CANADA: "Ex-Gays" At Exodus Global Alliance May Lose Charity Status

Canada's New Democratic Party is working to rescind the charity status of Exodus Global Alliance, the "ex-gay" Christianist group recently denied such status in New Zealand.

"Our issue is that they purport to be able to cure homosexuality. Homosexuality is not an mental illness," said Matthew McLauchlin, co-chair of the federal NDP's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Committee. "If all we were talking about was promoting a certain religious view of homosexuality we wouldn't be having this conversation," he said. "They are promoting something that's directly against the public interest." McLauchlin, who ran for the NDP in three federal elections, said the Quebec wing of the NDP unanimously adopted a position to strip the organization of its charitable status at a convention in Gatineau on Nov. 20. "It can issue tax receipts for donations, but in our opinion it violates provisions of the Canada Revenue Agency that says that registered charities must offer a tangible public benefit," said McLauchlin.

While their website speaks of nothing but "curing homosexuality," Exodus makes no mention of such activities on their submitted request for tax-exempt status to the Canada Revenue Agency.