Unnoticed 2018 merger in Qubec

by Corney 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Corney

  Three years ago, on September 1 - 4, 2018, Watch Tower Society of Quebec (La Tour de Garde, Société de Bibles et de Traités du Québec), finalised its merger ("voluntary amlgamation") with "123 incorporated congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec," with Kingdom Halls owned by these incorporated congregations (total book value - CA$114,390,856, or 92 million USD) becoming assets of the Society. Quebec congregations continue to exist as unincorporated associations and registered charities, while WT Quebec only "manages, maintains and constructs" KHs ("in cooperation with" WT Canada and JW Congregation Support (formerly Regional Building Committee)) and appoints certain elders to officiate marriages in the province.

  Sources:

  https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/dsplyBscSrch

  http://www.registreentreprises.gouv.qc.ca/en/

  (search term: "La Tour de Garde")
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  StephaneLaliberte

  I don't understand this move. I really don't. Now, if they are sued for something, kingdom halls and assembly halls could be seized. I don't get it.
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  waton

  I don't understand this move.

  SL, in this money game, you have to analyze all the moves.

  jws having la liberte' to vote on these resolutions in the kh. now on zoom.
  
  
  
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I don't know about Canada, but in the US over the past decade or so they have made movements to get the deeds of KH properties written so the property belongs to the WT, and not to the local congregation. The result ultimately is that the WT entity 'RBC', Regional Building Committee or something like that, can arbitrarily sell a KH and make the congregation double up use of a KH. Years ago each KH was built, financed, owned and managed by the local congregation with little or no reference to the WT corporation nationally. Now it is different and they (RBC) are using sale of volunteer-built KHs as a money raising scheme.
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  Rocketman123

  Perceivable assets of over 114 million , kind of shows the kind of money wrapped up in the JWS religion.

  This is just one Province in Canada.
  
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  asp59

  Makes you wonder for how long they been planning selling KHs and going online. Clearly over ten year's.
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  joe134cd

  Once the Crown Jewels are gone you can’t get them back.
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  Gorb

  It is all about money.

  G.
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  Anony Mous

  @stephane: they only merged the legal entities of the physical properties, the actual congregations are still individual “independent” entities, except now they don’t have property to seize.

  They did this a while back in the US as well, with the FDS being its own legal entity responsible for the dissemination of spiritual food and then the WTBTS having its own legal structure that owns the buildings and the printing presses. They did the same trick for Kingdom Halls, splitting the legal structure between the “KH building committee” often with its own chairman/secretary/treasury structure and the individual congregations that meet there having their own legal entity.

  They have used this structure to defend them (successful) from legal suits, as the WTBTS claims no control over the FDS and the FDS being untouchable without any assets under 1st amendment religious freedom doctrine.