A leading expert in extremist financing and money laundering has condemned the Canada Revenue Agency’s approach to policing Muslim charity. The expert tagged it as seriously deficient in its handling of a lengthy audit of the Muslim Association of Canada.
Expert decries ‘guilt by association’ tactics in audit of Muslim charity
In a new report, University of Manitoba professor Michelle Gallant scrutinised the CRA’s audit of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC). She concluded that the agency’s methods fell short despite its stated objective to combat terrorist abuse.
The study adds to a growing body of calls for the revenue agency to reform its practices. This is to eliminate bias and discrimination from its oversight of charitable organisations.
Additionally, Gallant’s report urges the agency to deepen its understanding of different cultures and religions, particularly Islam. This is to communicate its audit processes more transparently, and to consider regularly publishing lists of individuals and groups that charities should avoid engaging with.
MAC, which launched a legal challenge in an attempt to halt the CRA’s audit, commissioned Gallant to conduct the review. Gallant stated that she received no payment for the work and had no prior connections to either the charity or the revenue agency.
Meanwhile, the association says more than 150,000 Canadians utilise its mosques, schools, and community centres annually. MAC has long argued that the audit, carried out by the revenue agency, was fundamentally compromised by systemic bias and Islamophobia.
Agency declines to comment as Muslim group seeks closure
Gallant’s report highlights the difficult position such scrutiny creates. It states that efforts to police extremism place charities in the unenviable position of making decisions.
“Despite the distinctive ambitions of the administrative agency, the effort to police terrorist abuse in the case of the MAC audit that effort proved seriously deficient,” she wrote.
Gallant noted that the agency placed heavy emphasis on MAC’s associations and ties with other entities in its analysis. She described considerable debate over the implications and effectiveness of such links or associational methods.
It also warns that they risk capturing innocent activity through mere connections. She added that such an approach carries the danger of over-inclusion and can fail to accurately distinguish between suspicious activity and legitimate conduct.
The report further observed that leaders, volunteers and employees of Muslim charities inherently exist within their religious communities. In an interview, Gallant suggested the revenue agency could take a more proactive role in educating charities about potential risks.
However, revenue agency spokesperson Nina Ioussoupova declined to comment on Gallant’s recommendations. She stated that the charities directorate does not comment on third-party reports.
In a separate development, a Canadian politician and activist, Avi Lewis, has accused US President Donald Trump of fuelling a humanitarian crisis in Cuba through an oil blockade. Lewis stated that the policy is causing devastating power outages and rationing for the island’s 11 million people.