photo from yesterday, day 1 of protest
PROTEST EVENING POSTMORTEM:
I know that this small protest did reach the FIsters attending the conference and put them on notice–because most refused to look us in the eye.
This protest happened because of the dedication of on-site protesters including Atticus, Marie, Northernstar, Peter, Tricia, and WhiteKat, those (including Blaze and James Jatras) who helped in preparation of the letter to the Canadian Bankers Association that was critical to the protest, and because of the others I am not certain that I can mention.
Amazing people, all.
On-site coverage from IRSCompliantForever :
15.54. A last goodbye from all of us to the banksters.
15:03. Banker from small bank who hates FATCA just signed petition.
14:24. AttIcus just explained FATCA to passerby. Response was “Well, the banks need a little (words deleted).”
14:14. Banksters we meet all express sympathy but insist that there is no way to prevent FATCA. So many passerbys wondering about this FATCA word.
13:18. Fellow from one of the major banks visited with us had a friendly chat and accepted the CBA letter. He asked that we not disclose the name of his bank. Banksters are also taking pictures of us.
12.55. Another passerby came up to us expressing concern that her daughter has a Green Card.
Reports and photos of earlier today and yesterday after the jump
12:53. A passerby just came up to us expressing concern that she was born to a US parent and asked whether FATCA applied. Atticus explained and the woman thanked us for being here.
11:23. Unexpectedly another protester arrived with signs. Someone we all know.
11:13. Police have arrived again.
10:51. Nice sunny day. One bankster inside gave us the thumbs up. We had a nice chat with two reps of a major FI who accepted the CBA letter.
***
Day 1 of Protest – Yesterday, 13 November
13:40. Stuck on a narrow curb.
13:07. New development. Head of security informed us that we had to move to the curb in which we must remain 18 inches from the street. I called the police to resolve. Three police officers came and tried to intervene with security, but security refused as walkway is technically on private property. Want to emphasize that police tried their very best to help us. We will try not to tip over on curb. Lots of interest from passerbys. Morale very high.
12:50
12:46
12:13. Above is a photo of four Brocker/Sandboxers taken by a sympathetic passerby. Note that the person holding the “Do not marry an American” sign is a guest Brocker who is a kindly non-US spouse of a US person. She strongly supports the message of the sign and wants to be known as @LauraSecord. Small group but morale is high.
11:09. Met a fellow working for a bank. He says FATCA is painful.
11:02. Tricia, Marie, NorthernStar and IRSCompliantForever just spoke to a very friendly and receptive journalist who will include mention of our protest in an article He also said that this is the first FATCA protest he is aware of. We cannot mention name of journalist. We are pointing signs at the conference room. Doors are closed now so that banksters cannot see us.
09:37. Peter is standing immediately in front of the conference meeting room. We can see them and they can see us. But we cannot enter.
07:33. Peter and I are on site. We were told us that we would be arrested if we entered building. Tried to leave CBA letters but conference organizer refused and noted that our comments on IBS about CBA were inflammatory.
***
The conference is “Canadian Institute’s 19th Annual REGULATORY COMPLIANCE for Financial Institutions” at the North Building of the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto which has been brought to our attention through the diligence of @Tricia. http://www.regulatorycomplianceforfis.com/
@IRSCompliantForever
Thank you for reporting what your visit to ROM to see Mr. Flaherty was like.
I am happy you were able to give out information to the media. Hopefully there will be a positive effect.
Petros, I had a second to think of a one second response as the WSJ reporter was quickly walking away and about to enter the second door. The response had to easily explain why I was there, as he refused to read my question on FATCA.
I did want to say “Isaac Brock and Maple Sandbox” (and feel bad about not saying this) but my brain’s automatic reply was the two word “Repeal FATCA” which a US reporter would understand.
IRSCompliant
Thank you so much for going and given that situation/timeframe, I think your answer was spot-on.
It was a good answer and as I said, it makes Jim Jatras happy. Repeal FATCA indeed!
@IRSCompliantForever
Thank you for your efforts. It certainly doesn’t hurt to put FATCA in front of as many reporters as we can.
Anyone for an encore in Edmonton on tomorrow, next stop on the budget tour? 9 am, Maple Leaf Room, Holiday Inn Conference Centre Edmonton South, 4485 Gateway Blvd NW.
@Bubblebustin
“Push on brave York Volunteers” Make that Brock..
Maybe dress up in the era of Sir Brock. to attract attention.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-isaac-brock
See my post here:
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/fatca/comment-page-53/#comment-637293
What if our signs at bank/FI protests urge a shift from the IIAC, CBA, etc. to credit unions as a punishment for their betrayal?
The IIAC says that this is a ‘mission’ ‘success’ for 2012/2013:
“FATCA
• IIAC efforts lead the U.S. Treasury to name Canada a jurisdiction with which it hopes to conclude negotiations by year-end 2012 on a
government-to-government approach to meeting FATCA requirement”
iiac.ca/wp-content/uploads/IIAC-2013-Member-Kit.pdf
Look at the list of members. If your FI is there, then they are celebrating their ‘mission’ to get Canada to sign on to a FATCA IGA and betray you and your family as accountholders.
IRSCompliantF – You almost got there. Tips for all and for the future. Give your name and organization. If you want a real org, connect with Toronto Media Coop. The only approved media is bold media. Act like you know what you’re doing (you did), flash some equipment, give the impression that it’ll be a lot more trouble to toss you out than to let you stay. Ejection of media itself has the potential to make news! That keeps them nervous. Sauve qui peut.
Yeah for IRSCompliantForever!
I think the press were distracted by the Ford thing, judging from some news snippets this evening. I hope Mr. Flaherty was also asked about something more important. Dare I dream, FATCA? How will we ever know? Thanks for being there IRSCompliantForever.
Just posted this update in the main post (see top):
—We are hoping for an additional protester who is willing to attend between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m the morning of November 13. You can leave right at 9:00 and then go back to your real job. Conservative bankster-appropriate attire is requested for this 7-9 time.
—I just scouted out the conference site and confirmed that the two day protest will happen in the highest comfort: We will be able to enter the main doors (probably without signs) for warmth breaks and to use coffee shop and rest rooms. Restaurants are nearby and Ted’s gourmet hot dog stand (since 1984–interesting year) is only one block away.
—A huge CBC building is directly across the street. This morning I stopped by, left a message about the protest etc. and will follow up. I explained that CBC can easily film the protest from their window.
@IRS Compliant.
sounds good…
So this very Good. Coffee and then rest rooms are important.
Sorry the early morning greet is too early for me. Is there parking there still across the street or the convention centre I can pay for…since I have signs…it would be easier. probably costs a bit but that is okay.
Do not read this if you have high blood pressure. Protesters might want to use it to boost their moral outrage levels however. I, myself, felt like kicking something afterwards. I couldn’t even begin to compose a comment which wouldn’t look like this (*&^%$#@@#$%^!!!!!!!!!!!
http://brighttax.com/8/post/2013/09/happiness-is-a-fatca-sandwich.html
@Em, it is BS
ex. …”…virtual tsunami of foreign sovereigns clamoring to get on board. The US is already moving toward closing data sharing agreements with 100+ countries. The reason FATCA had to be pushed to June 2014 is to buy time – not because of global resistance, but because of overwhelming global interest….”
virtual tsunami?
It was your figures that showed the lack of progress. These compliancebots will say anything. Or they are being paid by the Treasury to try and seed that all over the net and media.
@Em
This guy is Stack-o-lies mini-me! I had to double check that it wasn’t actually written by SOL. I’ve seen this creep’s stuff before. “Compliance condor” is too nice for him.
‘Compliancebot’? LOL!
@ badger
Exactly! That’s why it is so frustrating to know there are such putrid FATCA vultures lurking out there. The person that wrote this would dance on his dear mama’s grave, if it meant a few extra pennies would be appearing in his pocket as a result of her death.
I just read Em’s link and now feel that there is no point in any protest against such a brilliant opponent:
“It is fascinating how deftly the United States has played the rolling out of and implementation of FATCA. Brilliant in its inception and masterful in its execution…”
Notice how no comments have a made it out of moderation. Mine certainly won’t, and it’s too rude to post here, but I suggested he’s been indulging in an entirely different kind of sandwich 😉
@Em
. “Let us know if you’d like help or to connect with one of our expert Bright!Tax CPAs.”
That is what Mr Double Chin thinks is the most important thing on FATCA….he is a scare monger er..looking to increase his profits…He should be ignored….
@ northernstar
Oh course he is a scare monger but he and others like him are out there and we need to expose them for what they are. The absurdity of what he wrote is astounding — it practically unsells itself.
You’re right Em, he seems to be gloating!
@Em . I didn’t see any comments and the page looks like from September or august.
@ northernstar
Maybe he choked on his fatca sandwich or his own bile. One can hope.
@Em
LOL. I wish I had your wit.
cross-posted from my Five-Candidates-Invited thread (will also post this on Sandbox), for those following the current thread but not the other one
I AM DELIGHTED TO REPORT THAT WE NOW HAVE AT LEAST ONE TORONTO CENTRE CANDIDATE WHO SAYS HE HOPES TO ATTEND THE DEMONSTRATION.
Dorian Baxter, who is the Progressive Canadian candidate for Toronto Centre, sent me the following email:
“Thank you for your insightful and very informative e-mail …. I am going to immediately attempt to re-arrange my schedule so as to be able to assist in your demonstration. In my view FATCA is nothing more than an unethical money-grab and I will seek to do everything in my power to prevent it from being established!!!”
Linda McQuaig’s office says she is unavailable but passes on best wishes; we still haven’t heard from the Greens, Liberals, or Tories, at least I haven’t.
As I mentioned in my original post, the Progressive Canadian party organized a successful anti-FATCA meeting in Toronto about a year ago. They’ve been stalwart and outspoken on this issue all along. The Progressive Canadian party is led by the Hon. Sinclair Stevens, a former cabinet minister in the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney who broke away from the current Conservative Party when they merged with the former Reform Party. The PC party, as I understand them, are former Progressive Conservatives and like-minded “red Tories” who were and still are fiscal conservatives but socially more progressive and more respectful of Parliament (IMO) than our current Conservative Party under Stephen Harper.
Mr. Baxter and any of his supporters are most welcome, as are any other people who are concerned about FATCA and didn’t get an “invitation.” From my view anyway, one purpose of the “invitation” was to smoke out exactly how committed those five parties (or at least their Toronto Centre candidates) are on the FATCA and IGA issue, and I think we’re starting to find that out.
BTW my quote in the original post from McQuaig’s office is, except for the introductory formalities, the complete text of the reply I got. Compare that to Mr. Baxter’s reply, if you will. (The three exclamation marks are his, not mine.)