For Immediate Release March 10, 2014
Today a small group of Canadians began the long legal process to prevent the Conservative government from helping the United States impose a bad law on Canada.
With the announcement of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on February 5, 2014, Finance Minster Jim Flaherty makes discrimination against one million innocent Canadians and their families – those the U.S deems “U.S. persons” – mandatory.
Finance Canada has requested public input on the FATCA agreement, which will override federal laws to meet demands of a foreign power to seize private financial records of Canadians.
Canadian citizens Dr. Stephen Kish of Toronto and Lynne Swanson of London Ontario responded today to that request by retaining prominent constitutional lawyer Joseph Arvay of Vancouver to provide a legal opinion on whether this legislation violates Canada’s Constitution including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and if so how a constitutional challenge might be mounted.
“It’s time for Canadians to get angry. FATCA is a threat to all Canadians and cannot be captive to party politics. MPs must NOT be required to vote along party lines – They must vote their conscience in a free vote” says Dr. Kish.
In less than one week a funding initiative, organized by Dr. Kish and Ms. Swanson, raised the money required to pay for this legal opinion.
“It is despicable the Harper government thinks so little of Canadians that they are forced to raise money from those with limited means to retain counsel to ensure their fundamental rights are protected from foreign demands,” says Ms. Swanson.
“As a Canadian citizen for 41 years, I never thought I would see the day when demands of a foreign government would take precedence over Canadian laws. The implications of this for Canada and for all Canadians are chilling.”
CONTACT: Lynne Swanson maplesandbox@yahoo.ca
Go Canuks!
Um, that’s Canucks, Just Me. Canuks would be dual Canadian-UK citizens perhaps? 🙂
@Char
Don’t worry about it… I got no clue… Nor do I facebook thingy or really any social media… ok… I went to check out the twitter thing… man… these brockers are fast… it would take me awhile to put something together… that made sense to other humans… lol
Unbelievable how Harper kisses Obama’s a.. -feet, bends over, jumps, dance, runs to pick up the stick, and does everything US tells him to do – so good boy here is your cookie.
Is this the leader we want to have to screw up more Canadians lives?. Of course not. We don’t want him never in Canada either. He is not Canadian. He is a Traitor. Jean Chrétien did what is good for Canadians, was not a pet or a puppet of US.
A leader is to protect Canadians and Canada’s Interest equally and fairly, respecting human lives, the Canadian Human Rights Charter and the Constitution. A leader of a country that has millions of lives depending on does not go by the so-called “laws” of a foreign criminal country =US that doesn’t even respect human lives, etc…. There are other countries to deal with like China, and others in South America and the eastern. US debt is unpayable 13 to 20 Trillions and coming more, neither have value of natural resources, very limited. US wants money for their own wars interests’ that only destroys more everything.
YES Dr Kish – FATCA is indeed a threat to all Canadians and cannot be captive to party politics. MPs must NOT be required to vote along party lines – They must vote their conscience in a free vote”
And FATCA is a CRIME! Is to steal money and years of savings of honest hard worker people. In what right mind could this even be allowed to be implemented in another country to steal residents and citizens money just like that and the government agrees!!!??? It is not conceivable and worst it was allowed by a PM – the leader???? a joke – Completely outrageous! LETS STOP AND ELIMINATE FATCA IN CANADA. it is UNACCEPTABLE! NO MORE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN AND PRIVACY RIGTHS.
Check this:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38031.htm
@John
Excellent article of interview with former Australian PM. Liked how he referred to America’s exceptionlism. Very insightful.
@northernstar, John
I occasionally recall how at the beginning of the US’s invasion of Iraq, Canadians were complaining about their cars getting vandalized in the Bellis Fair mall parking lot in Bellingham, WA, presumably because Canada (under the last PM to have any cajones), wouldn’t join them in what is now another great American boondoggle. This in spite of the fact that WA State’s tax coffers are very appreciative of the sales tax revenue generated by Canadian shoppers.
@bubblebustin
I do not see how the Americans can complain about their coup in Ukraine and then complain about Crimea and Putin coming in to protect them.
my goodness but then the Americans do think they are exceptional And how about our PM in Kiev.!