Canadian Activist Quits Own Foundation as Government Focuses on Green Groups

A prominent Canadian environmentalist is stepping down from his own foundation, citing concerns that his outspokenness on green issues could threaten the group’s charitable status, according to the Vancouver Sun and The Globe and Mail.

David Suzuki’s departure from his namesake foundation comes as Canada’s Conservative government implements a new budget that allocates $8-million to the country’s tax agency to step up oversight of how much charities spend on advocacy and receive from foreign sources.

“I want to speak freely without fear that my words will be deemed too political, and harm the organization of which I am so proud,” Mr. Suzuki said Friday in a statement on the David Suzuki Foundation’s Web site.

In its budget, the government said the money will enhance transparency and ensure that nonprofit groups “devote their resources primarily to charitable, rather than political, activities.” Environmental groups characterize the moves as a bid to curb criticism of large-scale resource-development projects such as a planned $5.5-billion oil pipeline.