Public Safety Canada Report on Terrorist Threat in Canada
On August 25, 2016, Public Safety Canada released its 2016 Public Report on the Terrorist Threat to Canada (the “Report”). The Report covers the principle terrorist threat to Canada, recent domestic and international terrorist attacks, the National Terrorism Threat Level, the global terrorism threat, emerging issues and how Canada is responding to the threat. The National Terrorism Threat Level at the time that the Report was published was at “Medium”. The Report says that the primary terrorist threat to Canada remains “violent extremists”, both those inspired by a terrorist ideology and those directed by a terrorist group. Daesh (a.k.a. the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (“ISIL”); a.k.a. the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (“ISIS”)) and al-Qaida are listed as specific terrorist groups that pose a threat to Canada.
The Report also raises the issue of extremist travellers; those who travel to conflict areas in order to join terrorist groups. The Report discusses ISIS as a global terrorism threat, detailing actions in specific areas of the world. Emerging issues include advances in technology, participation of women in terrorism-related activities, and the use of chemical weapons. The Report details that Canada is responding to threats through arrests and convictions, terrorist listings, the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, military efforts, stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, supporting stabilisation, exposing and countering ISIS ideology, counter-terrorism capacity building programs, gathering research to deepen understanding, and eliminating ISIS’s sources of funds. When moving to eliminate any terrorist organization’s sources of funds, there is always a focus on improperly diverted charitable funds, and therefore charities working in conflict zones or in communities where “extremism” has been identified need to be aware of the ongoing and increasing government oversight.
Significant Changes to FATF Recommendation 8 and Interpretive Notes
As reported in our June 2016 Charity & NFP Law Update, the Financial Action Task Force (“FATF”) revised FATF Recommendation 8 and its Interpretive Note (“INR8”), which are now part of the FATF’s main Recommendation Document. The FATF is an inter-governmental body responsible for setting and monitoring international standards to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Recommendation 8 deals specifically with combating the abuse of non-profit organisations, on an international scale. The revised INR8 contains many changes that have resulted from the call for public consultation on the INR8 in November 2015 and the April 2016 consultation and dialogue meetings with non-profit organisations in Vienna.
For the balance of this Alert, please see Anti-Terrorism and Charity Law Alert No. 46.