Surveys, Petitions, Submissions – Let Them Know What You Think!
September 2021. Support Lawsuit to Force Dept of State to Restart Renunciation at all Locations and Remove Barriers to Renunciation.
August 2021. Sign EU EndFATCA Petition.
Older surveys, petitions, submissions requests are archived here.
Thanks, Badger. Added to main post above.
BTW, do you know when the deadline is? I’ve only had a chance so far to give it a quick look and didn’t see one.
@pacifica, the deadline was yesterday the 18th of July, but apparently was extended. Not sure until when. Will see if I can find out more.
This is what I found re the public consultations on NAFTA;
“…….The consultations were to end today but officials say the government will continue indefinitely to accept responses to its online survey, which asks Canadians to identify their priorities for a renegotiated deal, what elements of NAFTA they want to preserve, what should be improved and what new issues need to be addressed to modernize the 23-year-old agreement.
The government will also be staging a number of townhall-style meetings to further canvass Canadians’ views on the matter.
The townhalls are to take place before mid-August, when formal negotiations are expected to begin……”
http://globalnews.ca/news/3605482/nafta-public-consultations/
Here is the original notice, https://web.archive.org/web/20170615145952/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2017/2017-06-03/html/notice-avis-eng.php#na8 which also gives email and address contacts if you don’t want to submit online your comments on NAFTA via portal. No dates for the ‘townhalls’ have been posted. But probably a call to your MP’s office will get you that info. Note that ‘Financial Services’ is one of the topic areas they list.
“GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA
Consultations on the renegotiation and modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement
The Government of Canada is seeking the views of Canadians on the scope of the renegotiation and modernization of the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Mexico.
The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening and deepening relationships with its North American partners. As the Government prepares for these discussions, the Government is seeking views on key areas in NAFTA that could be clarified or updated, and on any new areas that should form part of a modernized agreement. Furthermore, given that NAFTA has been in force for over 20 years, the Government is seeking information on the areas that have been the most beneficial to Canadian exporters. Views should also take into account reactions to potential proposals from the United States or Mexico where Canada could be pressed to take on commitments to address perceived trade irritants.
This notice is part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing domestic consultation process with stakeholders, including provinces and territories, businesses, civil society organizations, labour unions, academia, Canada’s Indigenous peoples, and individual Canadians.
Background
For more than a year, the Government of Canada has been engaged in discussions with Canadian citizens and stakeholder groups across the country about the Government’s approach to trade. The Government recognizes that trade policies need to be designed to respond and contribute meaningfully to the Government’s overall economic, social, and environmental policy priorities. In this way, the Government is working towards a progressive trade agenda that seeks to respond directly to concerns expressed by citizens and organizations in Canada and abroad with respect to trade and globalization. In that light, the Government will proceed in a manner that supports jobs and growth for Canadians — and prosperity in North America as a whole.
NAFTA has served as a strong anchor for Canadian markets in North America and has helped to expand trade opportunities for Canadian products, goods and services. NAFTA created the largest free trade region in the world when it came into effect on January 1, 1994, generating economic growth and helping to raise the standard of living for the people of the three member countries.
A total of 2.4 million Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, and more than $2 billion worth of goods and services cross the border every day. Canada and Mexico are each other’s third largest trading partner, with steadily growing two-way merchandise trade.
Given that the Agreement is over 23 years old, there are many clarifications and technical improvements that could be made in all trade areas covered by NAFTA, such as labour, the environment or culture. The Agreement would also benefit from the inclusion of new trade areas, such as electronic commerce, that are not currently covered, to ensure the Agreement is aligned with today’s economic realities. Canada is committed to upholding and supporting a vibrant and globally competitive North American manufacturing sector that provides stable, rewarding, and well-paying jobs for Canadians.
Additional information on the public consultations on the renegotiation and modernization of NAFTA can be found at the following addresses:
Global Affairs Canada (www.international.gc.ca):
Consulting Canadians on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico (www.international.gc.ca/nafta)
Submissions by interested parties
The Government of Canada is inviting all interested persons to provide information and views on the update and modernization of NAFTA. The purpose of these consultations is to identify key interests and concerns of Canadians with respect to NAFTA. More specifically, Canada is seeking views on the following areas included in NAFTA:
Preamble
Objectives
General Definitions
National Treatment and Market Access for Goods
Annex 300-A: Trade and Investment in the Automotive Sector
Annex 300-B: Textile and Apparel Goods
Rules of Origin
Annex 401: Specific Rules of Origin
Customs Procedures
Energy and Basic Petrochemicals
Agriculture and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
Emergency Action
Standards-Related Measures
Government Procurement
Investment
Cross-Border Trade in Services
Telecommunications
Financial Services
Competition Policy, Monopolies and State Enterprises
Temporary Entry for Business Persons
Intellectual Property
Publication, Notification and Administration of Laws
Review and Dispute Settlement in Antidumping/Countervailing Duty Matters
Institutional Arrangements and Dispute Settlement Procedures
Annexes
Annex I: Reservations for Existing Measures and Liberalization Commitments
Annex II: Reservations for Future Measures
Annex III: Activities Reserved to the State
Annex IV: Exceptions from Most-Favored-Nation Treatment
Annex V: Quantitative Restrictions
Annex VI: Miscellaneous Commitments
Annex VII: Reservations, Specific Commitments and Other Items
The text of NAFTA can be found at http://www.international.gc.ca/nafta-text.
NAFTA also includes a side agreement on labour (www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/labour-relations/international/agreements/naalc.html# naalc) and a side agreement on environment (www.cec.org/about-us/NAAEC). Submissions of views on these agreements are also welcome.
New trade areas
In recent years, some free trade negotiations have included other areas not currently in NAFTA. The Government invites submissions of views on the following areas, but not necessarily limited to
Transparency and anti-corruption;
E-commerce;
Trade facilitation;
Development of small and medium-sized enterprises;
State-owned enterprises;
Cooperation and capacity building; and
Regulatory coherence.
All interested parties are invited to submit their views by July 18, 2017. Please be advised that any information received as a result of this consultation will be considered as public information, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Submissions should include
the contributor’s name and address and, if applicable, the name of the contributor’s organization, institution or business;
the specific issues being addressed; and
precise information on the rationale for the positions taken, including any significant impact it may have on Canada’s domestic or international interests.
Contributions can be sent by email or mail to the following:
Email: NAFTA-Consultations-ALENA@international.gc.ca
Mail: NAFTA Consultations
Global Affairs Canada
Trade Negotiations — North America (TNP)
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G2″
Thanks for all this, Badger. There’s so much information in your comments about this that I’ve linked to them, as well as to the government’s site, in the main post above.
Thanks Pacifica!
See that the recent NAFTA renegotiation submission letter http://www.occ.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/OCC-NAFTA-Letter-with-CCC-July-2017.pdf from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) to Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland speaks in part against FATCA as a NAFTA issue;
“………..• Reduce onerous extra-territorial U.S. financial regulation
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) is an example of costly regulation imposed on
Canada by the US to address a specific domestic concern. The law was enacted in 2010 by Congress to
target non-compliance by U.S. taxpayers using foreign accounts.
FATCA is enormously costly to Canada’s banks and insurers because it requires foreign financial
institutions to report to the IRS information about financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers, or by any
entity in which U.S. taxpayers hold a substantial ownership interest.
The Canadian Chamber supports international cooperation on tax administration, but only in a reciprocal
environment. But the approach employed in this case effectively threatens Canadian investment and
trade in an effort to address an entirely separate issue….”
Written submissions can go to;
NAFTA Consultations
Global Affairs Canada
Trade Negotiations – North America (TNP)
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Thanks for this additional information, Badger. Have linked to it above.
Further to the “consultation” options re the NAFTA re-negotiation, and an opportunity to comment and include highlighting FATCA as a NAFTA issue;
I see that the relevant page STILL does not have any information for the Canadian public so that they can “”Participate in a consultation event”;
It is now into August, and the site still says:
“Participate in a consultation event. A list of upcoming and past consultation activities will be made available as events are confirmed.”
http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/consultations/nafta-alena/info.aspx?lang=eng
Webpage says;
Date Modified:
2017-07-25
Another of those strictly symbolic and meaningless ‘public consultation’ opportunities that find industry lobbying ahead of time and in the loop, but Joe and Josephine Canada excluded or marginalized by a meaningless notice on an obscure Government of Canada webpage?
I made a submission anyway, but fear it will just go into the trash, while submissions by the CBA for example, will be considered and no doubt their lobbyists have been working overtime to make sure their issues are pressed upon the NAFTA negotiators.
I urge you all to make a submission anyway and send it on to your MP and anyone else you can think of, and include reference to the resources from Cockfield and Christians, (and Geist on ‘data localization’ http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2017/07/nafta-consultation-comments/ ) that I have cited and linked to above.
Also don’t forget this related data protection and data localization issue as flagged by commenter @Laurentius http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2011/12/14/about-the-isaac-brock-society/comment-page-17/#comment-7959098
If more of our personal and financial data is located and stored on servers outside Canada, in the US, then the US has control. This is already a FATCA NAFTA issue, but now more financial and personal data is at risk. See commentary/explanations, ex.;
http://www.humboldtjournal.ca/canadians-personal-data-on-the-table-in-nafta-negotiations-1.21559002
http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/nafta-negotiations-put-canadians-personal-data-on-the-table/
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2017/03/digital-economy-era-nafta-mean-canada/
https://ipolitics.ca/2017/08/02/canadians-personal-data-on-the-table-in-nafta-negotiations/
https://www.brantnews.com/news-story/7483985-personal-data-at-stake-in-nafta-negotiations/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nafta-data-storage-privacy-1.4220272
This is on the actual US NAFTA grievance/wishlist;
“…Data Localization. The U.S. says a tender for a Canadian federal government “cloud” storage project requires the data be stored on servers physically located within Canada. The U.S. says this effectively prevents U.S. companies for bidding on the project. The U.S. also takes note of provincial legislation in B.C. and Nova Scotia that requires personal information in the custody of a public body to be physically stored within Canada……..”
http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/the-u-s-keeps-a-list-of-trade-grievances-with-canada-and-booze-property-rights-and-can-con-are-all-on-it/wcm/7c3edc03-3ebc-403f-bd71-b125c6676431
Another survey on CBT, this time from Democrats Abroad. A chance to vent. And maybe, finally, DA is actually listening for once.
Easy to fill in, no e-mail address requested. Make up a voting state, if need be. Just do it, people.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS5B5EYxLADL8JTD_5u-xPBjxP_Y48cNeC7GkHwhv0M_GQpA/viewform
Two new projects this week.
September 2017. Republicans Overseas. Letter Writing Campaign re Territorial Taxation of Individuals.
September 2017. Democrats Abroad. 2017 Non-Resident US Taxpayer Research Project.
Reminder for those in the EU, this petition https://american-accidental.com/en/support-the-petition-against-fatca-at-the-european-parliament/ appears to still be collecting signatures;
https://petiport.secure.europarl.europa.eu/petitions/en/petition/content/1088%252F2016/html/Petition+re.+%2528i%2529+the+infringement+of+EU+rights+from+FATCA+and+%2528ii%2529+the+extraterritorial+effect+of+US+laws+inside+the+EU
and,
there is still the survey here;
https://american-accidental.com/
Correction re the survey – appears to me to also include ‘accidental Americans’ outside the EU.
Have also posted this on the EU specific page.
Thanks, Badger, I’ve added it to the list above.
For those who don’t mind contacting an IRS related body:
Note first this caution – from the IRS;
“The IRS uses ‘persistent cookies’ in order to increase our ability to help users find the content they want. Federal agencies are authorized under the White House Open Government Initiative, OMB Memorandum 10-22, to use persistent cookies……”
The ‘Taxpayer Advocacy Panel’ TAP has ONE ‘international’ rep. Which is only a very recent position (last 2-3 yrs?). There were zero international reps before.
Apparently TAP solicits input.
https://improveirs.org/speakup.aspx
You can also send concerns to the Taxpayer Advocate’s SAMS system, but of course it is via the IRS website and an email is required. The IRS site uses persistent cookies.
https://www.irs.gov/advocate/tas-systemic-advocacy-faq
https://www.irs.gov/advocate/systemic-advocacy-management-system-sams
The Senate Finance Committee is calling for submissions in relation to the hearing they’ll be holding on the new tax law. Deadline for Submissions: May 8th, 2018.
I’d like to share an e-mail I got from Monte Silver regarding this.
“I do believe that the tax law has done many things that are good for America.”
Residents of America do not think so. Polls have been reported in the news. The tax law does many good things for the top 1%.
“However, it has also hurt us expat individual US Shareholders pretty bad.”
Right, that proves how much they listened to their diaspora before. They discovered they hadn’t hurt their diaspora enough yet because these people can still afford internet connections, electricity, and maybe even food. You think this time will be different?
Sauve qui peut.
Another petition to sign, this time to abolish CBT. This one has gotten off to a better start than most, approaching 500 signatures. Past petitions had trouble reaching 200.
Please go ahead and sign. US or non-US address is okay. And you can be creative with the latter, I suppose.
https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/petition-to-end-citizen.fb49
So I dutifully wrote to my MP about the transition tax nightmare. That was 7-8 weeks ago. Having heard bugger all in return, I went to her local office to complain.
The pleasant young lady behind the desk says to me – “we get 1000 letters and emails a day and we can’t keep up. But the MP tries to read them all.”
Kind of explains why writing letters or signing petitions is a waste of time . (unless of course the letter is accompanied by a cheque.).
I had a number of replies from both opposition and government sides (including my MP) to the letter I wrote after the CBC pieces on the transition tax. Most recently from the cabinet minister responsible. Nothing new really, mostly boilerplate, but still nice to have confirmation that CRA will not assist in collection against Canadian citizens.
But yes it’s basically a waste of time. One needs to register one’s opinion though.
CALL TO ACTION regarding Transition Tax and GILTI!
Part 18 – CAMPAIGN TO TREASURY/IRS: EXEMPT AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE U.S. & WORLDWIDE FROM THE @USTransitionTax & GILTI TAXES
http://www.citizenshipsolutions.ca/2018/09/13/part-18-campaign-to-treasury-irs-exempt-american-small-businesses-in-the-u-s-worldwide-from-the-ustransitiontax-gilti-taxes/
Thanks, BB. Added to the list in the original post.
Another survey, by Democrats Abroad, about CBT and FATCA. Nowhere does it ask for name or e-mail address. Completely anonymous. Fill it in, and help add a small amount of ammunition to yet another bullet to fire toward DC. What have you got to lose?
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeg4aBfzeGW-_AGwyJRNbtUtejFkT_bOF7fNr6dgAlNUelLfw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR0F3bbBSlvD9U1UQux_4kSpHFqIaasj1sNOrJwzxkK-9aABLFgkb2y4rPk
“Citizenship
o U.S. Citizen
o Dual Citizen – U.S. and Other
o U.S. Greencard holder
o Non-U.S. citizen”
Looks like someone hasn’t read news articles about record numbers of renunciations. Or maybe they’ve read the articles but have some reason why they have no need for a category “Former US citizen.”
And the question just before that one:
“Gender
o Female
o Male
o Prefer not to say
o その他:”
“その他” means “Other”. The category of LGBTQ is more important to their CBT and FATCA question than the category of former US citizen.
I don’t think they’ll listen to us.