P.O. Box 14786
Las Vegas, NV 89114 USA
30 July 1999

Revenue Canada
Charities Division
Place De Ville Tower "A", 18th Floor
320 Queens Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0L5 CANADA

ATTN: Mssr. Carl Juneau

Dear Mssr. Juneau:

We understand that the Charities Division is considering the application by the Church of Scientology for charitable status in Canada.

We are not citizens of Canada and thus have no official standing in this case. However, we wish to call your attention to the Church's pattern of behavior that should prevent it from being granted charitable status.

The US's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) granted nonprofit status to the Church of Scientology in 1993 after 26 years of denying its applications because of "the commercial character of much of Scientology," its "virtually incomprehensible financial procedures" and its "scripturally based hostility to taxation". During these years, the Church brought thousands of law suits against the agency and its officials, but the courts consistently upheld the IRS's decisions.

New York Times, 9 March 1997
"The Shadowy Story Behind Scientology's Tax-Exempt Status"
by Douglas Franz
<http:// www.solitarytrees.net/ cowen/ essays/ nytimes.html>

It was completely unexpected, then, when the IRS granted the Church tax exemption in 1993. However, in 1997 the Wall Street Journal reported on a secret agreement between the IRS and Scientology. Under its terms, the Church paid US$12.5 million and dropped its suits against the agency. The Church did well by this agreement: not only did the IRS finally grant it tax-exempt status, but also forgave its back taxes. A Scientology lawyer stated, "At one time the IRS asserted [that the church owed] hundreds of millions of dollars, [and] it might have gone as high as a billion dollars."

The Wall Street Journal, 30 December 1997
"Scientologists and IRS Settled for $12.5 Million"
by Elizabeth MacDonald
<http:// www.solitarytrees.net/ cowen/ essays/ wj301297.html>
<http:// www.solitarytrees.net/ cowen/ essays/ agreemnt.html>

Additional information about Scientology's battle with the IRS can be read at:

<http:// www.solitarytrees.net/ cowen/ essays/ irs.html>

As you must be aware, the Church has a long history of controversial behavior, including the infiltration of government offices (in Canada and the US) and libel of a Crown attorney, as well as harassment and intimidation of critics, reporters, judges, and others. Scientology is quick to state it has "cleaned house" and that these activities have been discontinued. Allow us to counter this blatantly false claim by calling your attention to its most recent harassment incident.

Because of its controversial nature, the Church of Scientology draws a number [of] critics. One individual actively protesting Church policies and actions is Mr. William G. ("Gregg") Hagglund of Toronto. He has demonstrated, with others, on the sidewalks in front of the Scientology organization on Yonge Street in Toronto. See Enclosure (1) for the "Picket Rules" under which these protestors operate. We include these to underscore their peaceful and orderly nature. Also, reports of past demonstrations can be read at:

<http:// www.geocities.com/ HotSprings/ Spa/ 8412/ index.html>

Mr. Hagglund has been targeted recently by the Church of Scientology in an attempt to silence his Charter-protected criticism. It has accused him of Nazi-like religious bigotry and hatred; however, Detective Richard Kijewski of the Toronto Police Service's hate-crimes unit has investigated the Church's claims and concludes that Mr. Hagglund's activities are criticism, not hatred.

The Globe and Mail, 24 February 1999
"Two-year Battle Reveals Scientologists as Vigorous Opponents"
by Timothy Appleby
<http:// groups.google.com/ group/ alt.religion.scientology/ msg/ 921bc6013f876822 ?dmode=source>

Because Scientology has not been successful in attacking Mr. Hagglund directly, it has moved against his family.

The Toronto organization's public affairs director, Reverend Al Buttnor, and associate Catherine Manning visited Mr. Hagglund's elderly parents in their home to discuss their son's "religious bigotry". Mr. Hagglund is not a child; his parents are not responsible for his actions. There was no purpose to this visit except to intimidate. (Enclosure (2))

Several months later, Scientologist Peter Ramsay sent an inflammatory and possibly libelous letter to Mr. Hagglund's parents and brother, threatening the parents' church and the brother's reputation. Again, there [was] no reason other than to frighten them into exerting pressure on Mr. Hagglund to discontinue his critical activities. (Enclosure (3))

As a result of these threats, Mr. Hagglund's parents are terrified for their son's (and their own) safety. Mr. Hagglund's brother has cut off all contact with him in fear of the consequences of continued association. Another relative has informed Mr. Hagglund to expect a similar "disconnection" if the Church targets them. (Enclosure (4))

This emotional terrorism is completely unacceptable behavior, especially for an organization claiming to be a church and applying for charitable status. Mr. Hagglund's father, Mr. [privacy deletia], is a retired [privacy deletia]; his brother, [privacy deletia], is a [privacy deletia]. The Church of Scientology is well aware of the Hagglunds' positions [privacy deletia] and still it harasses them—and will continue to do so, even if charity status is granted.

This is in keeping with the Church's scriptural doctrine of "Fair Game", which instructs members that "enemies" (anyone critical of Scientology) "may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed." -Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter of 18 October 1967, Issue IV

Nor is Mr. Hagglund's case an isolated event. Scientology has no concern for families and uses them for its intimidation purposes whenever convenient. The Church routinely follows critics, distributes "religious bigot" leaflets in their neighborhoods, hires private investigators to search through critics' backgrounds for potential vulnerabilities, uses the legal system to harass (another scriptural doctrine), and occasionally even attempts to provoke violence. For a compilation of the Church's recent harassments, please see:

<http:// www.solitarytrees.net/ pickets/ sp0000.htm>

We ask if this is the kind of "charity" Canada wants to support with its tax monies? The Church of Scientology, one of the few corporations in Canada criminally convicted of Breach of Public Trust, will continue to act deplorably even with charity status, as it has done in the United States. We therefore urge you most strongly to deny the Church's application for charitable status.

Sincerely,

Ted Mayett

Ted.Mayett@worldnet.att.net
P.O. Box 14786
Las Vegas, NV 89114 USA
(702) 696-1966

Keshet

keshet@cyberpass.net
Use of an alias may lessen my credibility but allows me to engage in critical activities while protecting my family from Church harassment.

       

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