You've likely asked the obvious question: "why are churches exempt from taxes." This could apply to mainstream churches as well as TV preachers and megachurches.
The city of Iqaluit, the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, passed a bylaw that could require churches to begin paying property taxes. The idea is that churches would pay property taxes but then apply for relief from those taxes.
Those applicants must meet a series of strict conditions; the total annual funding for all groups is capped at $300,000.
The "intent of this bylaw is to provide a fair opportunity, to all community-based organizations, to apply for full or partial property tax relief." — in a statement from a spokesperson for the city of Iqaluit.
Pope Francis I arrives in Canada on Sunday for an expected apology on residential schools
The timing would seem to be targeted at the Catholic Church's role in the residential schools. Pope Francis will be in Iqaluit on Friday as part of his tour.
The program will kick in beginning in 2023. Local churches could get partial tax relief or no relief.
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout (NDP) pointed out to Global News that Iqaluit is already struggling to pay for basic services. "It's not fair to the rest of the municipality to have to carry the burden of a faith-based group — that itself is part of the history of colonialism."
While this solution might not go far enough to appease those concerned with the tax break that religious institutions automatically get, the solution works in that those religious institutions have to say how they are helping the community.
As we noted in our preview of the Pope Francis trip, "48 Catholic church entities signed on to fundraise $25 million for survivors as part of a settlement agreement with the term 'best efforts.' Somehow, those 'best efforts' resulted in just under $4 million." Maybe Vatican City can cut a check to the local churches.
Religious institutions in Canada are generally exempt from paying taxes. Iqaluit’s new bylaw, first proposed by the mayor last year, requires churches and other community groups to apply for tax relief.https://t.co/C4ZcYclyRT
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) July 26, 2022
Daily Show pokes fun at Rob Ford's (alleged) crack
TBS cancels Full Frontal with Samantha Bee after 7 seasons
In lieu of the TBS announcement that Full Frontal with Samantha Bee was ending its 7-year run on that cable channel, we fondly think back to a Daily Show moment in 2013. This was around the time of the then-alleged use of crack by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
Jason Jones and Bee, real-life married couple, had the setup that all Canadians smoke crack. When Jones asked Bee if she wanted to smoke crack, her reply was "Is Iqaluit the capital of Nunavut?"
The regular writers could not have come up with that joke. Now, some people may think of Iqaluit in a different light.
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Pope Francis is supposed to spend 3 hours in Iqaluit. 3 hours?? That feels like an insult all its own.
On top of the purpose of this trip, the pontiff could also weigh in on the food insecurity in this part of the world. That would seemingly be at the heart of a leader of a major church in the world. He and his entourage might learn about those concerns if they were going to be there for more than 3 hours.
photo credit: @CityofIqaluit
Twitter capture: @globalnews
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