By Kate Dewhurst

THE Victoria Right to Life Society has voted to request a voluntary revocation of their charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency.  

The membership made the decision at their March 21 AGM, in an effort to address previous financial irregularities. While this is the beginning of the end of the society in its current incarnation, there is hope for rebirth.  

“I am not here to preside over a funeral,” said Dr. Philip Ney, who chaired the meeting and muscled the membership through the agenda while promoting one of his own.

He hoped that the society could move towards “something more efficient and more focused. Like the Phoenix, we can have a rebirth.”

Throughout the meeting, Ney tried to inspire interest in forming a new society.  

The voluntary revocation comes after a troubled year for the VRTL Society, a pro-life, non-profit with an educational focus and approximately 200 members.

At the society’s disorderly AGM last October, a motion was passed for an independent financial review after a list of grievances was circulated by several society and board members.

They claimed that financial reporting was lacking and that CRA regulations had been violated.

In addition, there were several allegations concerning then president Michael Green.

Green and his supporters did not stand for re-election, and the newly elected board moved forward with the financial review, with Peter Stornebrink, a former professional engineer and community college teacher, as their new president.  

“The independent financial review was started but could not be completed due to lack of documents that should have been kept as required by the CRA,” said Stornebrink.

“The problems were far worse than expected.”

After contacting the CRA for advice, “the independent reviewer was advised to do a voluntary disclosure [to the CRA] reporting in detail about what was wrong with the society’s books, records, control of its assets and reporting,” said Stornebrink.

However, some board members questioned the work of the independent reviewer, an anonymous volunteer, and consequently the reviewer stepped down.  

After discussing their options, the board opted, by a narrow margin, to call an early AGM and recommend voluntary revocation to the society.

This approach is “the most benevolent way of dealing with past board members who could be in serious trouble if it is not voluntary,” Stornebrink said at the meeting.

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He explained that legal action might be taken against previous board members should the CRA audit the society.   Still, some society members were clearly worried about the voluntary revocation.  

“If we close down, there will be no voice against abortion in Victoria,” said concerned board member Mary Earnshaw. “There is no one, at the present time, who will do the Life Chain. There will be nothing for the young girl to let her know abortion is wrong.”  

Julie Mander from Duncan said: “it is going to be difficult to get charitable status,” for a new organization.

With the CRA tightening regulations, particularly for faith-based groups, she might be right. Others members wondered if there were alternatives to the voluntary revocation.

Board member Steve Weatherbe said he considered “carrying on as before and starting the fiscal review process over again.” However, he said the review would be a significant expense for the financially strapped organization.

Additionally, Stornebrink and others had stated they would report the society to the CRA if the voluntary revocation did not occur.

“If we follow this course of action [revocation], we can put the past behind us,” said Weatherbe.  

Society member Vince Richards agreed. He likened the situation to the society experiencing an earthquake. “We have to get out from under the rubble,” he said.  

The motion for voluntary revocation was carried unanimously. Board elections followed and previous members Earnshaw, Jim Fitzpatrick and Wendy Willis were returned; two new members were added. After six months of strenuous work as the society’s president, Stornebrink did not stand for re-election and cited health and family reasons.

The new board is mandated to submit the request for voluntary revocation to the CRA.

New president Steve Weatherbe told BCCN: “This decision to shut down in an orderly fashion over the next year to two years is being done to restart with a clean slate in terms of fiscal management. We have every hope that a new pro-life organization will replace ours, and fulfill its purpose to educate the public about the sanctity of life.

“We have savings we could spend on programs towards that end, and these programs could well survive our demise. The board has yet to decide this. Otherwise, our savings will go to other registered charities with pro-life goals.”

Near the end of the meeting, Ney circulated a proposal for a new organization with new objectives: The Victoria Light and Life Society. For a new society to rise from the ashes, a group of five will need to apply for charitable status.

If successful, it could be possible to transfer  VRTL’s remaining assets to the new organization.

April 2010