In a statement by the National Council of Canadian Muslims, Chief Operating Officer Nadia Hasan has shown concern over increasing evidence on Canada Revenue Agency’s profiling of Islamic charities. It is believed individuals or charities benefitting from charitable tax credits have been targeted by CRA audits…
To make this accusation, Ms Hasan referred to an in-depth joint research study conducted with the University of Toronto’s Institute of Islamic Studies, which has been led by Professor Anver Emon in over a year…
The study shows the CRA-aligned audits are usually driven by insecurities. According to the NCCM, “this doesn’t mean that Muslim-led charities never do anything wrong… However, the CRA profiles Muslim-led charities in ways that others aren’t.” And that has raised questions necessitating answers…
The statement called upon leaders of the Muslim community across Canada to take part in a virtual event to discuss the issue with federal officials and demand that the bias and profiling of charitable and humanitarian organisations be stopped…
The statement eventually recommended that support be shown to the NCCM so that it could maintain its work against discrimination and stereotyping within different government agencies, including CRA.
Observers tell “Sada al-Mashrek” that several Islamic associations’ and centres’ activities have been audited by CRA in the recent years; some were punished by revoking their charitable status after volunteers, who weren’t fully aware of CRA’s regulations, had made administrative errors.
Instead of instructing them on the legal ways to run charity money or help them to correct the errors, the federal agency ran loads of audits over years, consuming much effort, time, and money paid to lawyers and auditors. So while seeking to promote their services, including religious, educational, scouting, and sporting events, these community organisations have been offended…
To stop this injustice, it is a must to collaborate with the NCCM in hopes of reaching rational solutions and mature understandings that limit the misapprehensions between the Muslim community and CRA. At the end of the day, people should be viewed as citizens, not as ethnic or religious variants. The Editors