Mr. Speaker, on March 24 I responded to the hon. member for Comox-Alberni on a question concerning the registered charity status of Greenpeace Canada.
I looked into the situation as promised. I wish to inform the member that Greenpeace Canada was formerly a registered charity but this status was revoked in June 1989 by Revenue Canada at the request of Greenpeace itself.
The Greenpeace Canada Charitable Foundation is however a registered charity and it is quite distinct, I am told, from Greenpeace Canada.
With respect to advocacy, political advocacy is permitted to a registered charity but only in a very limited sense. When we get information that this provision is being abused of course Revenue Canada carries out investigations.
I trust this will explain that Greenpeace Canada is permitted to carry out any advocacy that it wishes and that it does not in fact receive charitable status for receipt purposes.