Evidence of meeting #79 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was isis.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Mr. Rankin, we're kind of straying way off terrorist financing.
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Well, Mr. Saxton referred to the word “money laundering” and you used the expression “fronts” when you were talking about the need to have greater transparency amongst intermediaries during your opening.
I'm not sure if you want to comment on Mr. Saxton's use of that troubling term to describe your work on charities and so forth—“fronts,” “money laundering”? Perhaps you could expand.
As an Individual
Mr. Chairman, I'll respond very briefly.
As I clearly said, I have seen no evidence of eco-terrorism or any sort of terrorist activity. What I have seen, quite apart from that point is that if environmentalist organizations can do this, then any organization can do this, which is to use a series of organizations to move money from a foundation to a non-profit, then back into a charitable foundation, etc.
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Could you give us a specific illustration of that, or is this just conjecture? Give us a name.
Conservative
As an Individual
I would be glad to respond, Mr. Chairman, but it is not easy to give a short answer, if you want specific names. I would be glad to give you that information. I don't know how germane it is to your issue of terrorist financing, since the organizations that I would mention have absolutely nothing, as far as I know, to do with terrorist financing.
Mr. Chairman, do you still want me to answer the question?
Conservative
Conservative
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
A front is being used in an inappropriate way for “money laundering”, in the words of Mr. Saxton. What front? Give us one name.
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Yes, they were. You used the word “front”. “Front groups” were your exact words in your opening.
As an Individual
What I said was that I can see how charitable organizations could be used as a front. I can give you specific examples of the chain of transactions of money within the charitable sector, but I have not seen that used to fund terrorism. I would be glad to answer your question—
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
I think you were going to give one illustration. I don't recall hearing that.
As an Individual
I'll give you one example.
The Yellowstone to Yukon initiative is a registered Canadian charity. It has reported zero financing over a number of years. Actually, the majority of its funding, if I am not mistaken, in the millions of dollars, has come from an American charitable foundation. That money, first of all, goes into a non-profit society based in Canmore, Alberta, and then that organization funds the Canadian registered charity. The money is Canadianized through a non-profit organization, so when you look at the tax returns, you see zero foreign funding over a period of years, when in fact the funds the charity has been using did originate from outside of Canada.
There, you wanted an example.
NDP
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
It's a front organization involved in what Mr. Saxton calls “money laundering”. Is that your testimony?