Like germ and chemical warfare, the free use of the state and its proxies to crush dissent can result in a serious case of petard-hoisting. Let’s hope that it happens with all deliberate speed in this case.

The increasingly totalitarian Harper regime is going after charities deemed too “political,” and those who obtain foreign funding. It’s a non-problem, of course: the purpose is to sow fear among environmental groups, who, like First Nations activists, are on the Harper Enemies List.

The usual shills have lost no time jumping on the honey-wagon, denouncing the David Suzuki Foundation for daring to advocate for the environment.

Yet, what have we here? The Manning Institute, clearly a political outfit if ever there was one, continues to maintain its charitable status.

And, speaking of foreign donations, the Fraser Institute, another far-right “think tank” with charitable status, received half a million dollars in the past four years from the notorious American Koch brothers.

If the arms-length CRA is even-handed about this, we should see the hammer come down on these organizations. I say “if,” not because I doubt the honesty and fairness of the CRA auditors, but because, under this government, direct interference in departmental and Crown agency affairs is hardly unheard-of.

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. If the government insists on pouring it, then we should expect the CRA to make it a hot one when it comes to far-right “charitable” groups whose entire raison d’être is political advocacy—effectively subsidized by the taxpayer, with a little help from foreign extremists.