The European Commission has decided to refer Belgium to the European Court of Justice because in its view the Walloon inheritance and gift tax laws discriminate against foreign charities.

As the G8 Summit gets under way at Gleneagles in Scotland today, let us bear in mind some words of wisdom from the much respected Nelson Mandela: ‘[...] overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.

Hon. Paul Harold Macklin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that if one looks at the charities legislation, registered charities are free to engage in public debate and conduct public awareness campaigns.

Various forms can be distinguished within each of the religious fundamentalisms, whether Islamic, Christian or Jewish: ranging from Christian fundamentalisms such as 'Catholic nationalism' under Franco and many aspects of the Inquisition, to Islamic fundamentalisms, among which there is a great proliferation of Islamic movements and leaders: neo-Hanbalite Wahabi fundamentalism in Central Arabia in the mid-18 century, later to be revived as Wahabism in the 20 century; Hassan al-Banna (Arab world) and Abul Ala-Mawdudi (India); the Muslim Brothers (1927); the Nahda; Al-Dawa in Iraq (1956) and Dubai; Hizbollah in Iran and Lebanon (1980); the Palestinian Hamas movement; the FIS (1991) in Algeria; Al-Nahda in Tunisia; the Moroccan ...[+++] movement Justice and Charity; Islam el-Bashir in Sudan; Elkadi Hussein in Pakistan; Yamaa Islamiya in Lebanon; the Islamic Party in Iraq; the Taliban in Afghanistan; Islamic groups and League for Preaching (Dawa) in Europe and the United States, among many others.

GOVERNMENT ORDERS The House resumed consideration of the motion of Ms. McLellan (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Mitchell (Secretary of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario)), That Bill C-36, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Official Secrets Act, the Canada Evidence Act, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Act and other Acts, and to enact measures respecting the registration of charities in order to combat ...[+++]terrorism, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

GOVERNMENT ORDERS At 7:17 p.m., pursuant to Order made earlier this day, the House resumed consideration of the motion of Ms. McLellan (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Mitchell (Secretary of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario)), That Bill C-36, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Official Secrets Act, the Canada Evidence Act, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Act and other Acts, and to enact measures respecting the registration of charities ...[+++] in order to combat terrorism, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.