Salute the generous Canadian

More good news: Canadians are becoming increasingly generous. According to Statistics Canada, charitable donations in 2005 increased by 13.8 per cent over 2004. Some highlights:

• Six million Canadians donated a record $7.9 billion.
• The highest increase was in Alberta at 21.1 per cent.
• The highest median donation came from residents of Nunavut, $400 per person, almost twice the Canadian average of $240 per person.
• A quarter of tax filers claimed charitable donations with Manitoba leading at 28 per cent.

So pat yourselves on the back, you one in four tax filers. As for you other three, time to pony up.