I asked Beach Metro News to publish our ADCS press release, but they said it was against policy. However, the editor told me that if I was to write a Letter to the Editor, it would go into the next edition of the paper. Sure enough, he featured it prominently on page 6 with a headline he added that couldn’t be better. Perhaps our gang could go make some comments 🙂
Click here to make comments on the online version:
GwEvil’s Letter to the Editor
“America’s new law on tax compliance is heavy-handed, inequitable and hypocritical” The Economist magazine.
This is only a magazine very well respected internationally for it’s authoritative and well researched articles. This outranks Beach Metro news and should very prominently be displayed on this website along with the recent article in the WSJ.
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/06/26/the-economist-americas-new-law-on-tax-compliance-is-heavy-handed-inequitable-and-hypocritical/comment-page-1/#comment-2105049
JC this is the best endorsement of how bad the ridiculous FATCA law is. The Economist has the most balanced reporting of any news magazine in the world. They do not say who authors each article. The authors have a style of writing that is hard to beat. Occasionally Harper’s has a good article but Economist is consistent. I subscribe to the Economist, it is worth it (but a bit expensive).
@JC
I believe you are already aware that there is a thread regarding the article in the Economist.
I don’t understand why you would feel it necessary to make a comparison between that article and this letter to the editor. This is a community of supportive people who will do anything/everything to get the word out to anyone. For those here who are actively engaged in presenting meetings, interviews, writing endlessly to MPs, US reps and so on, nothing is more important than having a direct effect on the ones most affected by this mess – the little guys. It is debatable whether the Economist article, likely read primarily by politicians, bankers and so forth, will do much to actually change this situation. If that was likely, this whole charade would be done by now. Perhaps you did not mean it but your words are very unkind to the person who went to the time and trouble and effort to try and get a message out to the people in that community, which happens to contain a large number of American expatriates who seem not to be aware at all, of what is coming. The author of this letter has gone door-to-door passing out fliers, pamphlets and deserves to hear better than “This outranks Beach Metro News….”
@Tricia Moon – I was not intending to be unkind. I think your involvement was very courageous with the WSJ – making the story very personal and thereby potentially more impactive. I am completely amazed at the stated income levels and the enormity of the fine that you calculated you could have been up for.
I think all avenues are good. The Beach Metro is a great article. Yes I am thinking who reads these articles and the greater the authority of the source that might get more attention from people in some power to do anything. I did not see the Economist article getting the same treatment on the website as the Beach Metro one – it should be more prominent. I almost missed it, while the Beach Metro article was given prominence twice. Or perhaps I am missing some of the emphasis of the site which is to really focus on “the little guys.” I also have sent lots of letters.
The Isaac Brock Society consists of individuals who are concerned about the treatment by the United States government of US persons who live in Canada and abroad. That is everyone impacted. Personal stories are a key way to show the treatment.
@JC – Oh I see what you are saying. Its odd because the so-called “top post” has changed several times in the course of the evening. Usually, the most recent post is at the top, at least for a while. I will check into this. My apologies for totally misunderstanding you.
Thanks for that. I don’t really feel like it was courageous-they wanted a personal story as opposed to a factual sort of thing. And very few of us are in a position that we can do it. I think courageous would be doing it when you hadn’t jumped thru all the hoops! The calculated fine was figured outside of the programs as there weren’t any when I found out. All that was, was counting all our accounts, roughly 5-6 per year (chequeing, 2-3 different savings accounts, a couple of GIC’s, an RESP for son, etc) for 8 years at $10k per account per year.And 25% of the largest account balance which was an unusual occurrence because my father had died about 6 months prior so some inheritance money had come through. The irony was, it was a tax-free inheritance, had already been taxed in the States and i could prove there was no way I was “hiding it” in order to avoid taxes. LOL! On top of that, I tried very hard to keep it down there as the CDN dollar was worth more at the time and i knew I would lose by exchanging it. Nobody would give me an account because I didn’t have a US address. So it had nothing to do with having a large income or tax, all based upon maximum FBAR penalty. Hope that makes sense.
@Tricia Moon Mind boggling what you say.
I had a multinational go at bringing attention to tax treaty modification that would potentially provide some remedy to double taxation, the harsh compliance penalties, and infringement of the US into the sovereignty of other nations. I figure that it is the best direction. I am only one person. How best to get some momentum and ideas of approach in this direction?
@JC, Trish
Good. I’d hate for this to turn into a pissing contest.
@JC
Your idea makes a great deal of sense. I apologize for being cynical but the US always has a “saving clause” which allows them to do whatever they want. They even manage to get nations to sign on to agreements that aren’t even treaties. I don’t have the energy for another project at this point but I’ll bet there are others here who might.
@bubblebustin
pissing contest? a small misunderstanding already long-gone as far as I am concerned…. 😉
@Tricia
I didn’t mean between you and JC, just the notion that some contributions might be seen as more worthy than others. Glad that’s not the case.
Em, can you email me please. I tried to email you twice and got “undeliverable”. Thanks mucho.
@calgary411
I can’t e-mail for awhile as I closed my e-mail account so I borrowed one of my husband’s e-mail addresses to post this. We’re very preoccupied this weekend getting his 8854 stuff all done and cripes we just ran out of ink for the printer so that means a day trip to get more ink (none in town). — Em (Yes, this is really me.)
Em, thanks. Email has been sent. Let me know and understand if not.
@calgary411
I don’t have access to the e-mail address I posted with. I’ll ask my husband to find your e-mail when he returns from his trip to get printer ink. It will be several hours. Meanwhile I’m reading at IBS and MS. I’m going to take a copy of the ADCS press release to our local paper. They didn’t print the first one but I’m going to get very pushy about printing this new one. Everyone in this area (and all over Canada) needs to know what is happening after Canada Day.
Thanks so much Em. Will check when I get back from an afternoon dog walk. Thanks for all you are doing in the midst of getting the IRS stuff done.
Em. GOT IT!!!! My sincere thanks. Thinking about you and Mr. Em as you get all done for the deadline.
Em, Here is the message I’ve been asked to send: