March 8, 2016 UPDATE: Legal fees paid — on to Federal Court for Charter trial contesting Canadian FATCA IGA legislation.
Canadians and International Supporters:
You came through once again: $594,970 for legal costs have now been donated and our outstanding legal bill is finally paid off.
Thanks especially to those who donated even though they never had any “spare” money to give, and despite this gave over and over and over again.
This last round of fundraising also shows that our Canadian lawsuit remains dependent on the kindness of our International Friends: There would be no lawsuit without their financial help.
Know that a very generous donation (today) from a supporter in the United States made it possible to pay off the remaining legal debt. Also please appreciate that there would be no lawsuit without the help of the Isaac Brock Society which has kindly let us use its website to solicit funds.
Our next step is the Constitutional-Charter trial in Federal Court.
For this we need more Canadian Witnesses, and my next post will be devoted only to a request for Witnesses willing to go public, like our Plaintiffs Ginny and Gwen.
For the future: I want a win in Federal Court — and I want the new Liberal Government not to appeal that win.
Thank you all for your support,
Stephen Kish,
for the Directors,
Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty
And Bush (like Obama) never seemed to give Canada any respect. I remember his State of the Union address right after Sept. 11/01, when he thanked a long list of countries for their assistance but (deliberately) neglected to mention Canada. Canada did a lot to help divert flights when US air space was shut down etc
Indeed. Not only did he fail to acknowledge our assistance, he allowed the perception that the Sept/11 attackers came via Canada. Even though they trained as psuedo pilots in the USA on bona fide visas etc.
But the truth did come out and the stories of how the wonderful people of Gander helped all the many passengers of planes stranded there, and the reciprocal thanks from Americans and other nationals who were fed, housed and cared for during those days, told the true story that the president failed to note.
I could cite to you the number of times my small city has come to help Detroit, how many times they provide medical help in their hospitals for services we can’t provide here. Many border towns do the same. If there is a massive storm or natural crisis in either of our countries, hydro workers, forest fire workers, police, firefighters etc. all rally to help. To say nothing of the extraordinary measures taken by Ambassador Ken Taylor in Iran. That’s what good neighbors do without thinking about borders.
But we can’t help but resent when US politicians keep alleging the attackers came through our borders. Didn’t Janet Reno do this also? I get tired of the USA always looking outwards for the source of their problems and failing to see their roles in same. It’s the classical definition of narcissism.
@CanadianGinny,
Close. Janet Napolitano was Secretary of Homeland Security in Bush cabinet. Janet Reno was Attorney General in Clinton’s cabinet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Napolitano. ” In April 2009 Napolitano, trying to defend her plans to thicken U.S.-Canadian border security, claimed incorrectly that September 11 attack perpetrators entered the United States from Canada. Her comments provoked an angry response from the Canadian ambassador, media, and public”
Thanks for the correction. It must be my US taint that caused my lapse (;-}
Another interesting article:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/03/07/india_challenges_us_visa_price_hike_at_world_trade_organisation/
@nervousinvestor
The US is going to price itself out of the market.
It may be too late to submit through Facebook, but does anyone have question for Prime Minister Trudeau in this Huffington Post Town Hall?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/03/04/justin-trudeau-town-hall-canada-prime-minister_n_9384402.html?ir=Canada
Never mind — it is now too late.
I hope so. I let everyone know quite a while ago when I first heard about it. I don’t do Facebook so didn’t submit anything. They wouldn’t probably ask our questions anyway, though.
I concur Bubblebustin.
@ ALL
There’s a chance that Dr. Kevin Barrett will mention FATCA on his radio show IF he can find “… a succinct and powerful article on it that a broad audience would find exciting.”
What recent article do you think fits the bill? It should be compelling and not delve too deeply into the complexity of FATCA I think. The rickety old rolodex in my brain just can’t seem to settle on the right article to suggest.
@EmBee
This is one of my personal favourites, but unfortunately it’s not very current:
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/marni-soupcoff-ottawa-is-violating-canadians-constitutional-rights-to-help-the-u-s-collect-taxes
I’ve been quite down lately…feeling hopeless and unreasonably snarky. I found the following song got my toe tapping and made me feel better. I wonder if others might find it helpful too. It seems like it could be our song.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc
@ Bubblebustin
That IS a really good one but it’s from 2014. On his weekly show he goes down a list of recent articles and briefly discusses each one with a Canadian professor, Dr. Anthony Hall. However, on other shows he interviews guests for half an hour or longer, so if someone like our Ginny (featured with Gwen in that article) would be willing to talk with him, FATCA could get more than just a mention.
@EmBee
This was recently posted here. Could be a good jump-off point for further discussion:
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21693982-americans-canada-fight-back-against-taxman-border-babies-v-irs
@ Bubblebustin
Yes, definitely more recent BUT it would be essential to read the accompanying comments in order to expand on the article (and temper its tone a bit). Note: a few of the comments grate on my nerves … it’s that old hostile attitude again … still … sigh.
@ Cheryl
I am sorry you are feeling down right now. I would be less than honest if I said I too didn’t have those days as well. Thanks for that song- I relate to music also and it helps.
What works for me, for the most part is:
a) having someone I can talk about this stuff with, who is non judgmental and supportive even if they don’t get the whole picture or are not at all impacted; b) music for sure; c) all the wonderful donors from many countries; d) most of the commenters here.
What I cannot control are the frequent bad dreams I have where my mind conjures up all the reviews of the serious consequences so many people are subject to. That is what and when this lawyer person that I am, has nothing to fall back on. And at the same time, it is what propels me forward. if that makes any sense.
Whenever any one of you shares the impact this is having on you, as you just did, then I know how privileged I am to have this opportunity to be your nominal plaintiff along with Gwen who feels the same.
Thank you for your comments, Cheryl.
Thanks Ginny. I don’t know what I would have done without all of you. Someday I hope this will all be over.
Looks like Trudeau might want to worry about remaining the PM of Canada…..http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/27/sinking-economy-may-lead-to-trudeau-ouster-oleary
@ Bubblebustin
I decided to check for recent FATCA articles using the “past week” feature on our search engine. Wouldn’t you know it … they are mostly comply, comply, comply … checkmate tax evasion, nail evaders, meet the FATCA deadline and so on. Just reading the subject lines made my stomach queasy. Thanks for your suggestions. I’m making a list.
@ Ginny or anyone
I could give you Dr. Kevin Barrett’s e-mail address if you think you might be interested in contacting him RE: a radio chat about FATCA/FBAR/CBT and above all our Canadian lawsuit. Disclosure: this is what would be called the alternative media so it may not be your cup of tea.
Looks like we didn’t get any answers to MP Dusseault’s Q-352 today … maybe tomorrow.
EmBee, because there was a delay in getting the questions to the Order Paper, the Government response is now delayed to March 9. The response has to be transcribed into a Journal, and so we might not see it until March 10.
We wait to hear answers from the government to MP Dusseault’s Q-352 questions, while:
On top of trying to understand the differences between how Canada and the US treat taxpayers — Canadians vs *US citizens who happen to abide in Canada*, not-*rich* vs *rich*, law-abiding vs evading, sending money from the country in which they reside offshore — I’m trying to understand how our Canadian government gives those of us who try to communicate the cold shoulder and forces us to raise yet another $7,000 plus to get litigation suing them moving forward while avoiding the expenses of long court battles for these KPMG clients. Of course, we are perceived also as *rich and wealthy* who are evading our US-deemed *US citizenship* CBT taxes as the Conservative government gave the solution to our issues — *Just Renounce* and the Liberal government, at this point, is still silent — no communication from our Canadian government representatives.
I guess the government treats you differently on your ability to fight them. The CRA appears to give in to wealthy people with the funds to pay high profile lawyers while the middle and lower middle class get screwed. Seems fair right? Amazing that this government has not collapsed yet….
Thanks for bringing it up, EmBee, and responding Stephen. I woke up thinking about Mr Dusseault’s Q-352 and wondered if he was getting stonewalled.
@EmBee
The silence of the Canadian press concerning FATCA is made even more deafening by the shameless soliciting of Americans to move to Canada.
@Native Canadian
To use a metaphor, it’s the difference between high and low hanging fruit.
Bubblebustin,
You say: “The silence of the Canadian press concerning FATCA is made even more deafening by the shameless soliciting of Americans to move to Canada.”
Just to be fair to the CBC: The CBC has already interviewed some people on our side regarding FATCA and feel, not unreasonably, that the next step is to interview people actually responsible for FATCA/Canadian FATCA IGA implementing legislation. No one in Canadian Government is willing to talk to CBC about FATCA or our lawsuit, and I do not blame the CBC for not continuing its FATCA story.