We Celebrate Human Rights Day, December 10th, 2013
…The UN calls on member-states, governments, and peoples to “intensify efforts to fulfill collective responsibility to promote and protect the rights and dignity of all people everywhere.”
…Each year, Human Rights Day is an opportunity for peoples, civic and nongovernment organizations around the globe to call for the full enjoyment of human rights by everyone. Activities this year highlight the achievements of past two decades in improving global human rights conditions, particularly in economic, social, cultural, civil, political, peace and security, business, environment, and developmental spheres and in protection of women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, migrants, and indigenous peoples.
From our wise and untiring advocate, Roger Conklin:
Using Roger’s words, today I have asked my Canadian government representatives:
Will Canada honour the human rights of ALL Canadians? Do ALL Canadians have the same rights that will not be waived?
From: calgary411
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2013 9:53 AM
To: Prime Minister Stephen Harper ; Minister James Flaherty ; Michelle.Rempel@parl.gc.ca ; Kevin.Shoom@fin.gc.ca
Cc: Abby Deshman, CCLA ; scott.brison@parl.gc.ca ; Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca ; thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca ; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca ; Ted.Hsu@parl.gc.ca
Subject: December 10, 2013 — Human Rights DayTo my Canadian Government representatives,
I hope you will find of use in your negotiations with the US government regarding possible waiving of rights of some Canadians for FATCA and US Citizenship-Based Taxation, the copied correspondence below regarding the day that honours Human Rights, tomorrow, December 10th.
What is this Canadian government’s stand on the human rights of ALL Canadians?
Are ALL Canadians protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (and not to be waived for some) as well as the UN Declaration of Universal Rights it has signed onto?
To: Roger Conklin
Roger, you have captured the problem very well. And, you are asking the right questions.
I thank you so very much for your wisdom and recognition of the problem – on behalf of not just this one person / one family (mine) who has realized the injustice of ‘entrapment’ into supposed US citizenship. I thank you on behalf of the many other persons / families there have to be out there, ones who need advocates and protection. They do not themselves have a voice to do this; the extra energy required; or, usually, funds for US tax law, immigration/nationality law or accounting professional assistance.
If nothing else, this entrapment is immoral. Are these not the very individuals and families that the UN Declaration of Universal Rights was created to protect from injustice?
I have been corresponding about this issue with my Canadian government representatives for a couple of years now. I want to know if the rights guaranteed under Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are for ALL Canadians — or is my adult son, born in Canada, never registered with the US, never lived in the US, never had any benefit from the US, a second-class person in Canada. Are such persons, world-wide, not to be protected by the UN Declaration of Universal Rights? I will be asking again today.My appreciation
calgary411From: roger conklin
Monday, December 09, 2013 6:43 AM
Subject: December 10 is Recognized World Wide as Human Rights DayPerhaps we can use this day to point out the gross violation of the UN Declaration of Universal Rights, which authored by none other than Eleanor Roosevelt and adopted by the member nations, including the US, in the early days of the United Nations.
How can it be described as anything else but a violation of this Declaration when the United States, with its unique extraterritorial citizenship tax laws, subjects persons who were born in another country and are citizens of that other country, to US taxation if that person happens to have born to a US citizen parent?
Take the specific case of such a person who is disabled and receives disability benefits from the government of the country where he was born. Although these benefits, in money and in kind, may be tax free in the country of which that person is a citizen-from birth, they are taxed by the US as unearned income. The US government, through this citizenship based taxation, claims as its own the tax revenue it collects from these disability benefits, but returns absolutely nothing in the way of services or benefits. This is in reality the confiscation of funds provided by the foreign government to the disabled person which is a direct transfer from the treasury of that foreign country to the United States Treasury.
This is especially true since the person has never lived in (but has a few times visited the United States to visit relatives), has no US Social Security number and has never held a US passport or been provided with any benefit or service whatsoever by the U S Government. Additionally a person like this is required by US law to file US tax returns and additional forms as a US citizen resident abroad, for which he must employ and pay for expert professional assistance in order to insure that they are in compliance with US law, or be subject to a $25,000 penalty for failing to file a US tax return.
It is difficult for me to describe this in any other way other than a violation of the human rights of such a person. He has never held a US passport or had no part in the action which results in the US Government laying claim to taxation of his foreign tax free benefits which deprive him of funds upon which he depends for survival.
The person and those like him, because of his disability, is incapable of taking action on his own to renounce US citizenship. Likewise the US will not allow a parent, a guardian or a trustee who would have the responsibility under the laws of the country where he was born and of which he is a citizen for legal financial trusteeship of this disabled person, to renounce US citizenship on his behalf, even with a court order.
It seems to me that it should be a matter of great concern to the governments of the nations where such persons were born and of which they are citizens from birth that the US claims a portion of those persons’ government-provided disability benefits as belonging to the US Government. This is nothing less than the unwarranted and arbitrary confiscation of funds provided to that person by that country upon which he depends for survival.
Could this be the subject of protest of foreign governments against this action of the United States and also the basis for condemnation by the Security Council which, to me at least, seems to be a clear violation of the UN Declaration of Universal Human Rights? Would it be in order for the parents, guardians, trustees of such disabled persons to petition their own governments to protest this extraterritorial taxation action of the United States?
Can you imagine the howls of protest that would be heard in Washington if the governments of those nations whose citizens have become naturalized citizens of the US if those foreign governments exerted a claim to a portion of the US government-provided benefits of such dual-citizen persons who live in the United States such as unemployment benefits, earned income child credits, food stamps, Medicaid benefits, Medicare, Social Security disability payments and retirement benefits?
Here is official US Government website information on citizenship through parent(s) of a child born outside of the US.
US Citizenship Through Parents
The US is known as a “Land of Liberty.” The link below indicates that in 2011 some 694,193 persons became naturalized citizens of the United State. The US, unlike a few other countries, does not require that persons formally renounce their prior citizenship in order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States. Although a few countries do automatically revoke the citizenship of their citizens who become naturalized citizens of another country. Most other countries neither require that candidates for naturalization either renounce or automatically revoke the citizenship of their citizens who become naturalized citizens of another country. No other country “punishes” such persons by continuing to subject them to homeland income taxation if they become citizens of another country, nor do they subject their citizens to homeland taxation if they reside in another country without becoming citizens of that country.
Because of the unique citizenship based laws of the United States those US citizens who live in a different country or who become naturalized citizens of another country, continue to be subject to homeland (US) taxes, unless they formally renounce their US citizenship before a US consular official located outside of the United States and pay the necessary monetary fee and, under some circumstances also pay a significant additional exit tax.
The US is the only nation which unilaterally asserts the authority to ignore the sovereignty of other nations by levying and collecting taxes from persons residing in another country on income from sources outside of their homeland country of citizenship.
What surprises me most is that other nations passively accept this assertion of self-anointed extraterritorial taxation and the removal of funds from those countries for payment to the US Treasury. In fact the acknowledgement of this authority is included in the tax treaties executed between those countries and the United States.
It appears to me that until other countries formally object to this violation of their sovereignty that the US will continue to be under no pressure from those countries to cease and desist and adopt the residence-based taxation policy of all other nations.
Roger Conklin
Will Canada honour the human rights of ALL Canadians? Do ALL Canadians have the same rights that will not be waived?
Thank you.
calgary411
Will all other countries honour the human rights of their ‘US Person’ citizens and permanent residents?
Thank you so much, badger, for your continued understanding and support — and perhaps for the borrowing by me of some of your, as always, effective way with words.
Thanks, Disgusted.
The why about the media is among the most interesting of what I’ve listened to so far. Are you referring to Allison Redford, Premier of Alberta, having attended the Bilderberg Group meetings? Still to hear that but I’m still listening.
but nothing ever in the media about these meetings and discussions!
Here’s one more “WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?”
Postal Rates go up 39%
They are phasing out home delivery. So we’re now paying more for less.
I’ve heard through friends in Quebec that they’re clawing back Postal workers pensions.
They also report 7 postal workers from Quebec committed suicide last week. I’m aware of an increase in millitary suicides in the press but suicide among postalworkers is going under the radar
Back to human rights …..Interesting that Alison Redford is alligning herself with Nelson Mandella . Are we from the same planet ?
WhiteKat,
Update on answers to Q121 and Q127:
IMHO – If US Bureaucrats and Politicians would only absorb the fundamental goodness exhibited in this video and cease the persecution of the people of the world and US citizens abroad through acts of terror like FATCA and citizenship based taxation, the US could become an honorable country. There are so many good people in the US even though so many are misled, misguided, misinformed and misunderstand what their Government is doing in their name. Enjoy the goodness of the video.
and for an example of the US integrating into the world here is another joyful video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=FcLF5wopyjo
Good Grief why cant the politicians and the bureaucrats wake up and learn to behave decently and to put their power cravings on a diet.
re the Bilderberg Group – interesting organization I think. The head of the steering committee, Henri de Castries, a Frenchman, says on Wikipedia that he spends one week per month in the US. If de Castries does spend this much time in the US is he not now going to be designated a “US Person” for FATCA purposes? (assuming of course that he does not already have a Green Card).
Sorry, nervousinvestor, I can’t help but think about what’s going on while they “fiddle”.
Still, I think that many Americans would not be very happy about the treatment their fellow countrymen are receiving at the hands of their government – that’s if they knew about it. The US government surely knows, and is now choosing which it wants banished from the face of the earth – CBT, or its own citizens.
Hi bubble – there has to be a conspiracy of silence ….. so many of the US Reps, Senators, Bureaucrats and Media seem to be playing ignorant of what is happening. I understand that the Homelanders generally are misinformed yet the categories that I first mentioned have a DUTY to get informed as to what is happening …. the spreading of misinformation and silence as to the reality is therefore deeply concerning. Yet there are good people out there – they need to be reached with or without the cooperation of the mainstream media. Peace.
@nervousinvestor
I agree.
Re your thoughts on the Bilderberg group:
You may want to have a look at Victoria’s analysis of France’s IGA, if you haven’t yet:
http://thefranco-americanflophouse.blogspot.ca/search?q=France+IGA
Does it sound like Henri de Castries can just self-certify that he’s not a USP?
the morning is calling me onto the streets …. but I will indeed read the analysis, thank you for the link.
@Disgusted, re the new MULTIMILLIONAIRE Goldman Sachs partner – US Ambassador to Canada Heyman;
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/11/bruce_heyman_wouldbe_us_ambassador_to_canada_gets_smooth_ride_at_hearing.html
“…In his opening remarks, Heyman touted his family ties to Canada. He said his wife’s ancestors immigrated to Canada and many family members remained there.
The Goldman Sachs executive said his family bond is hardly unique and is just one example of the “countless links” that bind the countries….”
Heyman claims connections to Canada through his family ancestry – relatives who immigrated from the US to Canada and remained here. So does that mean that there are Canadian Heymans who are ‘US taxable persons’ living here in Canada who will be FATCA-nized?
Does Heyman think that his Canadian relatives who inherited the US taxable status are all UStax-evading-money-laundering-terror-funding-druglords who are in need of US extraterritorial oversight because they have ‘foreign’ = Canadian (*gasp!*) local bank accounts and savings? No doubt they would have some of those toxic ‘foreign trusts’ (RESP, TFSA, RDSP…) in Canada too.
Has anyone alerted the US Treasury?
Combined with the Canadian origin of Obama’s brother-in-law http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/obama-in-canada-uncle-rocky-and-his-burlington-family-ties-1.771456 , and probably countless others with relatives or experiences in Canada, know better, including Obama, one would think that the ludicrousness of treating Canada as a tax haven and Canadians as criminals would be a difficult facade to maintain.
But apparently not.
And, US Ambassador to Canada nominee Heyman was asked whether “the result of an ongoing Arctic mapping project might result in Santa being declared a U.S. citizen.”… http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/soon-to-be-u-s-ambassador-to-canada-touts-his-ties-to-this-country-1.1585256#ixzz2nGjvmdrV Which would make Santa a US taxable person.
Bonus!! Has anyone at the IRS and Treasury been looking into this? Santa has been operating for years without filing tax returns – even though his ‘foreign’ income is zero, and he has no US economic connection. What about operating a business ‘abroad’ without filing any of the requisite forms to the IRS? Does he hold US FBAR reportable foreign’ accounts at the North Pole? Which may be declared either Canadian, Russian or Danish soil http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-seeking-new-evidence-to-bolster-north-pole-seabed-claim/article15799283/ ?
Has anyone alerted the US Treasury to claim a whistle blower’s fee on Santa?
Combined with the Canadian origin of Obama’s brother-in-law, and probably countless others close to Obama, one would think that the ludicrousness of treating Canada as a tax haven and Canadians as criminals would be a difficult facade to maintain.
But apparently not.
Canadian Parliament FATCA Questions 121 and 127 – Oct 25,28 2013 not being answered, as well as getting answers to our many questions regarding the Canadian government negotiations with the US for an IGA (…and “Do ALL Canadians have the same rights?”) are in addition to these six things Canadian MPs didn’t do before taking a 6-week holiday.
@Badger
The Star article on Heyman may add more evidence to Nervousinvestors conspiracy of silence theory that “so many of the US Reps, Senators, Bureaucrats and Media seem to be playing ignorant of what is happening”, or is it that these bureaucrats become so beholden to their corporate masters that discussion around drug patent protection should take priority over both country’s support of their citizen’s civil rights? Either, both?
I also noted that in Maclean’s coverage that “Heyman said his wife’s ancestors immigrated to Canada in 1910 and 1911, and some settled in Toronto.”
Neither article states where her ancestors emigrated from, it seems.
http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/12/11/u-s-ambassador-to-be-faces-only-3-questions-at-senate-hearing-kxl-ip-santa/
and, somewhat related to “conspiracy of silence,” why is this here in Canada:
Canadian Parliament FATCA Questions 121 and 127 – Oct 25,28 2013 not being answered, as well as getting answers to our many questions regarding the Canadian government negotiations with the US for an IGA (…and “Do ALL Canadians have the same rights?”) are in addition to these six things Canadian MPs didn’t do before taking a 6-week holiday.
@nervousinvestor
Thanks for the video treat. Even if one is NOT religious, you can really enjoy this anthem…
Joy to the World, rather than Drones to the World. A better way to spend military dollars,.
@nervousinvestor. Nothing like the AF Band playing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”…a little Bach for the holidays. 🙂
@Just Me and The_Animal – I found that those two videos lifted my spirits out of this state of oppression. As you say, better Joy than Drones, Just Me …. and whether or not one is a Christian (which I am) the beauty of the music and the Joy expressed – and reflected in the faces of the crowds in the videos – is helpful, indeed therapeutic, at least to me and I hope to others. Here is another drop of wisdom that brought tears to my eyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=medium
Why do we have such hateful people in Government and Government offices when there can be such real joy from simple things …. why do we need the viciousness of spiteful, oppressing tax collectors ….that seem to treat the taxpayers as criminals to be herded and enchained … a crop to be reaped … a herd to be culled of those who do not produce enough as judged by the lights of the “Gestapo”. Simple things are so often enough …. why this glutinous hogging of resources farmed from the people (the new slavery?) and to be spent mainly providing benefits for the said “Gestapo” and their brethren and sistren. In times such as these I feel that we must not lose sight of what is truthful and beautiful in this world even as we resist without violence those who seek to oppress.
@Calgary411 Allison Redford and Mark Carney where included in The Bilderberg Final List of 2012
A few notables on the list for 2013
Galen Weston Head of Loblaws
Brad Wall -Premier of Sask.
Peter Sutherland-Goldman Sachs International
Eric Schmidt Google chairman
Heather Reisma Indigo books
Frank Mckenna Brookfield mgmt.
Henry Kissinger
Edmund Clarke CEO of Td Bank
http://mises.ca/posts/blog/bilderberg-2012-final-list-of-participants/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10102170/Bilderberg-Group-2013-guest-list-and-agenda.html
@ All: I recall reading this a few years ago. Obama’s sister married a Canadian from Burlington Ontario. Read for yourself: http://www.ctvnews.ca/obama-has-personal-professional-ties-to-canada-1.370645
@Disgusted, thanks for that article.
It says; …”the family doesn’t generally talk about subjects like Canada-U.S. relations, but she knows Obama feels positively about Canada.”….
I’m sure that President Obama feels ‘positively’ that Canada should give the US what they are demanding, including IRS and Treasury access to all of our Canadian made and Canadian held savings – and he feels positively that Canadian taxpayers and citizens should pay ‘their fair share’ of the US domestic debt – via US extraterritorial taxes and FBAR and FATCA penalties.
I’d like to hear President Obama explain to his Canadian in-laws why it is positively necessary that their and our personal bank and financial accounts in Canada are going to be FATCA-nized with an IGA, and thus they and all other Canadian accountholders on Canadian soil will have to prove to the satisfaction of the US Treasury that they have no’ US ‘taxable person’ or other US connections. That means that for future financial planning purposes in Canada, they shouldn’t appoint their now UStaxresident and USemployed son as executor of their Canadian assets, or name him as having even a contingent future Power of Attorney for their Canadian accounts. Otherwise, the IRS will deem all their Canadian owned and sited accounts to be ‘foreign offshore accounts’ of interest – currently reportable and penalizable under the Bank Secrecy Act FBAR and FATCA – merely because their child is now a ‘US taxable person’ and US tax resident.
And any subsequent US born grandchildren, or grandchildren with a US parent must not ever have a Canadian savings account opened under their name for their birthday – as it will result in an FBAR reporting and penalty burden.
See also;
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2262763-obama-romney-have-canadian-connections/
and,
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/obama-in-canada-uncle-rocky-and-his-burlington-family-ties-1.771456
Badger, I’d love to be a fly on the wall to see how that conversation goes. I doubt it would go over very well.