Here is a bit of musical inspiration for all those Brockers and Maple Sand Boxers, who may be feeling a little tired from all the emailing, letter writing, protesting, twittering, article writing, blogging, sign making, FACTA sheet facting, myth busting, editing, radio and television interviewing, organizing, petitioning, ETC.
Enjoy!
@WhiteKat.
Love it…the song and the artist singing it.
I had a talk with my best friend today…I was down yesterday because of FATCA and I realized it was the anniversary of the death of my son.
She was giving me a cheer up and I told her that everyone thinks I am crazy…Still hanging on to my son and being sad and being upset with FATCA. She said it not crazy to mourn my son and there is nothing I can do about FATCA. I said there are things that can be done.. I told her how none of my friends respond to my emails about FATCA, none will say they are writing their MP. She said well, most people have their lives and think this is not going to happen or that it is too crazy to. Even my own best friend did not write to her MP, even with me asking her. She thinks it would not do any good…What gets me she won’t even try.
It is like someone you know has a terminal disease but no one talks about….I know that experience with two of my guys dying from cancer.
She asked when will it happen and what will happen. I told her the horrible thing is I don’t know…
It is like having cancer..You just don’t know.
Well, it looks like it is just us that have to go on. and not back down.
@Northernstar,
My sympathies regarding the anniversary of your son’s death. No wonder, you were down!
I think that most people are apathetic about most things, not just about FATCA. Try not to get down about it; there are plenty of people fighting the FATCA fight, and our numbers will continue to grow, as long as we don’t give up the fight. We are going to win this one, and in the end, our ‘friends’ who thought we were nuts, or had no power to change anything, will probably just say something like: ‘I told you, you were worried about nothing’. But we’ll know better.
northernstar,
I’m glad you have this site for support. This is where no one will think you are blowing things out of proportion or that you’re crazy. You have a lot on your mind right now. Hopefully, with time and not giving up, you will gain more and more strength and the memories will you hold will be the best ones. Know that you are doing what is right — your “guys” would sure be very proud of you standing up for yourself and others in the process. If you are anything like me, giving up would be what would destroy you. Take care!
@ northernstar
You do have all of us on your side but you also deserve to have your own friends and relatives on your side too. It is not too much to ask. I can’t tell you how many hours I spend sympathizing with the medical symptoms and day to day trials and tribulations of one of my relatives only to hear her eyes glaze over on the phone (weird wording but you know what I mean) whenever I dare to bring up the U.S. tax dis-service. I don’t try anymore (sigh) … I just keep listening because I know it helps her and I really do sympathize with anyone suffering from multiple medical challenges. Never let anyone dismiss your grief. My life losses are farther behind me than yours are but they can still take me down at the oddest times. I am truly sorry for loss of your husband and son.
@ WhiteKat, Calgary411,Em,
Thank You …I felt your kindness, even through my Laptop.
I was thinking…We need a Walter Cronkite , in Canada’s media..
northernstar, that is so sad that your friends think they have no voice and that contacting MP’s makes no difference. I was just talking with a friend about this today and saying how different it is here than in the States where politics can truly be inaccessible to the average person.
I really want to get involved here because I have seen firsthand that you can reach politicians and you can have impact – though I think it is more easily down at the municipal level.
We are doing something here at IBS and you are part of that. Your friends (no disrespect intended) are just plain crazy wrong.
There is strength in this shared experience. It’s very, very hard to describe what this is doing to families abroad to those who are sticking heads in sand or who it will never affect.
It is absolutely normal for you to feel down at any time you need to regarding your losses! Never let anyone tell you how or when to grieve. It’s YOUR grief and their your feelings to have. To try and deny that in any way is unhealthy.
I agree that your boys would be proud of you for trying to fight this. It’s an uphill slog but, we’ve made some kind of dent in it.
All of this pales to the loss you’ve experienced already Northernstar. Sometimes it’s courage alone that keeps us going when those closest to us are either gone or seemingly unsympathetic.
Maybe I’m cynical, but perhaps some of those around us may be just glad it’s not them that this is happening to and don’t want to tell us that. I also don’t think there’s a great deal of sympathy for America and therefore Americans right now. I also believe that there’s a streak of passive aggressiveness in Canadians misconstrued as ‘politeness’ by the world.
Great song, WhiteKat! Interestingly, standing one’s ground is entirely different to each of us. What one person does or doesn’t do in their own best interest may be considered backing down to another person in a similar situation.
@AtticusinCanada and Bubblebustin
Thanks for the encouraging words. I am feeling better today with all your support.
Now some good news. I received a real email from Mr. Mulcair with an attached letter from Mr Murray Rankin. I would like to share it with you..What post would be good?
When I saw his name on the Email I thought another acknowledgement letter but no, it is quite good.
I will answer him on Wednesday. I would like hear your suggestions as what I should ask him when I write back to thank him. .
The Murray Rankin letter is dated September 25, to Mr. Flaherty. I think I saw that letter on Brock.
I will put in Mr. Mulcair’s e letter here now. If it needs to be put on another post I give permission to move it.
thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca
5:24 PM October 29, 2013
Dear ******
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your concerns with current US tax and foreign bank account reporting laws, and, more specifically, the U.S. Foreign Account Compliance Act (FATCA). Your points about consulting with knowledgeable experts is well taken.
I share your concerns that FATCA’s sweeping provisions on financial disclosure will have significant consequences for dual Canadian-American citizens and Americans with landed immigrant status lawfully living here in Canada. Please know that New Democrats have consistently challenged the over-reaching aspects of FATCA and have urged the Conservative government to negotiate protective measures for those citizens who would be affected by FATCA’s onerous regulations.
We are also troubled that the secrecy of these negotiations with the US is detrimental for citizens with legitimate concerns relating to privacy and financial pressures. They must rely on media reports for developing news and have no opportunity to have their views considered in a meaningful way.
In discussing this matter with my NDP colleagues, we felt that it was important to reinforce how serious and unfair the consequences of FATCA could be for Canadians if unilaterally imposed. In taking the lead on this issue, Official Opposition critic for National Revenue, Murray Rankin, has written to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty calling on his government to reject any agreement that may violate the privacy rights of Canadians, erode Canadian sovereignty, or fail to offer Canada equal benefits to those provided to the United States. Please see the attached copy of Murray Rankin’s letter to Minister Flaherty.
Going forward, please be assured that New Democrats will remain vigilant on this issue. We will continue to pressure the Government to help address the above-mentioned concerns and ensure the rights of Canadians who hold dual citizenship with the United States are protected.
Again, I appreciate the time you have taken to share your concerns with me.
Sincerely,
Thomas Mulcair, M.P. (Outremont)
Leader of the Official Opposition
New Democratic Party of Canada
Follow Tom on Facebook and Twitter
http://www.facebook.com/ThomasMulcair
http://www.twitter.com/ThomasMulcair
@Bubblebustin, re: “standing one’s ground is entirely different to each of us. What one person does or doesn’t do in their own best interest may be considered backing down to another person in a similar situation”.
Yes, and we could say that so far Treasury is also ‘standing its ground’. However, the lyrics in Petty’s song allude to someone who is being beat on unfairly and unjustly, not someone who is being a bully:
” And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down”; ” Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out”; “Well I know what’s right, I got just one life”; “In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around”.
@NorthernStar, I’m happy you received a reply from Mulcair. It looks like he did a cut/paste job from his letter to the government, but the point is that he made sure you knew where he stands. Yes, it is good news!