Starving ISIL of money
In the last two years, and as reported in Monday’s National Post, there has been a surge in the reporting of suspicious transactions potentially related to terrorist financing or threats to national security in Canada. That is why our government has bolstered efforts to crack down on terrorist fundraising, depriving groups of the resources they need to plan and carry out attacks both at home and abroad.
When we see terrorism in the news, it is usually the end result: blown out buildings, the victims lying bleeding in the streets, family members crying over lost loved ones. This devastation is an end terrorism seeks, but terrorist financing is the means these groups use to achieve their barbaric objectives.
That terror attacks represent a growing threat to Can- ada is clear enough. In April, Michel Coulombe, head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said that the threat level against Canada has “never been as direct or as immediate.”
The terrorists resent our fight against the Islamic State. They also despise our very identity as a Western democratic state that is pluralistic and tolerant, that celebrates and protects freedom, including freedom of religion. We also seem an inviting target, because of our openness, robust legal protections and transparent capital markets.
Last year, the murder of two unarmed Canadian soldiers left a nation grieving. Due to the excellent work of Canada’s law enforcement and security agencies, we have so far avoided further attacks.
But the fight against terrorist financing has become increasingly urgent. Over the last two years, Canada’s anti-terrorist financing agency, known as FINTRAC, has nearly doubled, from 159 to 298, the intelligence disclosures related to terrorist financing or a threat to national security that it handed over to law enforcement and security agencies.
So our Conservative government responded with increased resources and powers for law enforcement and security agencies.
In Budget 2015, we invested $292 million for intelligence and police forces to counter terrorism. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper said last week, “this money helps ensure that those brave men and women on the front lines of the battle against violent extremism and terrorism have the resources they need to protect us.”
And in last year’s budget, our government strengthened FINTRAC with new funds to help them better assist law enforcement and security agencies combat terrorist financing and other threats.
We also moved to outlaw so-called charitable organizations which have used their special status to raise money and funnel it to terrorist groups abroad.
While sometimes politically unpopular, our government stands alone in our determination to outlaw international terrorist fundraisers, because it will protect Canadian lives.
Canada has also been a leader on the world stage. We are founding members of the counter-ISIL Finance Group. And the international Financial Action Task Force praised Canada this year for making “significant progress” in our anti-terrorist financing system. Earlier this year, I asked the House of Commons’ multi-partisan Finance Committee to study Canada’s anti-terrorist financing efforts. I look forward to their recommendations in the coming weeks.
Some have called for Canada to do nothing more than send blankets to civilian populations persecuted by the Islamic State. This is not our approach. Our government will not stand idly by while terrorist groups wreak carnage abroad and promise attacks on Canadian soil.
We must continue our support for the international campaign against the Islamic State, while continuing our vigilance at home. This includes making sure that the lifeblood of terrorist organizations — money — runs dry.
Our government stands alone in our determination to outlaw international terrorist fundraisers
Oliver: ‘ The fight against terrorist financing has become increasingly urgent.’