Cardus says proposed union bill too intrusive

Christian think tank's senior researcher believes Catholics should be against legsislation

Conservative MP Russ Hiebert hopes his Bill C-377 bill bring more transparency
and accountability to the finances of labor organizations. The Christian think tank
Cardus opposes the bill claiming it is too intrusive. Deborah Gyapong / CCN.

The B.C. Catholic has a story by Deborah Gyapong about a Christian think tank's opposition to a proposed bill that would force labour unions to file their financial information with the Canada Revenue Agency:

A Conservative MP’s private member’s bill that aims to bring more financial transparency to labour organizations is too intrusive says a Hamilton-based think tank that focuses on social policy.

MP Russ Hiebert’s Bill C-377 would require labour organizations to file financial information to the Canada Revenue Agency. The Opposition New Democrats in the House of Commons have adamantly opposed it, arguing it violates workers’ rights and privacy, and that it is too onerous and expensive.

Hiebert said he put forward the bill after he found out labor organizations have no obligations under the Income Tax Act to keep records of their financial dealings or report them to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

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But Cardus senior researcher and editor Brian Dijkema said the bill is much more intrusive on labour organizations than the current rules for charities, even though Hiebert has put forth amendments that would address many NDP concerns. There is no reason why the general public needs to know what unions spend more than $5,000 on, Dijkema said.

Dijkema said Hiebert’s bill represents “an odd turning of the tables” or role-reversal in which Conservatives are looking for more government regulation while the NDP are saying “we need to have less, or take a small government approach” on this.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.