EDMONTON – The province is apologizing for a mix-up that previously prevented a $10,000 donation from the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans Villa in south Edmonton, and cleared the way for the donation to proceed.
Alberta Finance Minister Doug Horner says the right questions weren’t asked about the receiving party of the donation.
“The reality is that the Women’s Auxiliary donation was always in the right framework – it was approvable proceeds to donate – we just needed to have the right answers to the right questions. So it was really a miscommunication and I apologize for that.”
The Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary of the Strathcona Legion branch was trying to donate $10,000 it raised through bingo events to help the Veterans Villa with some renovations.
Last fall, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) refused to approve it, saying the Veterans Villa didn’t meet the criteria for receiving charitable gaming proceeds. The Auxiliary appealed and was denied.
Friday, Horner – who overseas gaming in the province – explained the ownership and use of the villa may have been the concern.
“One of the criteria is that the receiving group is a not-for-profit, it appeared as if that might not have been the case,” explained Horner. “When I sent the letter to have the review, they asked some more questions and discovered that indeed the donation would qualify.”
In response to Global News coverage in April, a spokesperson for AGLC said “overall, the main element that drives the policy is the idea that gaming proceeds may be used to support groups that deliver a program which provides a community benefit (not individual).”
Residential living areas, supported by individuals who pay rent, are not considered an eligible use of gaming proceeds.
However, after reviewing the Ladies Auxiliary donation, and looking more closely at the Veterans Villa, Horner says that facility has been reclassified and is eligible to accept the charitable donation.
“What we have asked the AGLC to do is when a ‘no’ is put forward to a group, we make sure that we ask all the right questions, and in this case all the right questions were not asked,” he admits.
“The donation can proceed and we are very pleased about that.”
Linda Trewin of the Ladies Auxiliary met with Horner and the CEO of the AGLC Friday morning, where she was told about the decision regarding the donation to the villa.
“It turns out that, because it’s not-for-profit, because they’ve looked into it, seen what they’re doing, everything is OK now. Anything that goes to that building is approved.”
“It was just amazing because they had the people from AGLC there, and they had all spoken and they agreed that what we are doing – the Ladies Auxiliary – is amazing,” she shared, beaming. “And their answer is… we are allowed to donate that money.”
The Ladies Auxiliary is thrilled its donation will be able to support the Veterans Villa after all.
“I’m very excited about that,” says Trewin. “We can donate – any of the Ladies Auxiliaries – can donate any time they want to the Vets Villa because it has been listed as a non-profit, which I assumed it already had been.”
Trewin is grateful the province and AGLC reviewed the original decision, and glad the Auxiliary didn’t just take ‘no’ for an answer.
“If you don’t get out there and fight … if I had not questioned, they would not be allowed to receive money from places like us.”
Horner agrees changing the classification of the Veterans Villa so that it can receive the donation was the right decision.
“As it turned out, when you ask a few more questions, the right decision is, it’s a good donation.”
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