Dear Supporters,
Many of you probably predicted that I would not be saying this today, but this message is not a dream: You came up with yet another $100,000 payment — now making a total of $400,000 provided to the Arvay team.
In the last twelve days you actually donated more than $40,000 — an amazing achievement for small donors. This accomplishment proves to all those people who want us to fail — that we are very determined.
You gave until it hurt and then you gave a lot more. It’s hard not to get teary-eyed over the generosity of our supporters, who have come through every time.
We know that the pace of your litigation is painfully slow, and this is unfortunately as expected. The Government will continue to do its best to slow down the process, but we now have the assistance of a case management judge to help keep the process moving more fairly.
We filed in August 2014 and it has taken a very long time (one year) before we are finally into a (summary) trial (August 4-5, 2015). We cannot predict the outcomes of this trial, based on only part of our arguments and, with your continued support, we will prepare for all possibilities.
[Happy birthday Gwen!]
Thank you for your trust,
Stephen Kish,
ADCS-ADSC Chair,— on behalf of Plaintiffs Ginny and Gwen, their families, and the ADCS-ADSC Directors
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Chers amis et donateurs,
Certains d’entre vous avaient probablement pensé que je ne pourrais pasvous annoncer une si bonne nouvelle aujourd’hui. Mais voilà : ensemble, nous avons réussi à ramasser un autre montant de 100 000 $, ce qui fait un total de 400 000 $ à remettre à l’équipe de MeArvay.
Dans les 12 derniers jours seulement, vous avez donné plus de 40 000 $, un exploit tout à fait extraordinaire pour des « petits donateurs ». À tous ceux qui souhaitent nous voir échouer, cette réussite prouve que nous sommes des plus déterminés. Et que nous réussirons.
Vous avez donné jusqu’à ce que ça fasse mal, puis vous avez donné encore. Difficile de rester insensible devant une si grande générosité.
Nous sommes bien conscients du fait que notre litige avance de façon péniblement lente. Malheureusement, tout ça est normal. Le gouvernement continue à ralentirle processus, mais on nous a maintenant attitré un juge responsable de la gestion de notre dossier qui veillera à ce que le processus progresse de façon plus juste.
En août 2014, nous avons engagé une poursuite contre le gouvernement canadien. Près d’un an plus tard, nous avons enfin la date pour notre procès sommaire : les 4 et 5 août 2015. Impossible de prévoir le dénouement de ce procès, basé uniquement sur une partie de nos arguments juridiques. Mais avec votre appui, nous serons prêts pour toutes les possibilités.
(Bonne fête, Gwen !)
Au nom de nos deux plaignantes, Ginny et Gwen, de leurs familles et des directeurs de l’ADCS-ADSC, je vous remercie de votre confiance.
Stephen Kish,
Président de l’ADCS-ADSC
The prophecies of our savvy brocksters are coming true. The whole world outside the US has listened to Brocksters ideas and implemented them. And the US kept ignoring them to its own detriment. Scrap Fatca before it’s too late, USA!
Better still, scrap CBT!
Australia will definitely sign up to the China Bank. China is Australia’s largest trading partner. The US is the largest investor in Australia.
Listen to your own people, USA, instead of turning on them and victimizing them.
Australia’s top 10 two-way trading partners:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/resources/trade-at-a-glance/Pages/default.aspx
There hasn’t been much communication about the progress of the lawsuit recently, which may be a factor in the slowing of donations. I realise it is not possible to release much information on a public forum such as this, but could a status summary page be included somewhere prominent on the site? Just a thought.
Re a status summary page, there is a page “ADCS-ADSC LITIGATION UPDATES: Key Actions, Milestones and Timeline Estimates.” No updates yet in March on it, though. This page can also be accessed through the link at the top of this post or the link in the ADCS box at the top of the sidebar.
I know this ADCS funding thread is at the top of the page (and that’s where it should be because it is VERY important) but its easy accessibility sometimes makes it bit of a victim of unrelated commentary (I’m guilty of that). To try to get things back on track I’m wondering if anyone has any idea(s) on how to make that sluggish thermometer rise faster? If anyone thought $1000 a day would be difficult (I’m guilty of that too), think how hard $2000 a day will be if we get to April 1st and there’s still $60,000 more to go.
Another twig on the way.
Many people here who comment regularly, and who attempt to present themselves as ‘All for one and one for All’, are no different than the Conservative government MP’s who have no problem throwing one million Canadians under the bus because they think it will save their asses.
Don’t fool yourselves. As USXCanada says, ‘Sauve qui peut’.
Yup, WhiteKat is now BlackDog.
Black Dog. Give us a break. Give it a rest.
@Duke What is wrong with a bit of honesty?
@Hogwarts
Sorry!
Anyway just help the thermometer a bit. Can help more when I get my pension at the end of the month.
@Duke, next you(or someone else) will be telling me, I am talking ‘hyperbole’. I guess it all just depends which side you think you are on eh?
I have suggested before that a crowd fnding site be tried … I know nothing of these things other than what I read in media. I refer you however to a situation which apparently did go to the GoFundMe crowd sourcing site for your consideration …. the comment that twigged me is:
_____________________________________________________
@liqyliqy • a day ago
My Sincere condolences goes out to Andrea families and friends,this is very shocking to me,I met Andrea and Leslie Ann three weeks ago where I handed over the monies collected through our Gofundme campaign for Leslie Ann,she is such a beautiful person,loving and caring for Lealie Ann and on the other hand,Leslie Ann always asking mommy are you ok,they both care for each other.My pictures taken and us just Vibing will be with me forever
@WhiteKat:- Just a question. How do you know who can contribute financially but is not and what quantity of dinero any individual can spare ? It is unbecoming for you to make such judgements. There are probably many like myself around the world who have NO pension, NO social security (or equivalent) receipts and yet have responsibilities to deal with despite receiving only minimal interest rates on our savings. Some of us may be bagging groceries in the supermarket or doing what we can to earn whatever other small income we can manage. Yet we may be able to contribute richly to the dialogue. Don’t disrespect us. Never disrespect people who might be in a less fortunate position than yourself. As for myself, in case it was me you are getting so vexed about, as Stephen Kish knows, I contributed to the initial funding for the Legal Opinion and have not been able to send more since. I plan to carry cash to Ontario next month to pay another small contribution. I will not participate in any further dialogue on this matter … I will however continue to campaign on web sites worldwide …. and to every ear that I can bend personally … peacefully to the best of my ability …. against the evil that is FATCA.
I was hoping that as the lawsuit went forward the donor base would expand, allowing me to back off on my donations. This evidently has not happened. This quarter, I have donated more in this than in any earlier quarter, by about 15 percent (so far). I somewhat reluctantly share this information on the chance that others feel they can now back off, as I once thought. For what it is worth, some folks might be cautious this quarter, until they know what they are dealing with in taxes, but this is utter speculation.
I am confident we will make it.
I agree that the spirit of our generosity would be boosted greatly if we had some signs of progress. I fully understand, though, that the wheels of justice turn very slowly and at great cost. This is where faith plays an important role. Have faith that things are progressing toward the ultimate goal of overturning the FATCA IGA in Canada and in the domino effect that will have around the world. Never give up!
@Hogwarts,
As @Pacifica mentioned, there is a “Litigation Updates” button at the top of this post and also at the top right hand corner of the Brock site. I just put in a March update (previously a comment on this post) and will try to have at least one update each month to the extent possible (not all of our litigation actions can be publicly released). I agree with you that communication of our progress on the lawsuit is important.
The March update mentions that a case management judge is being brought into the litigation process because of a delay caused by Government and that we are still preparing a new application aimed in part at getting around this delay. Yes, this is “progress” but I know that we would all like more definitive and immediate progress and the pace of litigation to move much more quickly.
@Nervousinvestor, @NorthernShrike, and others,
Thank you for your support which keeps this lawsuit alive. @GwEvil may wish to respond again about the crowdfunding possibility which has been raised many times. Also, personally, I don’t like scarce donor monies to be used for paid (typically quite expensive) advertising (unless a supporter wants to make a special targeted donation – if you do, let us know) and have been paying on my own for some approaches (e.g., Google ads) that I hope are helpful.
Yes, making the May 1 payment is going to be a struggle and there are probably many reasons for this. One reason is certainly donor burnout and the difficulty we have in finding new supporters. It’s always a lot easier to have someone else do the giving. One couple has donated 10% of their retirement savings to fund this lawsuit. Others struggle to donate $25. Can I really ask them to donate more?
What has worked for me is to make a personal appeal to some (new and repeat “supporters”) who would never access this site, or the web. Can others consider trying this? We can only reach so many people and need your help. Be confident, we have always made our payment due dates on time — and have made three $100,000 payments so far.
@NervousInvestor, re: ” @WhiteKat:- Just a question. How do you know who can contribute financially but is not and what quantity of dinero any individual can spare ?”
What!? You obviously have no clue what I meant by my comments.
@NervousInvestor, I am simply very hurt because I realize that there are regular commenters to this site, who uphold themselves as very virtuous people, yet they are insistent that no one be saved from US bondages unless EVERYONE is saved AT THE SAME TIME.
I see this kind of attitude as very similar to what our Conservative government and bankers have done to 1 million Canadians in order to protect their own self interests at the expense of others. It is not so much different in my mind.
My comment had NOTHING to do with complaining about who was donating what. And I am sorry you took it that way. As far as monetary fortune goes, I am strictly living a very middle class life and like others have contributed what I can. I criticize no one for their lack of ability to contribute other than those who ARE VERY fortunate yet have not contributed a dime – no doubt they know who they are. As a parent struggling to raise 3 children, and closing in on retirement age, I know full well what it is like for the monthly bills to exceed the monthly income as is what happens in our household on a regular basis.
@ NorthernShrike (and all) – – HELP PLEASE!!
In less than a week there will be a John Richardson presentation in Hamilton that I (as someone living nearby) have helped to organize. Along with some lists of useful links and a flyer about ADCS that will be printed and available for attendees to take, I’d like your advice as to whether it would be too pushy to also have a 1/2 page specific plea for support.
Back last December I wrote up the following and sent it to everyone I knew as a “footer” to holiday (and routine) emails. Of course, I have no idea whether it made any difference. This paragraph would have to be rephrased (SUGGESTIONS WILL BE VERY WELCOMED) for next week’s event but maybe this could be something others take and consider putting on all their routine (and not so routine) emails to anyone with whom they correspond?
Here is what was written back in December:
In this season of heartfelt giving, please consider making a small (or not so small) contribution towards the repair of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It was recently undermined by the US law known as FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) and our federal government’s IGA (Inter-Governmental Agreement) to impose this foreign legislation within Canada at the expense of long-established basic legal principles. With the stroke of a pen, this IGA instituted 2nd class status for over 1 million Canadian citizens and legal residents based solely on their national origin or parentage. For these individuals (and their families and business partners) rights to privacy have been retracted, particularly in relation to personal and financial information.
The Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty (http://www.adcs-adsc.ca) has mounted a constitutional challenge against this violation of Canadian laws to accommodate the demands of a foreign country. This sort of legal challenge is quite costly. If you too hold dear the principles of equality and privacy that have long evolved within the legal framework of this great nation, please help support this historic endeavour.
If you need further information, feel free to ask me or go to either the above mentioned website or http://www.isaacbrocksociety.ca. All best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year.
@NervousInvestor, I suppose it is my fault for your misunderstanding of my point as it was misplaced by being in this particular post and taken out of context by you. I can see why, particularly if you have not been following some of the other conversations going on in other posts very closely.
And I apologize to Stephen and the ACDC team for any negative impact my comments either here, or else where may have had on donations. In future I will continue to donate as I have, and will try (can’t promise) to refrain myself from further commenting or posting at the IBS site.
@WhiteKat
You aren’t helpless, why don’t you write to your Congressperson in support of the Obama proposal? While you’re at it, put in a good word about RBT.
@whitekat
If I have misunderstood the meaning of your post then I apologize. Under no circumstances would I want to see anyone refrain from adding to the wealth of knowledge on the Brock site. And to the extent that each is able adding to the wealth of the Litigation Fund. In my mind the Brock site is an amazing meeting spot for a wide variety of people with good hearts and good intentions … great ideas and a determination to end the evils of FATCA and CBT.
I repeat, I apologize for misinterpreting your comment …. Keep On Brocking.