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This Canadian cancer charity tells the public it spends most of its donations on charitable works. Financial records tell a different story , Dec. 15 Over the last 40 years, I have been a breast cancer researcher.
Researchers depend on grants from governments, hospitals, and not-for-profit charitable organizations to support their studies. I was mortified when I read the article concerning the practices of Breast Cancer Canada, a cancer charity. The article highlights the discrepancy between public reports and those to the CRA, as well as the lack of transparency in fund allocation.
What was not mentioned was that of the $18 million raised in 2023 (available online from CRA), only $250,000 (1.4 per cent) will be awarded this year to researchers who apply for funding to support a research study. This seems to me to be a minuscule amount for an organization that claims they raise funds to support research.
How disappointing. Importantly, the information in the investigative report could potentially impact fundraising for health-related research in general due to a loss of public confidence. Mark Levine, Hamilton I was one of the many women who donated to Breast Cancer Canada at a kiosk at my local grocery store in 2022 where two young women told me the “story” about a blood test to detect breast cancer that will replace the uncomfortable mammograms that all women despise.
There is no such test now. I am angry. I will never donate to BCC ever again.
They have more than lost my trust. CEO Kimberly Carson should be fired. Monica Kavanagh, Thornhill, ON Charities should not spend more than 10 per cent of the total revenue to generate support.
Clearly this is not the case at Breast Cancer Canada. Unfortunately, this is just one example of imprudent spending by charities . Research will easily demonstrate that many health research charities are spending far too much revenue to raise support.
The federal agencies responsible for charities should review the requirements to receive charitable status. Cameron Finley, Lindsay Two sets of books? Using paid external fundraising firms while claiming it doesn’t? And then stating it didn’t know this was happening? I’d be interested to know the salaries of internal executives who presided over these interesting accounting procedures. Anita Dermer, Toronto The article, from Sunday’s Star, provides us with an important opportunity to reflect on areas where we need to improve.
The Board and management at Breast Cancer Canada are united in our desire to resolve any CRA reporting issues and to instill confidence among donors about our transparency. In that spirit, over the last year we have moved all of our financial reporting duties to a new accounting firm, hired new staff dedicated to fundraising and donor education, and engaged external support to review our mandate. Over the coming months we will continue our important work to demonstrate our accountability and transparency to donors and to shine a light on the need to improve care and treatment for breast cancer patients.
Kimberly Carson, CEO, Breast Cancer Canada, Sarnia Rob Ford humiliated Toronto. He was also my friend. Ten years on, we’re all still getting him wrong , Dec.
14 In the same breath of saying “Rob’s mayoralty ended 10 years ago this month,” John Filion writes that “You can see the effects ...
a decade later.” In reality, those 10 years tell us more about the lack of achievements by the mayor and council that followed than about Rob. With all his sad human failings, Rob Ford was nevertheless a true people’s mayor; and one who would never have had the arrogance to utter “I will not listen to a petition, and I don’t care how many names are on it”; those being the words on record from a current councillor .
Had council only listened to Mayor Rob Ford on one thing: “subways, subways, subways!” Hans Zander, Toronto Respect Gen Z and we’ll show respect to boomers, too , Oct. 26 I am at the tail end of the boomer generation myself and I don’t blame some young people for sometimes wishing we’d get out of the way. Take the comics in this paper.
I was sure that I was reading some of them when I was eight or nine years old at my grandfather’s house, but the truth is I wasn’t even alive when a lot of them began. I looked them up: Blondie (published first in 1930), Beetle Bailey (1950), Hi and Lois (1954) Family Circus (1960), Hägar the Horrible (1973). In all of these cases, the original creator has long since passed away and some of their sons who took over have too.
And as much as I like For Better and Worse these are a rerun now (slightly updated). How many times do we need to see Dagwood late for work, Beetle getting yelled at by Sarge, Hagar looting another castle or Billy’s route to get something for his parents? Wouldn’t it be nice to give some new talent a chance? The news in the last few years is pretty depressing and I end my weekdays reading the comics (or start my day in the case of Saturday). I follow a lot of artists struggling to make it and it’s a real shame for all that no one is seeing their work.
Mary Sullivan, Lindsay, ON Ford government’s encampment crackdown will have people cycling through shelters and jails. There’s a better way, Dec. 13 This opinion piece by Nick Kerman and Vicky Stergiopoulos on encampments should be required reading for every politician in Canada.
The authors point out that the solution to homelessness — the housing first approach — has been demonstrated to be highly effective through five cities randomized controlled trial across Canada. Combining rent supplements with mental health and addiction supports results in long term housing stability and improved social functioning. This is not rocket science! Although the study was funded by government and has been presented at scientific meetings around the world, politicians in Canada appear to be unaware of the findings.
What is required is the attention of Canadian decision makers and the political will to implement a truly evidence-based solution! Donald Wasylenki, Toronto.
