The Bloc Québécois wants federal authorities to make public their decision on the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), in the wake of a tax audit which prompted civil servants to worry about possible links between leaders of the organization and a support network for Hamas.
What there is to know
The Canada Revenue Agency says it has found “troubling” links between leaders of the Muslim Association of Canada and a Hamas support network.
The IRS is threatening to revoke the organization’s charitable status.
The association says it is the victim of an “Islamophobic” process and asserts that all allegations will be deflated.
The Press reported Monday the findings of officials from the Canada Revenue Agency’s anti-terrorism team who conducted an audit on the MAC. The process is supposed to be confidential, and authorities have declined to comment on it. But as the MAC attempted to have the audit invalidated by a court before its conclusion, we were exceptionally able to have access to the evidence filed by the tax authorities to justify its approach.
“The involvement of directors/employees in an apparent network of support for Hamas is troubling,” says a tax employee in an affidavit dated December 2022 and filed in Ontario Superior Court.
More generally, “the preliminary results of the audit seem to suggest that [la MAC] is linked to individuals or groups associated with extremism, violence and/or terrorism,” the evidence states.
“The light must be shed”
The MAC has vigorously denied any links to Hamas or extremism in general. She says she is the victim of a biased and Islamophobic process, which makes the entire organization guilty by association for the frequentations, statements, contacts of individual members taken out of context. She says she practices a “moderate, balanced and constructive” Islam, and assures that the allegations made by officials will not hold water.
The standoff takes place while the organization receives millions of dollars in public funds each year, particularly from the federal government.
“The facts reported this morning are disturbing and worrying. Light must be shed on the content of the links between the MAC and the said Hamas support network,” declared Jean-Denis Garon, spokesperson for the Bloc Québécois on national income, Monday.
Even if the Revenue Agency refuses to discuss the matter for the moment, the Bloc wants it to report to the population at the end of the process.
The organization being classified as a charity and receiving several millions in public funds, the population has the right to know what emerges from this audit carried out since 2015. We therefore ask that the final decision be made public.
Jean-Denis Garon, spokesperson for the Bloc Québécois on national income
“Extremism has no place in our society and we must relentlessly fight against any form of support for terrorism or violence. The Canadian state must prepare to intervene if this is the case,” added Mr. Garon.
Few hooks with the Block
The Press compiled political donations made by MAC executives whose names are public. The results show that the Bloc Québécois is by far the party to which they give the least. The rare donations to political training date from 2010.
Since 2004, the leaders of the Islamist organization have donated approximately:
- $49,000 to the Liberal Party of Canada
- $20,000 to the New Democratic Party
- $13,000 to the Conservative Party of Canada
- $6,000 to the Bloc Québécois
A spokesperson for the Minister of National Revenue, Marie-Claude Bibeau, said Monday that the government could not comment on the situation.
“The confidentiality provisions of the laws that the Canada Revenue Agency administers prevent the disclosure of taxpayer information and, therefore, we do not comment on these matters,” said Simon Lafortune, press secretary to the minister. .
With the collaboration of William d’Avignon, The Press