Advocacy
Content
In addition to providing material assistance, the Society works with our Neighbours to advocate for positive change.
Frederic Ozanam, our founder, was a tireless advocate for persons living in poverty. He envisioned a society and political structure founded on Christian principles. In conjunction with Frederic Ozanam’s personal service to persons in need, he researched the conditions of the working class and defended their rights, propagating his social and political ideas in his newspaper. He advocated for a minimum living wage as well as the right for workers to organize and to be entitled to guaranteed pensions.
As Vincentians, we are called to bring the message of love and hope to those we serve as Christ’s disciples. There are various ways and means of accomplishing this mission. Engaging in appropriate, thoughtful advocacy initiatives according to the Society’s guidelines and tradition provide us with another tool to help build a better life on behalf of those we serve.
In keeping with this tradition, many of our Vincentian brothers and sisters in other jurisdictions have established well-organized advocacy programs. The Society in Ireland, England and Australia are especially adept in this regard, becoming respected and effective spokespersons on behalf of the people they serve.
Accordion
Advocating on behalf of our Neighbours in Need is a fundamental component of our Vincentian mission. Individually, as friends of the people we serve, we visibly demonstrate our respect for each person’s dignity whenever we make a home visit or engage in a Special Work on behalf of communities in need. Indeed, Archbishop Thomas Collins once remarked that due to the level of involvement and experience gained through home visitations and the operation of Special Works, the Greater Toronto Central Council had a duty and responsibility to advocate on behalf of the people and communities served.
In keeping with the laws of Canada, and particularly the regulations regarding charities, the Society recognizes that the legal right of a charitable organization to issue receipts for donations is subject to certain provisions regarding the type and degree of advocacy in which it chooses to engage. Basically, the charitable status of an organization is not threatened if 1) it does not support a specific political party or candidate and 2) does not expend a significant portion (generally 10%) of its revenues on advocacy.
Consequently, local Conferences and Particular Councils restrict their advocacy primarily to working with individuals or families to ensure they receive proper and fair treatment from public agencies with whom they come into contact. Any more formal, organized types of advocacies are handled by National or Regional Councils in accordance with the noted legal guidelines, always taking care to ensure that we maintain ‘political independence’ as dictated by the Rule by advocating for specific policies, not for specific political parties or candidates.
