FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q. What is SMCS?
A. SMCS is a federal non-profit organization. We are non-partisan and independent.
Q. Where does SMCS operate?
A. SMCS operates in Canada.
Q. What is SMCS’s mission statement?
A. To educate a new generation of citizens and leaders about Canadian history, heritage and culture; increase their level of civic literacy; and bring their voices and ideas to the nation’s public policy discourse.
Q. Who were Macdonald and Cartier?
A. Sir John Alexander Macdonald and Sir Georges-Étienne Cartier were the two leading Fathers of Confederation. They shared a political career of 25 years from 1848 to 1873.
Q. Why John A Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier ?
A. In 1867, Sir John Alexander Macdonald, a Father of Confederation, became Canada’s first Prime Minister. Born in Scotland on January 10, 1815, he came to Upper Canada as a child. He was a lawyer in Kingston, Ontario, a gifted politician, and a colourful personality. Parliament has recognized January 11 as Sir John A. Macdonald Day. His portrait is on the $10 bill.
Sir George-Étienne Cartier was the key architect of Confederation from Quebec. A railway lawyer, Montrealer, close ally of Macdonald, and patriotic Canadien, Cartier led Quebec into Confederation and helped negotiate the entry of the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, and British Columbia into Canada.
Q. What is SMCS’s toll free number?
A. We do not have a toll free number yet.
Q. Is SMCS a registered charity?
A. No. SMCS received its Letters Patent for incorporation as federal non-profit organization on May 12, 2010. We are currently finalizing the paperwork to apply for charitable status with CRA.
Q. Do I get a receipt for my donation?
A. Our partner organization, The Civics Channel, Inc. (CRA # RS6256536 or whatever) will provide donors with charitable receipts.
For single gifts, the normal procedure is to issue receipts as soon as possible after a donation is received. For monthly gifts, we issue annual receipts at the beginning of February for all donations in the previous year.
For more information about donation receipts for income tax purposes and how to be an informed donor, please go to www.cra.gc.ca/donors.
Q. Will my donation be tax-deductible?
A. The first $200 you report on your return is eligible for a federal tax credit of 15.25% of the donation amount. After the first $200, the tax credit goes from 15.25 percent to 29 percent.
