UPDATE January 24, 2015: THIRD OF FIVE LEGAL BILLS PAID
[We now have a NEW POST taking us up to May 1, 2015. This post will be retired from service.]
On August 11, 2014, Constitutional Litigator Joseph Arvay filed a FATCA IGA lawsuit in Canada Federal Court on behalf of Plaintiffs Ginny and Gwen, the Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty (en français), and all peoples worldwide. Read Alliance’s Claims and comment on our Alliance blog.
Chers amis et donateurs,
Ensemble, nous avons atteint notre but : ramasser les fonds nécessaires pour payer la troisième des cinq factures légales de notre poursuite judiciaire.
Ramasser 300 000 $ provenant de petits dons est un exploit tout à fait extraordinaire et nous invitons notre gouvernement canadien, ainsi que tous les autres gouvernements qui ont piétiné les droits de leurs citoyens, à en prendre bonne note.
Chaque jour, nous nous rapprochons de notre but. Déjà, nous avons ramassé plus de la moitié des fonds nécessaires pour payer les frais légaux de notre poursuite contre le gouvernement canadien et l’entente FATCA.
Si nous avons parcouru un si grand bout de chemin, c’est grâce à nos deux courageuses plaignantes, Ginny et Gwen, à nos donateurs provenant du Canada et de partout dans le monde, ainsi qu’aux administrateurs des sites Internet Isaac Brock Society et Maple Sandbox. Ils permettent tous à nos voix d’être entendues.
Merci !
L’équipe de l’ADSC
———————————————————————————————–
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Together we have reached our goal of paying off the third of five retainer fees for our Canadian FATCA IGA lawsuit.
Raising $300,000 from small donations is a pretty amazing achievement and we ask the Government of Canada, and those other governments who have also tossed away rights of their citizens, to take notice.
It’s still a marathon, but we are more than half way to pay off the Federal Court legal costs.
We have come so far because of our brave Plaintiffs, Ginny and Gwen, our Canadian and International donor-supporters, and the administrators of the Isaac Brock and Maple Sandbox websites who make it possible for our voices to be heard.
Thank you all,
—The ADCS-ADSC team
I’m afraid I agree with Dash 1729. This is not new…just different.
Dash1729, I think the nostalgia stems from the fact that the USG has morphed from a something that at one time had a more limited role in the everyday lives of people to one that now seems to control every aspect of every single minute of our lives.
And I don’t think this breathing down our necks control stems from govt being less honourable but from the fact that technology has enabled them to do things in ways they couldn’t before.
The Internet, which makes it possible for USCs and former USCs from all over the world to meet her at the IBS to exchange info, offer support and form a united front, also makes it possible for the USG to finally enforce CBT to the extent that it has.
Politics does not attract people who have no ambition or personal agendas or who aren’t willing to be tools to further those ambitions and agendas. The good ones rarely make it into power and the mostly don’t stick around. Or one day they stop fighting and simply walk into the dark light.
There has never been a “good old days” much of anywhere. It’s just that our ability as humans to wreck havoc on each other has increased and we have a 24/7 media only too willing to report on it 24/7.
This is a message for the person who requested that we let him/her know that “the CD has arrived.”
Thanks so much!
Tricia
I would like to get back to the topic of
“$94,560 more needed to make the February 1 2015 payment for Canadian FATCA IGA lawsuit”
Years ago hubby and I developed a policy (based on advice from a well loved spiritual leader) to gather up all the requests for donations and, once a year go through every request and make the decisions all at once as to where and how much to donation. Late fall is a major time for many organizations to put out such requests (tho others send multiple duplicate requests throughout the year) and November/December seems to be important times for many people making contributions to important causes. (our chosen once-per-year time is mid-November).
I mention this as an introduction to: What do people think about writing to their friends and colleagues, or even putting a notice in one’s religious or civic-organization’s newsletter or bulletin boards, asking for even small donations to ADCS. Do we not think that others (not just US-connected/effected) may want to protect the rights of all Canadians under our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and/or to fight against this legalized 2nd class citizenship in our country?
Perhaps someone more articulate than I could write something succinct and meaningful explaining the issue – – something that could be placed in a holiday card or tacked onto a late fall seasonal email greeting. Is this too crass an idea?
Yesterday I took FATCA/IBS/ADCS information fliers to the campus of the local university and, for several hours, walked from department office to department office asking the administrative assistant in each office if there were any faculty or staff working there who had US connection; I explained the purpose of my search and gave them fliers to put into mailboxes for these individuals. There were LOTS of OMG moments and only a couple departmental secretaries hesitated to hang up on a bulletin board or circulate these notices. One fellow I met (just another visitor to the department) was so shocked as I was explaining FATCA and the IGA , he took a flier to give to the US wife of a famous musician he knew well.
Several people I spoke with mentioned departmental deans, research chairs and graduate students that they would pass these fliers on to, or they had friends, neighbors or in-laws who needed to know. The office manager at Indigenous Studies was VERY interested……. Today I took these fliers to a “Third Age Learning” series and just spread them out on a nearby table; the flier heading just said “SEEKING US PERSONS – – you may need to learn more about FATCA”. About a dozen fliers were picked up during the break or afterward the lecture. Little bit by little bit…….
My recent Ontario Kijiji ads have, after only 2 days of posting, drawn almost 150 visits (Thunder Bay still leads the way with 39!!!). Is there someone out there in BC or Manitoba or other provinces who would try posting in their provinces?
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO SPREAD THE WORD, TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND DONATE EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS TOWARDS THE NEXT $94,560??? As Stephen has said, even $25 helps. Would people you know, people in your organizations or your neighborhood dealings, be willing to donate $25 to help re-establish the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the sovereignty of Canada?
“Wer Jude ist bestimme ich!” was declared by Hermann Göring, the founder of the Gestapo. (“It’s me who decides who is a Jew!”) The US government has arrogantly adopted Göring’s approach – worldwide. Governments everywhere have toppled to US pressure and failed to protect their own citizens. Active financial support for ACDS is a last-ditch, ethical, and achievable response – enabling individuals to resist the imposition of ‘US identity’ by this US regime, for its own rabid and out-of-control purposes.
@LM, That was a brilliant approach you took passing out flyers. Just recently I have run into expats that did not have a clue. After I spoke with them they had ashen looking faces.
I wonder if there is a half page simple flyer that could be made up so its not so blatently Canada ADCS centric?
Maybe a half page in bold—-
Are you a US Citizen?
Are you a (INSERT) Citizen that was born in America?
Have you held a US Green Card?
Do you know about FATCA, the most far reaching law that nobody heard about?
You need to Google “FATCA Oh my God”
Learn everything you can about FATCA before its too late.
@LM, do you or anyone else know of any other google searches that would lead people to IBS, ADCS, Maplesandbox and other favorables?
To piggyback on your idea, even if all IBSers printed off some flyers and mailed them to the Human Resources department at their nearby Universities with a note to please share or post. Many will go into the trash but not all.
Is it possible to get a copy of the “US Persons Wanted” flyer to print off and hand out? Maybe a well designed flyer would get attention? I would like to have a copy and will print and distribute many of them…..
@ George –
Your thought that ‘flyers mailed to the Human Resources department at nearby universities with a note to please share or post (but many will go into the trash)’ is exactly why I took the half day to walk from office to office (Hubby said I was being like Johnny Appleseed – – not quite like Paul Revere – – spreading the word little bit by little bit in virgin soil) .
Confronted with a not-too-bad looking senior lady with a smile and a willingness to (with slight humor and sarcasm about FATCA and the IGA and the police-state of our banks)) explain why there was a strong need to connect with and share this information with any US=connected individuals in their small enclaves (where they might actually know who is and who might be effected -affected, something Human Resources is not going to take the time to figure out), most of these office staff folks were more than interested/surprised/taken aback and willing to pass on the word.
For those interested in doing something like this during their lunch hour in the down-town core, starting at the top of a nearby building and moving stealthily down to other offices that day or the next, (or from shop to shop in their local village, here is the relatively simple 1-pg flier I handed out:
*** At the top, for some colorful eye-candy, I had a single row of jpeg images of:
– a page with the word PRIVACY pouring out from a straight-cut shredding machine,
– an image of the Canadian Charter of rights and Freedoms with Canadian flag, and
– an image of a large tombstone on which is chiseled:
CANADA BORN JULY 1, 1867 DIED JULY 1, 2014 CONGRESS HAS SPOKEN
(Heading in large letters, bolded font):
SEEKING US PERSONS IN CANADA – you need to learn about FATCA!!!
Are you a US citizen living in Canada? One of your parents born in the US?
Are you US/Canadian dual? Maybe an Accidental American?
Are you married to – – or a business partner of – – a “US Person”?
Are you a Snowbird who might be staying in the US too long?
Do you have a US Green-card that you no longer use but didn’t legally renounce?
YOU NEED TO KNOW that FATCA (the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) has been implemented worldwide and that our Canadian Government has signed an IGA (Intergovernmental agreement) making all financial institutions in Canada into investigative arms of the IRS!
YOU NEED TO KNOW that with the stroke of that pen YOU have become a 2nd CLASS CITIZEN in Canada in regard to financial privacy rights. And that very soon ALL YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION will be gathered up and forwarded to the IRS.
The Isaacbrocksociety.ca is making a strong continuing effort to inform individuals like yourself about their RIGHTS and OPTIONS, exploring what you and your family need to understand in relation to the complexity and breadth of these issues you now face.
Additionally, we are supporting efforts to raise awareness about the human rights failings & general social collateral damage issues surrounding Canada’s FATCA IGA, which has resulted in this legalized 2nd class citizenship. A constitutional challenge has already been initiated within the Canadian courts.
Please join us to learn more and for ongoing lively and informative discussions.
http://www.isaacbrocksociety.ca also: http://www.adcs-adsc.ca/
This is the same flier I quietly left out on the empty table (near the lecture-break coffee) at the gathering of seniors on Friday. Other venues could also be considered. Do share your experiences here on IBS with this little bit of “Apple-seeding”. If nothing else, it will make you feel you have done something other than rant here….. 🙂 🙂 🙂
PS. In Ontario Municipal elections are next week – – I just might take my fliers to my local polling station to pass out to anyone interested while we are waiting in line to vote or maybe just wait outside for a while after I have voted……. Maybe at the Santa Clause Parade next month?
You never know who you might find; go forth and be creative like political satirist Jon Stewart!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
@LM AWESOME!!!!! 🙂
@ George
I don’t know who “runesplendor” is but a year ago they were “Appleseeding” about FATCA in a place that had nothing to do with taxes but may have reached a lot of people. Good going, Runesplendor!!!
http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/the-lounge/fatca-oversteps-borders?utm_term=fatca%20canada&utm_content=p1-main-1-title&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=msn&utm_campaign=adid-bf6b7299-f8af-4431-996d-07d83471d7ed-0-ab_msb_ocode-22872&ad=semD&an=msn_s&am=broad&q=fatca%20canada&dqi=&o=22872&l=sem&qsrc=999&askid=bf6b7299-f8af-4431-996d-07d83471d7ed-0-ab_msb
Googling ‘Fatca Canada’ led to: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=FATCA+Canada
which, above all the banks and compliance-providers led to:
http://index.about.com/index?am=broad&q=fatca+canada&an=msn_s&askid=bf6b7299-f8af-4431-996d-07d83471d7ed-0-ab_msb&dqi=&qsrc=999&ad=semD&o=22872&l=sem This About.com webpage has Fight Fatca in Canada (ADCS) as the top-most listing!!!!!!! 🙂
Anyone have more ideas how to get ADCS near the top of someone’s Google search results RE FATCA?
Thanks, LM, you’ve been doing super getting the word out to people!
@ All. If you create a brochure or advertisement, etc, I can add it to the “Publicity and Protest Materials” under Take Action! on the Sidebar, if you e-mail me a copy pacifica@isaacbrocksociety.ca
Before breakfast, I’m going to share one more early morning creative spark:
In regard to the idea of asking for donations from friends or colleagues this upcoming holiday-giving season, how about printing (or hand writing) a small attractive note card tucked into your holiday greetings (or could be handed out to people you meet) saying something like:
At this season of heartfelt giving, will you consider making a small (or not so small) donation to help repair our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, restoring full and equal rights to all in this great country? Please let me tell you more about this or check out http://www.adcs-adsc.ca for broad information on this issue.
If others have better text (or presentational/image) suggestions, please share…..
LM: Fantastic work! A thousand thanks!
Is it not shocking that we are all running into person after person after person who has never heard of FATCA and has no clue how this law is going to affect him/her? It is now almost four months since it has gone into effect and the Canadian government has still not seen fit to make a single effort to educate the Canadian people about it. It is a joke if they think that putting information about it on their website is public notification enough. The public would have to already know to look for it! As I suggested in one of my many communications to the government, nothing less than mailing an information package about FATCA to every household would suffice.
Instead, just as they hid their complicity in the pages of the 2014 Federal Budget, they continue to hide their involvement by saying nothing about it. As we all know, the Conservative government of Canada gave in to U.S. demands with barely a whimper. And our Prime Minister, and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, both gave heartfelt speeches the other day saying that Canada would “never be intimidated by anyone”. Ha!
It is taking heroes and heroines like LM to sound the warning and do what our government should have had the guts to do months and months and months ago.
Good morning, Native Canadian – – I have just forwarded the flier I have been using to Pacifica777 Maybe she can post it (for copying) here and on the “Publicity and Protest Materials” under Take Action! on the Sidebar. Good luck and have fun bringing on a bunch of OMG moments (to US-connected folks AND others who likely have no idea what our government has done to our Charter of Rights & Freedoms – – our most basic principles upon which our entire legal system is built). And don’t forget to share your adventures with us! 🙂
Stephen: I don’t know if you saw my question on the old post so I thought I’d copy it here. I’m really hoping you can provide some information about this.
“Can you tell me if Mr. Butera is looking into the legality of the U.S. charging any renunciation fee at all let alone the whopping one of $2,350.00? Expatriation is a “right” extended to all in U.S. law. It seems to me that a “right” should be free and accessible to all, not available only to those with the means to pay for it. It seems to me that, if the U.S. finds it so costly to process a renunciation that it should simplify that process rather than raise the fee for it to such punitive levels. Is Mr. Butera looking into this aspect of the matter?”
@KingOfTheRoad – Your Highness (LOL) – I thank you for the information in your comment – “Wer Jude ist bestimme ich!” was declared by Hermann Göring, the founder of the Gestapo. (“It’s me who decides who is a Jew!”) The US government has arrogantly adopted Göring’s approach – worldwide.
I had not known this. I will however use it in conversation and postings if you dont mind.
Good for you LM. Such a great service you are performing. Thank you.
Thanks, LM, for another of the ways we can spread the word for those of us who still send some holiday greetings by post.
@ Calgary411 (and all) – I suppose this brief message/request for support could also be tacked onto an emailed holiday message or “annual family letter” which some people still send out. Also, I know that at this time of year we get from a few different organizations a set of a dozen not-too-kitchy Xmas or happy holidays cards (with envelopes) as an encouragement to donate to such organization. These cards could be handed out (with the “please consider contributing” card inserted) to:
the postman,
your child’s teacher or principal,
your music or foreign language or stained glass or pottery or Bridge teacher,
your superior’s & her/his receptionist at your business office, t
he local dry cleaners or florist or hairdresser or pharmacist you use regularly,
your favorite bank teller (wouldn’t that be interesting???),
an appreciated active member of your church/synagogue/mosque/temple or other civic/sports/arts/meditation/political organization, etc, etc, etc.
Let your mind wander………… WE CAN DO THIS (and it won’t risk prosecution for being SPAM). 🙂
@LM Thank you so much!! Your letter puts Fatca and it’s effect on people into words perfectly. I’ll look forward to having a copy to print.
I just put up LM’s FATCA flyer. Thanks so much, LM! It’s great!
It’s called “SEEKING US PERSONS IN CANADA — you need to learn about FATCA!!!”
You can access it as a Word document under “Take Action”, “Publicity and Protest Materials” in the Sidebar. Scroll down to “Brochures and Hand-Outs.” Or you can access it as a JPEG either at this link or through “Publicity and Protest Materials”
All good ideas. I’ve printed out your latest “Seeking US Persons in Canada”.
I would add to post a brochure on grocery store, library and public bulletin boards. Many senior people attend extended university courses given by professors from Universities in Ontario. These courses feature world financial and economical affairs. They could use a FATCA flyer. I drop off books around town for people to read and pay it forward. I will include a flyer in these books. Restaurants offer newspapers for clients who like to read while eating. I’ll include a flyer in the newspaper pile. I am in a small town. Give me other ideas…I’m all ears!
This vital post is sliding down the home page. Could it be bumped up to the top again, please?