Sudbury-Manitoulin CMHA returns donation from Freedom Convoy participants
CBC
The Sudbury/Manitoulin chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) says it has returned a donation it accepted from participants involved with the Freedom Convoy protests against pandemic mandates.
On Monday, the CMHA said members of the group came to their office to make a donation of $462. The CMHA accepted the donation and a picture was taken.
The CMHA said accepting the "money was a mistake" and it is now "reviewing its donation process to strengthen decision-making around future donations."
"CMHA-Sudbury/Manitoulin is an agency committed to the health and wellness of our community by promoting public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19," said Patty MacDonald, chief executive officer for the CMHA Sudbury/Manitoulin.
"We strive to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work and advocacy for the individuals we serve."
The CMHA said many people, including those in Ottawa, Windsor and Toronto, have been negatively impacted by this group.
"To those who've been negatively impacted, we're sorry for any harm we may have caused by accepting the donation," MacDonald said.
"We want our staff, individuals we serve and partners to know that we stand with them. And while we sincerely appreciate financial or in-kind support from the community, we can not accept donations from groups or people that are drastically misaligned with our beliefs and values."
The CMHA said it follows the ethical fundraising and financial accountability code by Imagine Canada. In the fundraising practices section, it states the CMHA will "not accept donations for purposes that are inconsistent with the charity's objects or mission."
Imagine Canada says "ethics is the cornerstone of fundraising." The organization said that confidence in the charitable sector is "relatively high, with nearly eight in 10 Canadians saying they're confident in the country's charities and non-profit organizations.
"On the other hand, only 61 per cent agree the Canadian charities are trustworthy," the organization said.
"Ethics makes everything charities do — the programs, the services, the millions of people helped everyday — possible."
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