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
@FromTheWildness: A fifth possible explanation is all of the above.
@ US …you do understand what a “shell” or “mailbox” company is right? The article is talking about creating fictitious companies for the sake of hiding money. None of us are seeking ways or means to hide money.
@ Steven –
Great work; how terrific that you have had some success in France spreading the word. And that you have had some back and forth with Mayor Johnson of London. Hopefully he has been made aware not only of these european efforts but also about IBS and ADCS. It would be quite a coup if he were to start telling others about the Cdn constitutional challenge (and even more so if he made a donation, tho that may be asking too much…..)
Thank you for getting the word out in France, Steven! Great work! Are you saying you have actually been in touch with Boris Johnson? Did I misunderstand?
Perhaps Steven was saying he has had back and forth with Frederic LEFEBVRE.
He says that he’ll try to contact Boris Johnson, mayor of London, to get something similar going on in the UK. That’s the more likely happening to me, but we’ll have to wait for Steven’s confirmation of what he meant to say.
Let me share some preliminary data on my experience using Kijiji Ottawa for spreading the word. I have posted two announcements (a third within the last hour). Below I indicate what I paid (out of own pocket of course). Most of these “extras” are meant to increase prominence of the ad. Unfortunately, there is no heading for “public announcements” or similar, so I shopped it around. I cannot afford to pay the big bucks for future ads, so I will probably try to keep renewing the ads in different places and with slightly different approach.
November 9
Ad placed November 9 under
Services > financial, legal
Include website $ 5.00
“Top ad” 19.75
“Home page galley” 39.50
“Bump up” (13 Nov) 3.99
“Bump up” (18 Nov) 3.99
Total $72.23
Total views as of November 21 (13 days): 238
Cost per view: $ .30
November 21
Ad placed November 21 under
Community > activities groups
Include website $ 5.00
“Bump up” (23 Nov) 2.99
“Bump up” (26 Nov) 2.99
Total $10.98
Total views as of November 27 (7 days): 57
Cost per view: $ .19
There are two many variables to make a proper comparison. Today, I posted a second ad, while leaving the Nov 21 ad in place. Will see if it is allowed to remain. I changed the wording quite a bit:
Posted Nov 27 under “Services > financial, legal”:
Lawsuit affecting US citizens and Canada-US duals
The Government of Canada has signed an inter-governmental agreement with the US, facilitating implementation of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in Canada. Under terms of the agreement, the Canadian government will transmit personal financial information of “US persons” to the US Internal Revenue Service. This transmittal is required by the US in order to facilitate confiscation of unreported financial assets held by “US persons” in Canada.
A “US person” includes:
– US citizens
– Canada-US dual citizens
– Canadians born in the US
– Canadians born in Canada having at least one US parent
– Holders of green cards, including expired green cards that have not been officially returned to the US government
– Some “snow birds” who have stayed sufficiently long in the US
Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty has launched a suit against the Government of Canada with the intent to block the legislation enabling the inter-governmental agreement, on various grounds including violation of the Charter of Rights.
For more information, visit our website (see upper right of this page). Your participation and support is needed!
@LM
@MuzzledNoMore
One only wants to see what he wishes
I said that I have been in contact with Frederic Lefebvre, senator in the French parlement fighting against FATCA. Wich is more important than being in contact with Boris Johnson.
Why ?
Well, because France is the country of human rights. And CBT and FATCA are against human rights, right ?
I have tweeted to Boris Johnson and commented to him on the latest article on Forbes :
Steven TRACY 13 hours ago
Hey Borris, the fight against FATCA is on in France : http://www.frederic-lefebvre.org/fatca/ Comme and join us
I also was born in the states and left when I was a kid at the age of 7 in 1973 for London and have been living in France since 1975. Just discovered this unjustified nonsense about CBT and FATCA a month ago. Am appliying for french nationality now, sooner than I thought I would. I also totally refuse to start filing in a tax form on my french earnings to the IRS. They can go fly a kite on Mars as far as I’m concerned.
I’ve exchanged several mails with Frederic LEFEBVRE who has spoken up several times in French parlement against FATCA and the IGA agreement signed in November 2013.
France is the country of human rights, the country that helped americans become independant to the english empire because they were fed up with paying 14% taxes on their income at the time to England
We need to create a Europeen association against FATCA and fight it in the Europeen parlement.
Best regards
Steven
Here’s the link to the article my Canadian friends :
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/11/25/londons-boris-johnson-gets-help-in-irs-fight/2/
Keep in touch and build up our snowball against FATCA
Hey hey, folks,did you notice that we’re now down below the $75,000 mark? CHEER LOUDLY AND GO FORWARD!!!
Rather than buying another box of holiday chocolates or fruitcake, save the calories & DONATE TO ADCS!
Rather than buying another bottle of wine for the upcoming holiday party, DONATE TO ADCS & give your host/hostess a lovely card saying that “In your honor I have contributed towards reinstating the damaged sections of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms”! (that should be a conversation starter…. )
Rather than buying $20 worth of fancy wrapping paper for holiday gifts, or another seasonal decoration for your front door or guest bathroom, DONATE TO ADCS!
Rather than …….. (people want to add some other ideas?)
I just replied and you understood me right
I live in the center of the Picardie region in France. The region of Joan of Arc. La region du pays franc. The region that created France. joan of Arc beet the English at Orleans.
I live on the front line where world war 1 took place.
Many battles have been fought for freedom.
Including the fight for the independance of the United States against the British empire.
Now, it is the USA who is the empire to fight against. So be it, it is the course of history. A curse that shall never know and end.
Submit man to slavery and he will create revolution.
Let man win and he will become powerfull.
With power man turns into an emperor.
Thus becoming the next empire to fight against for freedom.
And so the story goes on and on…
Never fear standing up for your rights.
I’m not afraid to die for it, are you ?
@Northershrike –
Good news! And great response to your Kijiji ads! Hope all three stay up.
I just checked out your Legal/Financial one – – you can add a visual to this ad – – you can find some here on IBS at the “Take Action! Anti-FATCA Publicity and Protest Materials” link in the right sidebar of this page.
I have gotten very little response to my ad here in Hamilton; maybe I will delete it, follow your lead and put my one ad up in Oakville where there have been lots of viewers in the past. Anyone else out there who is willing to put up a Kijiji ad in their community? It all helps!!!
@LM
Thank you! I have used one of the images.
Steven,
I intend to fight this on behalf of my son and others like him — and all “Accidentals” to my grave if need be.
@Steven – I like how Calgary411 phrases it all. Living better able to spread the word, plan and devise, persuade, grow the Isaac Brock community, encourage people to donate to ADCS.
@NorthernShrike Twitter is another angle to spread the word and also gain information. I am not a FaceBook user yet I know Republicans Abroad is active on FaceBook.
@Calgary411 There has been enough commentary on Kijiji to almost have its own thread. It may be beneficial to have Twitter Strategy and Facebook Strategy threads.
@Steve
My sense is that Britain is far too complicit to do anything. There was a BBC radio story recently about a newly discovered virus that was supposedly produced by a western intelligence agency. This virus that had been particularly active in Saudi Arabia, Russia and, most tellingly, Mexico. An expert didn’t want to say too much, but rather dishonestly went on to say that it could be France or Germany behind it. Why Mexico, though? Are the Germans planning their next vacation? Elsewhere the quality press lists the culprits as the US and UK, but you’d never hear that on the BBC.
JC,
That a good way to put it.
Also, I have an all-day commitment so will get to a Kijiji post tomorrow (if no one else does so before). Thanks.
Badger:
Thank you for posting the link to the Maple Sandbox thread about the dreadful mis-statement by Dems Abroad regarding ADCS and its source of funding. I enjoyed reading the excellent letter of response to Dems Abroad written by our fine ADCS board.
@MuzzledNoMore;
The Democrats Abroad may be deliberately misattributing the ADCS and Canadian legal challenge in order to dismiss it and the mounting opposition to US extraterritorial CBT and FATCA now that it is getting more traction and visibility in the media – such as in the Forbes articles and letters. Instead of addressing the very real harms that they themselves have documented, and helping us abroad in a meaningful and non-partisan way, ironically, they are eroding their own position abroad by trying to dismiss our legitimate sovereignty and civil rights concerns as citizens and residents of countries other than the US as irrelevant. Canada is my HOME. US FATCA and extraterritorial CBT is an unacceptable affront to my HOME and family – my fellow citizens and residents of my home – which is insupportable.
That is why the ADCS challenge must win – because we and our children should be secure from US predations within the borders of our chosen sovereign and autonomous HOME and ‘native land’. The fact that the US can get away with arrogantly reaching into a sovereign country, and levying a US tax on real property built and located on land within Canada – and other homegrown Canadian businesses and savings (ex. RESP and RDSP) belonging to Canadian citizens and residents is the height of imperialism. The US admits to NO limits on their power to tax the entire globe.
The only recourse?
Keep funding and supporting our ADCS legal challenge and support the sovereignty and primacy of Canadian law and Canadian values on Canadian soil.
In the same vein:
Support the ADCS challenge to protect our children and families from US extraterritorial predations:
Ex. see; “Children, Taxes and FBAR’s – Not Mere Child’s Play!
November 24, 2014
“Many people forget that their young children may also have US tax obligations and it comes as a shock to some of my clients to learn that the child should have been filing tax returns or the so-called FBAR. See FinCen Form 114 – Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (“FBAR”)………”Kiddie Tax Rules
When a child’s unearned income reaches a certain threshold, the income over that amount is taxed at the parent’s tax rate. This is the so-called “Kiddie Tax.”……. “…………
“Generally, a child is responsible for filing his or her own FBAR report…..”
http://blogs.angloinfo.com/us-tax/2014/11/24/2452/
@ Calgary411 – Did I read it right that you will be posting a Kijiji ad in your locale?
The following is a cut-and-paste email I received.
Monsieur,
Je me permets de revenir vers vous au sujet de la saisine de la Banque de France dans l’hypothèse où vous souhaiteriez faire valoir votre droit au compte bancaire (confère article L312-1 du Code monétaire et financier).
Le directeur général de la Banque de France m’a indiqué à la suite de mes diverses interventions que les demandes présentées par les résidents français à l’étranger seront désormais centralisées par la succursale de la Banque de France de Paris Bastille (3 bis Place de la Bastille, CS 41834, 75183, Paris Cedex04).
Vous devrez adresser, si vous entamez bien évidemment cette démarche, la copie d’une pièce d’identité en cours de validité justifiant la nationalité française, le formulaire de demande et la liste des pièces justificatives que vous trouverez à l’adresse suivante :
http://www.banque-france.fr/la-banque-de-france/missions/protection-du-consommateur/droit-au-compte.html
En vous remerciant par avance de l’attention que vous porterez à ce courriel, je vous prie de croire, cher Monsieur, en l’assurance de mes sentiments les meilleurs.
Frédéric Lefebvre,
Ancien ministre,
Député de la 1ère circonscription des Français établis à l’étranger
@ badger
Your grandparent sends your parents a donation toward your education, and writes the cheque to you when you’re a tot. Your parents bring you to that place where they have free lollipops, and instruct you to write your name on the back of the cheque and on a form. A week later you have forgotten all about it. You’re not even aware you have a bank account, let alone anything about FBAR and US citizenship.
@Tom,
I worked out my worst investment of all time.
My mother put a small amount of money in a UK building society (credit union) as a lesson is saving when I was maybe 6 or so. The money sat in the bank forgotten by all. The old back account book sat in the back of a draw. By 2007 it had gains it’s maximal dollar value at $1861.19. It paid out it’s largest interest in 2007 at $33.36 before stopping paying anything. All unknown to anyone.
In 1997 the bank when public (demuntualization). So all bank account holders got stock. Unknown to anyone there was stock associated with the account. It paid it’s highest dividend of $163.36 in 2007.
It had it’s highest value in 2006 of $4098.51. The bank then crashed in the financial crisis and it was taken over by the government. The shares were worth $95.38 in 2009.
We had to pay 27.5% of ($4098.51 + $1861.19) = $1638.92 for accounts worth $95.38+$1594.57 (dollar decline) = $1689.95. If you just look at the stock itself you get a high loss rate. This doesn’t include the taxes on the interest and the dividends + the 20% accuracy penalty + the interest to the OVDP closing time.
When your the IRS you get penalties on money that never really existed.
@Stephen: I am sad to learn of Roger Conklin’s death. I knew he was hospitalized, but I had no idea the end was so near.
He was an amazing man who continued to stand up for what is right even though he has not lived outside the U.S. for decades. He will be greatly missed by us and even more so by his family.
Thank you Roger for all you did for us. We will soldier on in the fight.
I did not know Roger personally, but I read all his emails with great interest. He had so much knowledge about history and US and world trade, it was always a fascinating read. He was a crusader against injustice and it is sad to know that he will not be with us any longer in this fight. Condolences to his family.
It is very sad to hear of the passing of Roger. I did not know him, but was always impressed with his clear knowledge of the CBT and FATCA issues and how/why they were so unjust. Also impressive was his tireless advocacy. Today is the 1st time I have seen his letter from Aug/13. It is incredible in its passion, clarity and it should be read aloud in congress so those responsible for this abomination could feel their shame! May that and Roger’s other writings live on to the end of this fight.