Gord has a long history of being part of the show. He has worked in theatre, arts and broadcasting, hosted a program on McMaster University’s radio station and even managed a movie theatre where his love of film was part of his everyday work experience. Yet, as important as entertainment and being part of an artistic community have been to Gord, few people have more respect for the power of numbers, forms and processes.
Gord’s track record in entertainment is matched by his commitment to helping people who are living in poverty. A well-known activist and member of the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction – where, fittingly, he is part of the speakers bureau – Gord has seen how something as apparently routine as a tax return can impact lives. He is a vocal advocate and supporter, for example, of the Hamilton Tax Clinic, a partnership of United Way, the Social Planning and Research Council and the City of Hamilton. The clinic operates in a number of locations throughout the community where volunteers provide free assistance to local families in completing and filing their tax returns.
That kind of service is more than just an administrative helping hand. Gord points out that for people living near or below the poverty level, a properly completed tax filing can create access to some of the 41 different tax credits available to people in need. The result is a vital reduction in taxes owing and, often, a refund of precious dollars that would have otherwise been withheld. “It’s very important,” stresses Gord. “If you don’t file, you can’t access the credits. So go out and do it!”