Yearly Archives: 2012

Further to the suggestion Blaze posted on another thread, I sent an early-Canada-Day email to the PM, my MP, Thomas Mulcair, and Ministers Flaherty, Baird, and Kenney. I won’t reproduce my own text here, because I don’t want the wording to become a template and lose effectiveness. I sent it a bit early, partly to match the Bicentennial of the declaration of war in 1812 (on June 18) and also because I won’t be able to send it on July 1. I thought maybe I’d start a new thread on this, for people to post any replies or experiences on this subject. It would get lost on the other thread.

I’ve had two replies so far. Email from the PMO thanking me for expressing my concern and telling me they’re forwarding it to Flaherty’s office (I sent the emails separately so no one knows the same email went separately to each of them).

My MP’s office sent the following short reply, for what it’s worth:

Thank you for your e-mail of June 17 sharing your thoughts on Canada Day, the War of 1812 and FATCA. Please be assured that Mr. Dewar and his colleagues continuing to work on this issue.

Not sure how much attention or traction these emails will get during the summer recess, but worth a shot anyway. The interesting one will be the reply from Flaherty, which will likely be drafted by or in consultation with Ministry of Finance officials who aren’t in recess. The reply may just be another variation on the theme of the standard letter (that CARP got recently) or maybe there will be something more. At minimum, we’ll either get confirmation that nothing is settled yet, or that something is and what it is. Will let you know what I get from Flaherty. No confidence that I’ll hear squat from Baird or Kenney, but I remain open to pleasant surprises.

 
Smoke ’em out … whatever means necessary …

George W. Bush — 25 Sept 2001

 
Recent Brock discussions of Form 8854, dates of cessation of US citizenship, and incoherence of the formal statements and instructions that emanate from both Department of State and Department of Treasury/IRS — all of these look like nasty aftermath to 9/11. A case can be made that over the past decade the United States has turned from hot pursuit of handy political “enemies” to cynical redefinition of its own extraterritorial persons as resources of interest who can help to foot the bill for the unspeakable financial costs of their extravaganza of idiot revenge. FATCA and passport revocation sure smell like smoke!
Continue reading →

Came across this old article with a very funny video.  Posting it just in case any of the particulars apply to anyone here who may be Canadian and not know it.

“The Canadian government doesn’t know the precise number or location of individuals affected by the legislation. But it believes most are U.S. citizens, a spokeswoman for Canada’s immigration office said. U.S. Department of Homeland Security records show 240,000 Canadians were naturalized in the U.S. from 1948 to 1977; the new law fixes problems that occurred during those years.”

The article states that eligible individuals are automatically Canadian but have to apply for it in order to obtain proof. Also described are several situations where people felt they were unfairly denied their Canadian citizenship. I have never come across anything suggesting that those with Canadian eligibility have had trouble getting their status established.

“Some such cases languished in litigation for years. Others surfaced in 2007, when new U.S. rules requiring passports for travel between Canada and the U.S. uncovered significant numbers of people who thought they were Canadian, but weren’t.”

Canada Issues a Wake-Up Call: You May Be a Citizen

Any chance this could be good news for anyone here?

US President James Madison Declared War on Canada two hundred years agao today and launched the War of 1812 Which Shaped Canada Forever.

Brigadier-General Isaac Brock heard the news while he was dining with American officers at Fort George. They finished the dinner in peace then withdrew to plan mutual destruction.

“My situation is most critical…Most of the people have lost all confidence.  I, however, speak loud and look big,” Brock wrote.

Today, we cannot lose confidence.  Just as Sir Isaac did 200 years ago, we must “speak loud and look big.” Together, we can win this war, too.