Why are so Many Taxpayers Being Abused? :CRA SOTW
Alan Baggett
Columnist replies: If that's so, why are so many taxpayers being
abused?
Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2007
I don't think editorial page editor Fazil Mihlar did National Revenue
Minister Gordon O'Connor any favour when he agreed to run the …
[interview].
All I see it doing is to expose a shallow bumbler.
Pity. Because O'Connor, as a minister new to his portfolio, had a
chance to distinguish himself on this file.
All he had to do was look at some of the examples of his agency, the
Canada Revenue Agency, running roughshod over Canadian taxpayers and
admit that some of his bureaucrats are out of control, far too prone
to misuse the vast power Parliament has given them. And he could have
vowed to rein in excesses and ensure taxpayers are treated with
fairness and common sense.
Instead, he responded with the bumph and platitudes you see above,
pretending nothing's wrong.
Ottawa's vaunted new Taxpayer Bill of Rights is proving to be a sick
joke -- a key theme in the many tales of woe I've been telling in
recent weeks.
CRA's internal complaints processes often don't work, and court is far
too expensive and time-consuming an option for most people to
consider. Not that it should be any surprise when people have no faith
in, and get no satisfaction from, pro forma reviews by the very people
who caused their problem in the first place.
And to say a taxpayer whose complaint isn't settled "will eventually
be able to take it to the taxpayers' ombudsman" is to underline how
out of touch with reality he is.
Eventually, indeed! The announcement of the ombudsman's position --
which may or may not be enough to clean up this long-festering
problems -- was made last spring. Yet O'Connor and his cabinet
colleagues haven't got around to making the appointment yet.
Meanwhile, people harassed by CRA and sorely penalized for anything
short of instant compliance with often outrageous demands are asking
-- nay, begging -- for relief. Now.
Thus you won't be surprised, Mr. Minister, that some questions remain.
I do understand that you can't talk about specific cases --Canada's
privacy legislation ensures that. (Indeed, I sometimes think the main
reason Parliament and our legislatures have passed such strong privacy
laws is to provide a screen for guys like you and your bureaucrats to
hide behind.)
But Mihlar tells me the offer for you to chat with The Sun's editorial
board -- in person or by telephone -- still stands. So here are few
questions that focus on broader issues illustrated by some of the
cases I've written about, rather than the cases themselves. The volume
of calls, e-mails and letters I'm getting tell me pretty clearly that
these are things my newspaper's readers -- and your party's voters --
would like to know:
- Do you endorse the CRA habit of imposing huge penalties, far out of
proportion to the "offence," for minor missteps of little or no
consequence? This is a theme in many complaints I've received, but
nowhere is it more manifest than in the first abuse-of-power case I
wrote about. It concerned a business fined $4,800 for paying a tax
bill in person at a CRA office instead of a bank. The policy is, I'm
told, intended to stop people from playing games with late payments,
but this payment was seven days early. And this business was only one
of more than 600 that were similarly fined.
- How about the CRA habit of ducking responsibility for its own people
to comply with its complex rulings, and to dump the onus on the public
instead? Is this okay with you? This, too, is manifest in many stories
I've been told, including that first case. Rather than tell their
cashiers to no longer accept certain types of payments, the CRA
instead assails unwary taxpayers.
- Do you think it's just and proper to make taxpayers pay even when
it's the CRA that makes the mistake? This is manifest in the case of a
woman charged interest on money CRA wrongly refunded; in the case of
the raspberry growers who weren't told for years they should go
through the motions of paying GST then claiming it back but are then
penalized for paying late; and in the many cases of assessments being
based on wildly inflated assumptions and big penalties remaining in
place even after the assumptions are proven false.
- Do you blush at the incredible insensitivity manifest in decisions
to impoverish pensioners, bankrupt businesses and drive people who owe
money -- or who are accused of owing money and are treated like
deadbeats until they prove they don't -- to the depths of despair?
Are these the ways you like to see your department running, Mr.
Minister?
If not, what are you going to do about it? When?
dc...@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miss a Tax Tale Miss a lot!
Pop the link below into your browser to view the entire CRA SOTW
Library!
http://canada.revenue.agency.angelfire.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Baggett – Tax Collector’s Bible
Canuck57
Because Canadians like being abused. Tax me, beat me!!! I Am Canadian!!
The whole idea of government is to keep workers working, under employed and
taxed into submission. It is so the quiet elite, family business owners in
Canada get cheaper labour closer to minimum wages. For if the economy gets
going real good, then cost of labour goes up and the plutocrats don't like
that as it gives middle class wealth.
"Alan Baggett" <canada.rev...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a970033c-364c-4260...@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
4news...@mts.net
"Canuck57" <dave-n...@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:6a7Ok.20439$UD6....@newsfe07.iad...
>
> Because Canadians like being abused. Tax me, beat me!!! I Am Canadian!!
>
Hey, speak for yourself :~)
> The whole idea of government is to keep workers working, under employed
> and taxed into submission. It is so the quiet elite, family business
> owners in Canada get cheaper labour closer to minimum wages. For if the
> economy gets going real good, then cost of labour goes up and the
> plutocrats don't like that as it gives middle class wealth.
Well, since I'm one of the "quiet elite" all I can say is "beautiful."
>
> "Alan Baggett" <canada.rev...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:a970033c-364c-4260...@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> Why are so Many Taxpayers Being Abused? :CRA SOTW
>
> Columnist replies: If that's so, why are so many taxpayers being
> abused?
> Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun
> Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2007
>
> I don't think editorial page editor Fazil Mihlar did National Revenue
> Minister Gordon O'Connor any favour when he agreed to run the .
> Alan Baggett - Tax Collector's Bible
>
Canuck57
<4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:fs7Ok.37525$bK.2...@newsfe04.iad...
>
> "Canuck57" <dave-n...@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:6a7Ok.20439$UD6....@newsfe07.iad...
>>
>> Because Canadians like being abused. Tax me, beat me!!! I Am Canadian!!
>>
>
> Hey, speak for yourself :~)
I was being sarcastic. But it is how we collectively vote. We vote for the
Ottawa hand picked. Their motto, keep them taxed stupid and working hard.
Personally, if any of the leaders made the mistake in knocking on my door I
would be hauled away for how berserk I would go on them.
Ottawa government is nothing more than organized theft of wealth. 99% of
working people will never see more than 5 cents value on every dollar they
send to Ottawa.
4newsgroups
It's hard to tell if you're naive or just spouting rhetoric.
Ron C
that get burned to the ground. And we rebuild them all the time.
Im not saying they all do it but I have seen it frist hand .
The one I like the best is when they cut a hole in the floor and toss there
trash in it and say I can live here it stinks.
See we need to pay big tax for them so they can have new houses ect every
couple of years.
"Alan Baggett" <canada.rev...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a970033c-364c-4260...@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
4newsgroups
"Ron C" <ro...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:LPVPk.12492$kd5....@newsfe01.iad...
> Why are <snip racist crap>
Canuck57
"4newsgroups" <4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:Q8IOk.1570$TK2...@newsfe01.iad...
You should take the time to visit the government web site and look up how
they spend our tax dollars before being so quick to defend them. Most
people in this country have no clue what Ottawa really spends $235 billion
each year on.
But if they studied it, they would be shocked at the waste and partisan pork
graft spending.
Canuck57
> When are old, racist, bastards, like you going to die?
He is right though. If I treat my house like a garbage pit, then burn it.
Ottawa will not replace it for the whites, the Chinese, Hindi, Muslims,
Africans or any other ethnic group in this country but for natives. And you
don't have to go far to see it.
Laws and federal budgets favouring one race over another is
institutionalized racism. They should make you work and pay taxes like the
rest of us. Including buying your own home.
4news...@mts.net
Due to a large amount of time and effort, over the last 25 years, I find
myself in a excellent financial position. I have also retained excellent
financial advice. I am in a position where most people are shocked to know
the small percentage of my income is wasted on paying taxes. As for you and
the other 56 "Canucks." Well if you feel you pay too much taxes, do
something (other then pissing and moaning) about it.
4news...@mts.net
>
> "4newsgroups" <4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
> news:xIZPk.60917$f_7....@newsfe01.iad...
>
>> When are old, racist, bastards, like you going to die?
>
> He is right though.
<snip>
Birds of a feather.
Ron C
What about an 8 million dollor school that we built and they burned it to
the ground and then we rebuilt it.
How fair is that to the tax payers of Canada???
If you don`t think it happens then your on another planet buddy.
4news...@mts.net
Do you think that old racist bastards like you have the answers?
Why not go out and be part of the solution instead of spreading hatred and
making the problem worse?
"Ron C" <ro...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:w7gQk.4606$6X1...@newsfe01.iad...
4news...@mts.net
"yugsdrawkcab" <yugsdr...@idunno.now> wrote in message
news:IMhQk.19$Ru2...@newsfe01.iad...
> X-No-Archive: Yes
>
> Ron C wrote:
>> Well go see for your self.
>> What about an 8 million dollor school that we built and they burned it to
>> the ground and then we rebuilt it.
>> How fair is that to the tax payers of Canada???
>> If you don`t think it happens then your on another planet buddy.
>
>
> Burning furniture because they couldn't be bothered to go get fire wood
> was a big one. And it wasn't just furniture, it was the baseboards and
> casings, stair rails, you name it.
>
> The most odd - a 40' tamarac dragged in through the front door, the end
> pushed into the wood stove and the other end sticking out of the door.
> They would just push more of the tree into the stove as it burned.
Hey remember earlier this year when Roseau River (sp?) got their water and
power shut off because the band wasn't paying the bills? What did the
reserve residents do? Well if memory serves correct, they did what they did
to get by.
My neighbour gutted his basement and burnt that rotten, stinking, punky wood
for months. It would have cost him money to have it hauled away so he saved
money by burning it and (at the same time) subjecting all of his neighbours
to horrible, acrid, stinking smoke. He might of burnt a chesterfield or two
while he was at it, maybe some moldings and door frames, or maybe a dead
cat, who knows :~)
Canuck57
<4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:yX7Qk.70025$f_7....@newsfe01.iad...
Like what? Give us a practical way to reduce our tax load? Skip the ponzi
schemes, the robbing of banks and drugs. Not in my moral code to do such
things.
Canuck57
<4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:c7pQk.246$UP3...@newsfe01.iad...
> Hey remember earlier this year when Roseau River (sp?) got their water and
> power shut off because the band wasn't paying the bills? What did the
> reserve residents do? Well if memory serves correct, they did what they
> did to get by.
>
> My neighbour gutted his basement and burnt that rotten, stinking, punky
> wood for months. It would have cost him money to have it hauled away so
> he saved money by burning it and (at the same time) subjecting all of his
> neighbours to horrible, acrid, stinking smoke. He might of burnt a
> chesterfield or two while he was at it, maybe some moldings and door
> frames, or maybe a dead cat, who knows :~)
Tell your neighbour friend to use the bathroom and not the floor and the
wood will not rot and stink, even when burned. Same thing for the
chesterfield, visit the bath room before passing out drunk.
And put some of that government money ($9 billion or so) to paying the
bills. Others provide a service to you need to be paid or they don't eat.
By the way, what is the native word for someone who lives off of another
persons generosity then hates them for it?
Canuck57
<4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:%VoQk.228$UP3...@newsfe01.iad...
>I have seen far worse, then you can imagine.
>
> Do you think that old racist bastards like you have the answers?
>
> Why not go out and be part of the solution instead of spreading hatred and
> making the problem worse?
The solution is easy. Treat them like anyone else, nothing special and
certainly nothing less. 100% equal. Get a job, pay taxes, get health care,
buy your own home as to maybe take care of it. Just like we do with whites,
Asians, middle easterners, Africans and other Europeans...
I admit, the white dominated society has made a horrid mess of the native
population. It proves like so many other government initiates, more money,
more government, more special favouritism laws isn't the answer. So they
should be phased out towards equality for all.
4newsgroups
According to recent stats I've read, over the next 6 to 10 years it's
estimated that somewhere over 70 percent of Canadian small business owners
plan to sell their business and retire. I would suggest that you should
start planning now, to buy one of these businesses when the opportunity
presents itself.
Spend some time to consider what you like to do. There's no point in buying
a business that doesn't interest you, no matter how much money it makes.
Find a commercial broker that specializes in small business sales, let him
know what you're after. He'll show you what's out there. Be careful of the
private sales, the sales by owner, the owner willing to finance, and the
ones that advertise on some free web-site. Don't jump on the first deal or
business that you see. We looked at almost a dozen, before we picked the
first one we wanted.
Retain an accountant from a reputable firm that specializes in business
returns. Don't use your brothers, neighbors buddy that works out of his
basement.
Start a numbered corporation. You don't have to pay a lawyer $1,500 for the
service either. I did mine myself. Your corporation is going to purchase
the assets of their corporation. You're are not buying the shares of their
corporation. You can only borrow against (see learn accounting point
below) assets, not against inventory and not against good will.
Get a GST & PST number.
Get a good lawyer from a reputable firm, once again don't use your brothers,
neighbors buddy.
Start to cultivate a relationship with your local small business loans
manager. Get him to check your credit rating and let him show you how to
improve it.
Learn how to write a business plan, read other peoples business plans for
ideas, you're probably going to need one when you make your pitch for
financing.
Take an accounting course, learn how to read a balance sheet and learn how
to use something like simply accounting, or MYOB or something similar. Ask
your accountant what he thinks is best to use.
Find out how much your house is worth and see what you can borrow against
it.
Check into unsecured lines of credit with banks. $10K here, $20K there it
all ads up. Find out if parents, other family members have a few $K tucked
away. The bank like to see you put up a significant portion of the purchase
price from your own sources.
There's lots more to consider, but this is getting TLTR.
Once you own your own business and work for yourself you tax situation
changes (for the better) dramatically.
4newsgroups
>
> <4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
> news:c7pQk.246$UP3...@newsfe01.iad...
>
>> Hey remember earlier this year when Roseau River (sp?) got their water
>> and power shut off because the band wasn't paying the bills? What did
>> the reserve residents do? Well if memory serves correct, they did what
>> they did to get by.
>>
>> My neighbour gutted his basement and burnt that rotten, stinking, punky
>> wood for months. It would have cost him money to have it hauled away so
>> he saved money by burning it and (at the same time) subjecting all of his
>> neighbours to horrible, acrid, stinking smoke. He might of burnt a
>> chesterfield or two while he was at it, maybe some moldings and door
>> frames, or maybe a dead cat, who knows :~)
>
> Tell your neighbour friend to use the bathroom and not the floor and the
> wood will not rot and stink, even when burned. Same thing for the
> chesterfield, visit the bath room before passing out drunk.
They're Muslims, and (while we're not close friends) I pretty sure that they
don't drink. As for the basement it was somewhere around 1400 sq feet so
there was a lot of wood.
But hey thanks for implying that negative image of my neighbourhood :~)
> And put some of that government money ($9 billion or so) to paying the
> bills. Others provide a service to you need to be paid or they don't eat.
> By the way, what is the native word for someone who lives off of another
> persons generosity then hates them for it?
Not sure, white man? redneck? Canuck?
Ron C
I think 4newsgroups has his head stuck in the sand.
"Alan Baggett" <canada.rev...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a970033c-364c-4260...@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
Canuck57
"4newsgroups" <4news...@mts.net> wrote in message
news:qfFQk.316$JW...@newsfe01.iad...
LoL. They were not Muslims. Muslims are not going to give a damn about the
native Indians issues. You think you have it bad with a white man, just
wait. I suspect the new waves of immigration will at some point vote and
actively question the native Indian's preferential status at the expense of
others.