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/
It is a CIBC Prospectus — an investment opportunity that will not be open to US Persons!
Definition of ‘Prospectus’
A formal legal document, which is required by and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that provides details about an investment offering for sale to the public. A prospectus should contain the facts that an investor needs to make an informed investment decision.
Also known as an “offer document.”
@All
looking forward to the 13th…meeting up with some of our Brockers and we will rock and bring forth awareness of FATCA…
Leaving on my long but lovely drive to TO. and found this inspirational quote today to share with all of your..It is us!
“You have resources yet to be unleashed. make bold, courageous choices. Live as you have the power to change the world – because you do.”
Caroline Myss
Protesters:
Today is the day you get that cash advance on your Visa card so you can come up with registration fee for the conference.
Only $2310 plus HST!
@IRS Compliant
LOL
Mama, don’t let your babies marry an american. Tell them to marry an exec banker.
@northerstar,
Drive safe. Thanks for travelling to take part in the protest / information session to make others aware of what FATCA means for US Persons in Canada (however they are described), as well as the cost for all of Canada to its loss of sovereignty and actual dollars to upgrade systems of all financial institutions to bring US law into Canada.
This just posted above in main post:
I just called the DC office of Mr. John Staples, who will provide the FATCA lecture, and suggested that he speak briefly before his talk to the protesters.
I also asked that Mr. Staples kindly acknowledge at the beginning of his talk that Canadians are opposed to his objective of implementing FATCA in our country.
@IRSCompliantForever
That’s brilliant!
What a positive gesture it would be if Mr. Staples did talk to the “US Person” protesters. If shunned after the invitation you’ve made, IRSCompliantForever, it further tells the FATCA story.
The response of Mr. Staples, who will be giving the FATCA talk, to my request that he speak briefly to the protesters and acknowledge our position at his talk, is posted above.
I think you should stick to your plan to protest those who are pressuring the government to implement a FATCA IGA!
As for Mr. Staples’ response to IRSCompliantForever’s invitation I would just say that I’m sure an Anaconda feels it is being helpful too. Coiled around its victim’s chest the Anaconda tightens its grasp with every breath out, making it impossible for its victim to get a full breath in. Thus the Anaconda feels it is helping its victim to breath out … until the very last breath.
http://www.neaq.org/animals_and_exhibits/animals/anaconda/
Oops … to breathe out … until the very last breath.
Em, I was hoping for your response. Thank you!
I’m sorry if Mr. Staples is not happy about our protest. We’re not happy about FATCA. We have already been appealing to our government officials here in Canada where we are citizens. There’s little point in appealing to the U.S. since they neither understand who we are nor do they care.
It’s time the U.S. and all it’s representatives and agents got an idea about how the citizens of Canada have been feeling about all this for over two years.
Thanks IRSCompliantForever, that was an inspired idea.
“He [Staples] suggests that if we wish to protest, the protest should be directed at government officials in both countries who have the authority to do something about the protest”…..
Right, like we haven’t tried that. And he knows that US banks have come out against their own expected FATCA role with the Texas and Florida bankers lawsuit, and he knows that on this side of the border, Canadian banks and FIs are actively trying and expecting to get an IGA signed.
His ‘advice’ disingenuously sidestepping that the FIs in Canada have been skulking about, lobbying hard behind the scenes for Canada to sign a FATCA IGA, and plotting how to rig it so that ALL accountholders and Canadian taxpayers pay for FATCA implementation and shift liability. So that they can get back to their prime directive – making as much money as possible at the expense of everyone else – no matter what.
The CBA and IIAC haven’t even bothered to make a public show of faux concern with newspaper ads, etc. This tells me that they think it better to keep it hush hush, until it is too late. They do NOT want the public to be alerted.
Why shouldn’t we tell the banks what we think of their behind the scenes access to confidential updates by the Finance Dept. on the progress of the Canadian FATCA talks, while accountholders and Canadians are kept deliberately in the dark.
We don’t have to like it and we don’t have to be quiet about it.
He is a US homelander with a significant vested interest. We’re not his wealthy corporate clients. And we’re challenging the US as best we can, and renouncing US status when we can. He knows that in half or more states, their registration and voting laws prevent expats without US residency from voting absentee from abroad. He knows that we can’t get US politicians to listen to us. What is his ‘advice’ worth to us?
It is just disingenuous misdirection.
The firm obviously is familiar with lobbying:
http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/lobbyist.php?id=Staples%2C%20John%20M&id=Y0000042154L&year=2012
http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/firmsum.php?id=F25502&year=2012
Change drop down to see amount for each year from 2009-2012
I don’t care what Mr. Staples likes.
I don’t like an American FATCA Fan coming to Canada to tell my Canadian bank how to “navigate” Canadian “hurdles” of Canadian laws and Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
@ Blaze
YES!!! A fist pump for truth and a knuckle bump for you for delivering it perfectly in just one sentence.
LOVE the ‘take no prisoners’ attitude! They deserve it!
Mr. Staples would no doubt be happier if we’d all be good little sheep, compliant and willing to believe that this is all inevitable and for the best and that no one’s rights are being trampled on the way to making more money for the shareholders.
He’s an idiot. Screw him.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
This is the link to the W-9 Form from the IRS website; it was last updated August 2013.
Look in the top right corner; they mention a FATCA exemption reporting code. It seems our good little friends at the IRS are getting all the paperwork ready for the banks!!!
Here are the exemption codes:
A—An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) or any individual retirement plan as defined in section 7701(a)(37)
B—The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities
C—A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities
D—A corporation the stock of which is regularly traded on one or more established securities markets, as described in Reg. section 1.1472-1(c)(1)(i)
E—A corporation that is a member of the same expanded affiliated group as a corporation described in Reg. section 1.1472-1(c)(1)(i)
F—A dealer in securities, commodities, or derivative financial instruments (including notional principal contracts, futures, forwards, and options) that is registered as such under the laws of the United States or any state
G-A real estate investment trust
H—A regulated investment company as defined in section 851 or an entity registered at all times during the tax year under the Investment Company Act of 1940
I—A common trust fund as defined in section 584(a)
J—A bank as defined in section 581
K—A broker
L—A trust exempt from tax under section 664 or described in section 4947(a)(1)
M—A tax exempt trust under a section 403(b) plan or section 457(g) plan
i.e., the WARNING STICKER that should be on all Canadian registered accounts.
See the main post above.
We want to hand out the CBA letter to every bankster who will be attending the conference tomorrow.
But the letter is very long and heavy, with all of the copies we need-and we could use help from a few more protesters to make sure that all conference delegates and speakers, including the speaker from the office of the Ontario Privacy Commission, appreciate our position.
I will leave for the finch subway station parking lot and take subway down. I try yo be there at 830 or 9 but that may be too late.
Tomorrow appears to be a huge day in FATCA take-down efforts.
Allison Christians slated to be interviewed on CBC Radio’s “The Current”:
http://taxpol.blogspot.ca/2013/11/im-talking-fatca-listen-tomorrow.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+TaxSocietyCulture+(Tax,+Society+%26amp;+Culture)