Re: Who and what constrains lobbying and protest by nonprofit groups?
Graeme Bacque (gbacque@idirect.com)
Sun, 14 Nov 1999 02:13:45 -0500
Tom Boland wrote:
>
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> Nonprofit groups have a legal right to advocate for - or criticize -
> government policy. Yet few do so, preferring to deliver services instead
> of engaging in controversy. Why?
>
> Who and what constrains lobbying and protest by nonprofit groups?
>
In slash-and-burn Ontario it all too often boils down to the fact that
any organization which receives funding from the government is scared
shitless of losing their financial support. With the current government
this kind of petty fiscal revenge happens regularly.
On a more personal note, it is an unfortunate fact that 'service
provision' is a growth industry that employs a great many people, and
said individuals are often defensive about their continued employment -
this is hardly an incentive to engage in activities which could lead to
firing or over the long haul result in one's job description becoming
extinct. In addition, it is a sad reality that many people who go into
this line of work frankly enjoy making other people dependent upon them
- the sense of power and control is far more addictive than any drug,
and much more dangerous.
Registered charities are a different proposition - in Ontario,
organizations which are legally classified as charitable bodies are not
permitted to engage in more than very limited political activity or
advocacy. (In Ontario I believe it amounts to a maximum of 15 or 20 per
cent of any such organizations's total activities that can be legally
devoted to politics or advocacy).
--
Graeme
http://webhome.idirect.com/~gbacque/gbacque.html