Today Bambi read Mr. Mario Dumont’s latest column published in the Journal de Montréal. His thought-provoking piece is entitled in French “Est-ce que nos impôts subventionnent le terrorisme” (https://tinyurl.com/5bfxumkp)? The latter means: Are our taxes subsidizing terrorism? This post will translate it for you, with the assistance of Mr. Google Translate, Bambi’ s online best friend.
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“In 24 hours, an organization goes from beneficent to terrorist… What a special news, right?
Through naivety, intentional blindness or pure incompetence, is it possible that Canada helped terrorist movements? I am talking here about helping financially. Two issues in two weeks seriously raise the question.
The Journal of Montréal revealed yesterday that the Canadian Muslim Association (CMA) was threatened by the Canada Revenue Agency with losing its charitable status. This association manages several mosques and community centres, which is completely legitimate. However, this organization would at the same time maintain international links with organizations that cause concern.
Surprisingly and intriguingly, the Revenue Agency has been investigating the AMC for “several years”. The Journal de Montréal finds traces of audits announced as early as 2015. We investigate, we worry, we make certain discoveries, but nothing enough to strip the organization of its advantageous tax status.
Long investigation
Among the big question marks are links to the Muslim Brotherhood, fundraising campaigns for unknown organizations in the Middle East and its close ties to other organizations that Canada has placed on a blacklist.
We also deplore the presence in important positions of people with disturbing comments. People who advocate terrorism, particularly by supporting Hamas, find themselves at the heart of the organization. We invited a speaker who justifies violent jihad. In the case of another, the worrying comments are published on social networks.
Despite everything, the Canadian Muslim Association still enjoys this advantageous status for its donors: it is a recognized charitable organization. And the leaders of the organization consider that these checks are simply Islamophobia. Obviously.
Last week we experienced an even weirder situation. The Canadian Minister of Public Security has listed the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun on the list of terrorist entities in Canada. The previous week, Samidoun members publicly burned a Canadian flag while chanting “Death to Canada” in Vancouver.
Beneficence?
What is astonishing is that this extremist group also had charitable status until the moment of this decision. Let’s admit that it’s quite astonishing. On Tuesday, you issue charitable receipts to your donors. On Wednesday, you are considered a terrorist organization. Only in Canada!
We need to understand what charitable status means for tax purposes. The donor receives a tax credit ranging from 15% to 29%. Here is the tax that would be due and for which the State gives the taxpayer a holiday. In other words, it is the government that pays part of the donation. Yes, it is a form of subsidy.
Obviously, there are two things happening in Canada.
We are too quick to give financial benefits to organizations.
We are too slow to detect organizations with terrorist affiliations.
The combination of the two means that we have probably subsidized terrorist movements. Big discomfort”.
