular, the record does not contain any evidence that the carrying on of a
maple syrup business is an element of religious doctrine. The references to the
principles of Holy God that do exist in the record appear to be found only in
representations or assertions made by counsel for the appellant in the period
that preceded the notice of confirmation of the Notice of Intent to Revoke.
Moreover, the record is similarly deficient with respect to evidence of any
teaching activities that were undertaken by the appellant. These bare
assertions are not sufficient, in our view, to demonstrate that the Minister’s
finding that the maple syrup business was not a related business is
unreasonable.
[6]
In his
factum, the appellant also argues that the maple syrup business should be
regarded as a related business because the profit generated in that business is
deposited in the so-called Rainbow Fund Raising Account for use by the
appellant, at some future time, to construct a community centre. In our view,
this argument cannot be accepted as it is contrary to the decision in this
Court in Earth Fund v. Canada (Minister of National Revenue – M.N.R.), 2002 FCA 498, 2003 D.T.C.
5016, wherein Sharlow J.A. stated, at paragraph 30:
I do not accept the argument of counsel
for the appellant that the Alberta Institute case is authority for the
proposition that any business is a “related business” of a charitable
foundation if all of the profits of the business are dedicated to the
foundation’s charitable objects.
[7]
In
conclusion, the appellant has failed to persuade us that the finding of the
Minister that the maple syrup business is not a related business is
unreasonable. Accordingly, that finding must stand and it is sufficient to
justify the decision of the Minister in the Notice of Intent to Revoke.
[8]
It follows
that the arguments of the appellant with respect to whether it operated
exclusively for charitable purposes need not be considered.
[9]
For the
foregoing reasons, the appeal will be dismissed with costs.
“C. Michael Ryer”
FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
NAMES OF COUNSEL AND
SOLICITORS OF RECORD
DOCKET: A-448-08
(AN APPEAL FROM THE ORDER OF THE
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE, DATED AUGUST 20, 2008, FROM FILE NO. 0915330.)
STYLE OF CAUSE: THE HOUSE OF HOLY GOD v.
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
PLACE OF HEARING: TORONTO,
ONTARIO
DATE OF HEARING: MAY 6, 2009
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE
COURT BY: (LINDEN, SEXTON & RYER JJ.A.)
DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY: RYER J.A.
APPEARANCES:
|
Mr. Brian Osler
Mr.
Glyn Hotz
|
FOR
THE APPELLANT
|
|
Ms.
Joanna Hill
|
FOR
THE RESPONDENT
|
|
|
|
SOLICITORS
OF RECORD:
|
Mr. Brian Osler
Barrister,
Solicitor & Notary Public
Richmond
Hill, ON
Mr.
Glyn Hotz
Barrister
& Solicitor
Toronto,
ON
|
FOR THE APPELLANT
|
|
John H. Sims, Q.C.
Deputy Attorney General of Canada
Ottawa, ON
|
FOR THE RESPONDENT
|
|
|
|
Email this Content