Thanks, Badger, for posting the NDP press release issued today.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2013
CANADIANS DESERVE ANSWERS ON FATCA
OTTAWA – Conservative Finance Minister Jim Flaherty must address growing public anxiety about the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), and secret negotiations over an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the implementation of FATCA in Canada.
“A complete lack of transparency, communication and consultation on the part of the Conservatives has exacerbated fears among those who have serious concerns about FATCA,” said NDP pensions critic Murray Rankin (Victoria). “Negotiations are being held behind closed doors while Canadians remain in the dark as to the integrity of their personal banking information.”
Reports suggest that if implemented, an IGA may require Canadian banks, investment funds and other financial institutions to disclose annually to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) information on accounts held by American citizens, including dual citizens in Canada. Concerns have been raised that such a system could potentially violate existing Canadian privacy laws.
“Canada cannot accept an agreement that violates Canadians’ rights,” said Rankin. “I am asking that the government acknowledge the very legitimate public concerns about the FATCA, bring transparency to this process and inform Parliamentarians on the state of negotiations as soon as possible.”
Rankin sent a letter to Flaherty outlining several concerns about FATCA and demanding urgent action.
For more information, please contact: Kiavash Najafi, Press Secretary, 613-852-6186 or kiavash.najafi@parl.gc.ca
http://www.ndp.ca/news/canadians-deserve-answers-fatca
@ I emailed my NDP MP , Mulcair and Rankin a Thank you. It looks like our hard work is paying off.
i emailed my mp john weston and thanked him for nothing. 6 emails and no response
i also e mailed him a copy of the press release and sent mr. rankin a thank you note
I emailed my NDP leader here quite a few times. I’ll send a thank-you as well!
My e-mails will be sent off soon. Thank you NDP! (My MP’s seat is vacant but I did what I could before he left.)
Right on Murry! Thank you email also sent.
@mettleman
You’re in my riding. I actually met with John and his assistant in August of 2011, when all of this began. He was very sympathetic at the time, and encouraged me to make a pre 2013 Budget Submission, which I did. I email him periodically and although I’ve heard back from his assistant, I haven’t actually heard from him for quite some time. If we had a FATCA meeting here in Vancouver, I would invite him. This radio silence kind of strange, because when I initially met with him, he said that he was designated by the Finance Minister to be the go to guy for FATCA. You might want to have a look at these posts, as they relate to John Weston:
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2013/06/25/another-response-to-a-constituent-from-john-weston-mp-for-west-vancouver-sunshine-coast-sea-to-sky-country/
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/07/20/more-correspondence-from-the-office-of-john-weston-mp-irs-is-a-budget-issue-for-the-government-of-canada-get-your-voice-heard-before-the-deadline-for-2013s-budget-submissions/
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/06/26/a-response-from-john-weston-mp-on-fatca/
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/05/01/john-weston-mp-invites-former-irs-deputy-commissioner-to-canada/
I also have been writing my (Conservative) MP at least every 2 months for the last year. At least I receive acknowledgements of receipt and assurances that the message has been passed on to the MP, but little else. I also met him face to face last May, giving him the first knowledge he ever had on FATCA. I in general am a small “c” conservative, and for the most part support the federal party by that name, but FATCA outside of the USA is not a partisan issue.
Atticus, I’ll be happy to support you in whatever you arrange in Kingston. We’re on the same page here.
@bubblebustin
very interesting read. thank you for that. perhaps i may yet get a response from john.
i hope to meet you at the vancouver meeting providing it is after febuary 9th when i will be back from mexico (which was susposed to be our california vacation pre me finding out about fatca and getting hasseled at the border about my traveling to the us of a on a canadian passport and not an american one)
@mettleman
You’re welcome. Not sure when that will happen, but I look forward to meeting you sometime!
Yea NDP! (Holy cow, I didn’t ever think I’d say THAT outloud!!) I’ll be at a Vancouver meeting, too. I’ve written to my MP, Randall Garrison, with no response to date. Murray Rankin is just a few miles the other way, maybe I’ll start sending my letters to him!
just found this on john westons website and will certainly plan on calling next tuesday to ask him my questions….since apparently his e mail is broken… 🙂
Telephone Town Hall Event Outline
7:00 PM Pacific – Tuesday, January 28th, 2014
John Weston
Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country
A one hour telephone call will be held in the evening of January 28th, 2014. Beginning at 7:00PM (10:00PM Eastern), callers will be invited to phone and ask questions directly to their MP John Weston.
What is a Town Hall: A Telephone Town Hall (TTH) utilizes the latest communications technology to simultaneously call thousands of individuals and invite them to participate in an interactive discussion with a featured host.
Everyone in the riding is invited to dial: 1.877.353.4701
Objectives: Proactively approach constituents in the riding directly. MP JOHN WESTON is interested in listening to their concerns, discussing the issues and reinforcing the importance of the economy as an issue. Additionally, great opportunity to show support and join mailing list.
Co-Hosts: MP JOHN WESTON and Curt Cerveny
WHEN: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 @7:00pm PDT
WHERE TO CALL: 1.877.353.4701
Pingback: NDP Press Release: Canadians Deserve Answers on...