Alternatives International is a Montreal-based non-governmental agency that has been accorded charity status by Revenue Canada. Describing itself as "social and political movements struggling against social injustices, neoliberalism, imperialism and war," their actual charitable work is rather difficult to determine.
One of Alternatives' activities last year was to serve as the financial conduit for the Canadian boat that attempted to break the sea blockade imposed around the Gaza strip by Israel in order to prevent arms smuggling by Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. That boat, derisively known as The Sea Hitler, was intercepted by Israel's navy after repeated warnings by the Canadian and Israeli governments against sailing to Gaza. (Currently, its Canadian owner, Sandra Ruch, is trying to launch a far-fetched lawsuit to recover the Comoros-registered vessel) .
 |
| From Alternatives' 2011 tax filing |
Whether Alternatives International has violated the regulations for charitable activities by intentionally engaging in activities that place both Canadians and Israelis at risk is an interesting question.
What is more clear is Alternatives' agenda. On its board sits an individual named Ali Mallah. A close confederate of notorious Khomeinist hatemonger Zafar Bangash, Mallah, a burly, perpetually unkempt Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) organizer is a fixture among the most virulent anti-Israel fanatics in Canada. He was the vice president of the Canadian Arab Federation when that organization lost its federal funding after Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney identified it as being anti-Semitic.
Alternatives is currently the conduit for funds for another attempt to break Israel's sea embargo of the terrorist-controlled Gaza strip. This time by trying to launch the boat from Gaza.
The delivery of tax funds to an organization that seems to be engaged in activities designed to undermine Canadian foreign policy goals could be seen as not only wasteful but irresponsible. Newly appointed International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino, who is now responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency has said he will ensure "that every nickel of taxpayer money is spent for the right reasons." A good way for him to start would be to review federal handouts to Alternatives International and put a stop to the almost three and a half million nickels it receives annually from the federal government.
International Cooperation Minister Fanino can be contacted by email at fantij@parl.gc.ca
and Citizenship and Immigration Minister Kenney at jason.kenney@parl.gc.ca
Alternatives International's Ali Mallah leads a chant calling for the destruction of Israel at a March 2012 pro-Iran rally in Toronto:
No comments:
Post a Comment