[We now have a NEW POST taking us up to February 1, 2015. This post will be retired from service.]
THE AUTUMN 2014 UPDATE
Dear Donors,
Together, we reached our goal of $100,000 to pay the November 1 legal bill 11 days ahead of schedule!
Thank you Canadian donors from coast to coast and our friends from around the world for your generosity, support and determination — and especially for not being afraid.
The name of our non-profit corporation is the “Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty.”
We were very deliberate in including in our name the word “sovereignty”, which forms a cornerstone of our Claims against the Government of Canada.
Canada and dozens of other countries throughout the world gave into a bully because their “leaders” were afraid of harm caused by a trading “partner” — and they gave their sovereignties away.
Help us convince by example the Leaders and Governments of all countries worldwide that they should return their sovereignties back to their Peoples.
Please continue to support our lawsuit.
“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” (Helen Keller)
— Plaintiffs Ginny and Gwen, and the ADCS-ADSC team
Chers donateurs,
Ensemble, nous avons atteint notre but d’amasser 100 000 $ pour payer notre facture légale du 1er novembre 11 jours d’avance !
Un gros merci à vous, donateurs canadiens, et à nos amis de tous les coins du monde pour votre grande générosité, soutien et détermination. Et surtout pour votre courage.
Le nom de notre organisme sans but lucratif est « l’Alliance pour la défense de la souveraineté canadienne ».
Nous avons choisi délibérément le mot « souveraineté » puisqu’il constitue la base fondamentale de nos revendications envers le gouvernement du Canada.
Le Canada et des dizaines d’autres pays se sont pliés devant l’intimidation des États-Unis parce que leurs « leaders » ont eu peur des menaces de notre « partenaire » commercial. Ils ont donc vendu leur souveraineté à rabais.
Aidez-nous à convaincre les dirigeants et les gouvernements de tous ces pays qu’ils se doivent de remettre leur souveraineté à leurs peuples.
S’il vous plaît, continuez à soutenir notre cause.
« Seuls, nous pouvons faire si peu. Ensemble, nous pouvons faire beaucoup. » (Helen Keller)
— Ginny, Gwen et toute l’équipe de l’ADCS-ADSC
DONATE to www.adcs-adsc.ca (ADSC en français).
Here’s a few damning comments from lame duck Gerald Keddy – from Hansard during Question period – more of MP Keddy selling out his constitutants – many of whom he described as holding American passports!
May 29th, 2014 / 3:40 p.m.
Gerald Keddy South Shore—St. Margaret’s, NS
“Mr. Chairman, of course, what the honourable member’s really asking us to do is change how the Americans apply their own laws, which they have a right to do. We don’t have to agree with it, but they tax based on citizenship and that’s simply how it is. Worse yet, his amendment would really not just change the way the Canada and the United States enhanced tax information exchange agreement works, but it would actually override the terms of the intergovernmental agreement negotiated with the U.S. providing that the terms “U.S. Person” or “Specified U.S. Person” do not include a person ordinarily resident in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. Of course, what they leave out of that is that person would also have to be a U.S. citizen or a dual citizen.
“The amendment would mean that the financial accounts of U.S. citizens who have such connections to Canada would not be reported. It is clear, Mr. Chairman, that the scope of persons in respect of which the U.S. seeks information under the IGA consistent with the U.S. tax legislation includes all U.S. citizens, including those who are dual citizens or residents of another country. This is based on the requirements of the U.S. tax system, as I mentioned earlier, which places tax filing obligations on all U.S. citizens, even those who are also citizens of another country. At the end of the day, this would result in Canadian financial institutions and their clients being exposed to the U.S. FATCA withholding tax.
“Finally, I want to say there’s really some misleading information being put out here. U.S. citizens have always been applicable to paying taxes in the U.S. if they were following the tax regime of the U.S. Most of us have some U.S. relatives or U.S. family members or U.S. connection, especially if you live in Atlantic Canada. The reality is the difference here is no different from U.S. tax law. The difference is they’re enforcing the rules that have always been in place. If you’re a U.S. citizen, you have to comply with U.S. tax rules and you have to file income tax. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to pay income tax, but you’ve always been responsible to file. That comes with the duty of citizenship. We can like it or not, but it’s not up to us to make that judgment.”
May 29th, 2014 / 5:10 p.m.
Gerald Keddy South Shore—St. Margaret’s, NS
“Again, I appreciate what Mr. Cullen is saying, and to be clear, no one said anyone who’s a dual citizen is not a Canadian citizen. No one at this table or any of our witnesses have ever said that. The reality is if you’re a dual citizen, you are a Canadian citizen and you are also a citizen of another country. If that country happens to be the United States, then you fall under the rules of FATCA and that’s not anyone’s making but the American tax law.
“Unfortunately, there will be some people who are caught up in this who may be caught in a larger net who don’t realize they’re American citizens, but even without FATCA, they still have an obligation to file. They may not be liable to pay American tax, because they may not have any taxes due, but they have always had an obligation to file an American tax return, and that’s unfortunate, but that’s just simply the law. “
Carol and Wondering,
Thanks for the quotes. The Government of Canada’s position on the right of the United States to apply its laws on a subgroup of Canadians living in our country is clearly stated.
George Orwell, 1984:
“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
Here is a very telling quote in which a Conservative MP admits at US persons in Canada need protection, but sadly we can only “… protect as many citizens as we can.”
Again, this ironically comes from a New Brunswick MP, home of so many “accidental Americans”.
Conservative MP Mike Allen
Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
June 11th, 2014 / 8:55 p.m. (Hansard):
“The U.S. has had a taxation on citizenship since 1913. It is one of only two countries in the world, the other being Eritrea, that has that kind of taxation. Most, like Canada, tax on residence, but the U.S. does not.
In fact, that was challenged in the early 1920s, through the Constitution, in the U.S., as being unconstitutional. That constitutional challenge was actually defeated. Here we are with U.S. citizens required to pay taxes in the U.S.
We all agree, and I do not think anybody in our committee disagrees, that FATCA is overreaching, on the part of the U.S. There is no question about it. We are left with the situation where, as a government that deals with the 28 other countries that have signed intergovernmental agreements, and there are about 33 that are actually working toward agreements in principle now, WE HAVE TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH THIS TO PROTECT AS MANY CITIZENS AS WE CAN.
(caps mine for emphasis)
@Stephen,
How’s this for the Canadian government’s support for the imposition of US tax laws on Canadians when they presumably spent Canadian tax dollars bringing US compliance condors to Canada to help devise the best way to execute FATCA against Canadians?
“A number of constituents contacted me with their concerns during the
negotiation-process. As a New York-licensed lawyer who practiced
international law prior to entering public life, I took the initiative
among Government Caucus members to contact and consolidate information from
a circle of top US lawyers and accountants. I contacted them in an attempt
to provide our Finance Minister, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, with their
insights as people who advise Canadians with IRS reporting obligations. I
believe – especially after this announcement – that Minister Flaherty took
our concerns forward effectively.
Among other things, I also arranged for prominent U.S. tax attorney Mark
Matthews to come to Ottawa on May 30, 2012 to brief Caucus members
concerning these matters. Mr. Matthews not only works with Canadians who
have U.S. tax problems, but he also served previously as Deputy
Commissioner at the IRS.”
John Weston MP in a letter to constituents after Canada signed the FATCA IGA:
http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/03/06/a-letter-from-john-weston-regarding-the-iga-we-need-to-educate-the-mps/
@Carol and Stephen,
Didn’t Trudeau say something to that effect also, somewhere?
WhiteKat: Yes. Trudeau did say something to the effect of “we can’t tell the United States how to exercise their sovereign right to tax as they see fit.” I thought it was in his response to my letter to him which I have been searching for but cannot find. Perhaps I dumped it in disgust! I’m sure many of us corresponded with Trudeau. Can anyone else find a quote to this effect from him?
My rebuttal to Mr. Trudeau would be as follows: “But as Canada protecting its Canadian citizens is of paramount importance and Canada’s borders as placeholders of sovereignty should be defended vigorously. If you allow the United States to govern its citizens where it has no right to govern (on Canadian soil) then you are allowing sovereignty to slip away while you genuflect on bended knee. We are nothing more than an ill-treated vassal-state of the United States and cannot truly be called a nation. My grandparents, mother and uncles were treated as second class citizens and the enemy during WWII. I will not stand a repeat of the same treatment due to Canadian politicians not having a spine to call their own.”
Donate to ADCS:
Consider that at minimum wage (Ontario = $11. per hour CDN) , a Canadian citizen attempting to renounce now must wait until at least April 2015 for an appointment at the Toronto consulate, and spend the equivalent of more than 6 weeks worth of wages in order to earn the fee of 2350. USD.
Isn’t it a shocking human rights violation if a person must work to pay out their indentured servitude to the US at that rate? And that does not include the stiff costs of tax filing and financial reporting if they choose to certify 5 years compliance.
See chart of storefront chain base fees for 2014 here:
US Pricing Guide 2012-1.pdf
Correction to my post above,
Here is the document I found cached online :
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ODkyO2uNlgEJ:www.askbernice.com/uploads/2014_US_Pricing_-_July.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=firefox-a
More self-incrimination from John Weston in this LTE to Squamish Chief:
“After lengthy negotiations, Canada reached an agreement with the U.S. on Feb. 5. No arrangement is perfect, especially complicated bilateral agreements between two countries. The U.S., as a sovereign nation, has the capacity to make its own laws governing its citizens.”
– See more at: http://www.squamishchief.com/opinion/letters/safeguards-lauded-1.939921#sthash.rlcA8W2P.dpuf
the Liberal party is actively seeking campaign donations AND your one BIG IDEA!!! Hah we all know what our big idea is!! The campaign is being lead by Chrystia Freeland she talks about make or break – I wonder when she will figure out that FATCA is breaking thousands of Canadians?
They are bringing Hilary Clinton to Ottawa to speak to the party faithful in October. here is the email they are sending out.
“Friend —
When I was a business reporter, my editors made me check my facts three times before going to print. That’s because CEOs would make decisions that could make or break companies after reading my stories. So here’s a story that concerns you. With an election a year away or less, we need to close the gap now. We’re just 8 days away from our biggest fundraising deadline of the year — one that will stack us up against the Conservative fundraising machine. I need you to decide if Team Trudeau — our movement — is going to hit our ambitious $600,000 end-of-Q3 fundraising goal by midnight September 30. So I’ve included your 2014 donor history below to make sure you’ve got the facts. Friend, this is make or break. So please read closely, and act quickly:
After you donate, share your big idea for Canada and enter to win the political experience of a lifetime: a return flight to Ottawa, breakfast with Justin Trudeau and one of his senior advisors (you bring the big idea!), and a chance to hear former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speak over lunch on October 6, 2014.
Everyone who gives will also receive an exclusive electronic preview from Justin Trudeau’s new book, Common Ground. And if you give $200, or more, you’ll receive a free hard copy of the book. I want to thank the 827 Canadians who have already chipped in $51,307 in response to emails like this one. Friend, you can join them right now:
https://www.liberal.ca/finish-q3-strong/
Help us build the team and the plan to offer all Canadians a real and fair chance to succeed. But we have to act now — or we won’t be election-ready when our chance to get rid of Stephen Harper comes.
Thank you.
Chrystia Freeland
MP, Toronto-Centre PS. You can always donate by phone at 1-888-542-3725. Our lines are open until 7pm ET every day from September 19 to September 29. On September 30, they will be open until midnight.
@downtherabbithole
Gag!
@downtherabbithole
I believe it’s time to again blanket the Liberals with letters and constituency meetings.
Suggest teaming up for constituency meetings; bring a friend or family member of other fellow so-called “US person.” Go to your MP’s open houses or community check-ups.
Here are some talking points I’m using with my Liberal MP:
– Canadians who are harmed by the FATCA IGA are a large constituency – as are any so-called “US persons” in Canada
– demand a policy on FATCA IGA and witch-hunt of so-called “US persons” in Canada
– demand a policy position of the FATCA Charter Challenge. The Charter Challenge case will be in the news around the next election and it will be the Harper Cons policy on trial by default. Liberals should leverage this
– The Harper Cons are VERY vulnerable to voter rebellion over their sell-out of hundreds of thousands of Canadians
– will not contribute further to Liberals until there is state policy position re: FATCA – will direct any $$ allocated to political giving to ADCS instead
– the NDP has been first out of the gate on this and will get my $$ and vote unless the Liberals step up to the plate
– many Canadians with imposed US person-hood view the Obama administration and its minions with deep suspicion and mistrust – the Liberals shpuld consider this before taking anyone associated with the current regime on as role models, consultants or policy advisers
Finally, do we know what Liberals are also so-called “US persons”? Ted Hsu was born in the US. Sadly, he is not running again.
Chrystia Freeland worked in NYC for several years. Did she have a green card? Were any of her children US-born?
Finally, suggest that the board of the ADCS request a meeting with the Liberal leadership or any LIberal MP’s that they may be connected to.
My ONE BIG IDEA? Rescind that invitation to Hittlery Clinton immediately. Why are Libs associating themselves with this corrupt-to-the-bone, war-mongering witch? Now I have 2 parties which I will never, ever vote for. Gotta hope the NDP and Greens don’t go completely down the tube too or I will end up never, ever voting for anyone. Not that a vote nowadays counts for much anyway. Banks are toying with the idea of “negative interest rates”. I would like to issue a “negative cheque” to the Libs for $600K — call it the price to pay for their foreign policy follies and for JT’s complete failure to grasp the facts of FATCA.
Some people have a very different view. Jack Townsend amongst the comments here
http://federaltaxcrimes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/kathy-keneally-former-doj-tax-aag-joins.html#disqus_thread
talks of a financial institution “whose business model does not require it to have the benefits offered by FATCA.”
I wonder what “benefits” he is thinks there are to enjoy. I thought that excepting the government POV it was only perceived as a nuisance and cost.
Perhaps the latest in government double-speak? Just as not taxing something became an ‘expenditure’, not punishing something is now labelled a ‘benefit’.
downtherabbithole,
I don’t want any Liberal swag come-on’s and certainly no Hillary Clinton endorsements — both negatives for my vote. When the Liberals have that great and expensive help of H.C., I would want them to have her speak about FATCA and all we discuss of who it affects in Canada and why she supports anything like US citizenship-based taxation for legal residents and citizens of other countries!
…and I doubt the Conservatives are changing their party line — this the response they gave to another Brocker, a stock answer on top of a stock answer from Michelle Rempel’s office to:
Though asked numerous times, Ms. Rempel has never discussed implementation of the FATCA IGA with her Calgary constituents — and there will be many who have the taint of US-ness. (She’s twittering her selfie face as safe in her Canadian bed from ISIS though.)
Didn’t the USA just prove what we were telling them from the beginning on Fatca? They just waved their hand in the air and said ” we raise the renunciation fee to $2350″ and hey, Canadian government, there is not a god dam thing you can do about it! Make your citizens pay us!!! When will they change the rules again? When they tell you they will and yes, again, YOU can do NOTHING about it! ADCS here I come!
Don’t forget to demand a position on what to do if U.S. Congress does not approve reciprocal disclosure to Canada. This could win on a technicality instead of on principle, but it can be the real downfall of FATCA.
In developing NON-FATCA-BANKS.COM I find some countries supposedly said it is okay to list them as agreeing in principle to IGA, but in some non-IGA countries I was unable to find non-FATCA banks. This is disappointing. I’m not sure I found a complete list of banks to check against. Besides, if all 5 banks in Andorra comply with FATCA I’m not sure all of their mutual funds would register. If a bank offers mutual funds, they could decide to leave one open for FATCA victims because the fund is a FFI.
inviting Hilary to speak to the liberals shows how they are building a cosy relationship with the US before they are even in office. only with the democrats not the republicans. How sad is it that the only so called dynamic speaker they bring in is an American. Surely there is a Canadian who is worthy of speaking to the party loyal. I nominate John Richardson!
An interesting article on how libertarianism is the opposite of authoritarianism, and how both exist on the left and right. The US might solve a lot of its problems if it voted based on the former, not the latter.
http://rare.us/story/the-opposite-of-libertarian-is-authoritarian/
I can see Hillary having a hard run at the oval office. America loves guns! Democrats want gun control. Obama sanctioned the Russian AK47’s and there was a big run to buy them all up. The gunners have a lot to say in the vote and I bet the Democrats will have a big run for their money. Sadly, Justin Trudeau doesn’t have the spine his dad once had. At least Pierre stood up to the US government and did what he wanted to do. Flights to Cuba were deemed okay much to the chagrin of the US. Glad to see that Eliz. May is gaining another MP. Greens are making more sense to me than the rest of this sorry bunch.
My answer. This is so ridiculous. My vote even if I were American (in Canada) does not count a penny in the eyes of whoever represents me in the past.
RE: Request Your Ballot and Celebrate National Voter Registration Day
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 9:24 PM
To: Kermitzii
voterhelpdesk@overseasvotefoundation.org
I am not overseas and live within 50 km of the USA (Vancouver). I renounced a year ago and I hope all “Americans abroad” recognize the injustice of the American tax system imposed upon them. The word is spreading that USA citizenship “abroad” is poison.
________________________________________
From: midyearcheckin@getresponse.com [midyearcheckin@getresponse.com] on behalf of Overseas Vote Foundation [voterhelpdesk@overseasvotefoundation.org]
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 11:10 PM
To: Ritland, Kermit
Subject: Request Your Ballot and Celebrate National Voter Registration Day
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Sorry, I don’t hold with using sexist language to talk about female politicians even if you don’t like them at all, Embee. There are other ways. Just sayin.
I can’t vote in the U.S. anymore so it’s of no importance to me what they do. If Liberals here are inviting her to speak then I would soon be asking Justin Trudeau for a strong comment on where HE stands on FATCA going forward. My vote is going NDP here or Greens anyway though. Despite the fact that my Liberal MP did stellar work trying to stand up against FATCA his parties leader isn’t doing anything and has given indications that he’s just another empty suit like Obama was. I don’t like it when Canadian political parties have American pols up here to speak. We’re NOT the U.S. Are our politicians invited to speak to trump up support at THEIR political conventions? We’re just becoming less and less and less our own country. Bad move to invite them.
There is a great article featuring some Brockers from The Guardian which is making the twitter rounds today. It is a GREAT article with a fantastic graphic.
For some reason I’m not able to paste the link so I’ll give it another go later unless someone else can do it. :S