16 thoughts on “A template for submissions to the governments of every country: “Paying Tribute to America” by John Richardson”

1. Incredible. I kept having to read each paragraph again and again. Life can be all about timing, and this submission has timed itself most auspiciously. Thank you, John Richardson.

2. Excellent Excellent Excellent…
   I too have submitted mine, but not as eloquent as this. I will cross post this over at The Plea posting by Osgood.

3. This is fantastic work! Thank you John!

4. From: caroltapanila
   Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2014 9:03 PM
   To: Prime Minister Stephen Harper ; Minister James Flaherty ; Michelle.Rempel@parl.gc.ca ; Kevin.Shoom@fin.gc.ca
   Cc: Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca ; thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca ; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca ; scott.brison@parl.gc.ca ; Ted.Hsu@parl.gc.ca ; Abby Deshman, CCLA ; J. Paul Dube ; peggy.nash@parl.gc.ca ; Justin Trudeau
   Subject: Paramount Allegiance to Canada for ‘US Persons’ in Canada – Part 2

   To my Government of Canada Representatives,

   I have just posted at IsaacBrockSociety.ca a submission that John Richardson, Toronto barrister and solicitor, has completed and sent to the Government of New Zealand, http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/02/04/a-template-for-submissions-to-the-governments-of-every-country-paying-tribute-to-america-by-john-richardson/.

   The pdf of the actual submission is: http://citizenshipsolutions.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Paying-Tribute-to-America.pdf .

   I beg you to take the time to read and understand the contents – all that needs to be changed is the insertion of “CANADA” anywhere “New Zealand” appears in the submission.

   The introduction reads:

   “…It appears that the New Zealand Government is close to signing an Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) with the United States on the implementation of a the U.S. Extra-Territorial FATCA Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”).

   I am a Barrister and Solicitor in Toronto, Canada. I am very familiar with the details of FATCA and the huge costs of U.S. Citizenship-based taxation which would be enforced

   by FATCA in the event that your government participates in FATCA.

   Although I am a Canadian I have spent time in New Zealand and know the country and people of New Zealand well.

   I ask that the Government of New Zealand carefully consider all aspects of FATCA, including entering into a FATCA IGA with the United States. Any New Zealand participation in FATCA will have a devastating effect on the sovereignty and economy of New Zealand.

   Although FATCA has its difficulties, the problems are exacerbated by the U.S. system of citizenship-based taxation. Citizenship-based taxation is incompatible with the reality of life in a global world. To it’s credit, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee is currently considering the appropriateness of “citizenship-based taxation”. I am hopeful that once the full implications of citizenship-based taxation are understood, that the U.S. will adopt the international norm – “residence based taxation”. A move to residence-based taxation is essential to the interests of the United States and to its trading partners.

   No country should participate in FATCA without understanding what U.S. citizenship-based taxation really is, how citizenship-based taxation and FATCA interact, and how this interaction affects the economies of countries who have “U.S. persons” resident in the country. I, along with others have prepared a detailed submission on citizenship-based taxation, which has been submitted for consideration by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. The submission may be found here: http://citizenshipsolutions.ca/2014/01/24/submission-to-the-senate-finance-committee-on-citizenship-based-taxation/

   Given the current reality of U.S. citizenship-based taxation, it is impossible for New Zealand to participate in FATCA without ceding it’s sovereignty to the United States.”

   Please understand the number of individuals and families that will be devastated unless Canada stands up for ALL of its people.

   When you, those elected to form the Government of Canada, have the power to halt the insanity of this U.S. extra-territorial FATCA law combined with U.S. citizenship-based taxation, that is being imposed on US Persons Abroad and the very countries they live and work in, you must be the responsible world leaders.

   Unless the U.S. changes its law to residence-based taxation, FATCA is sheer U.S. imperialism imposed on this world we all live in.

   Respectfully submitted,

   Carol Tapanila

   Calgary, Alberta, Canada

5. I’ve said it before, and I’ll do it again……especially since Calgary411 has invited numerous politicians to read this post.

   PLEASE impose a 30% tax right now on any Canadian resident who goes to purchase any US securities or other non-mutual fund investments (It’s not that far fetched an idea, as up until recently really, Canada had a maximum 20% foreign content in an RRSP rule for example). We can use our economic “might” just as the USA is trying to do to the rest of the world. I’d be willing to bet it wouldn’t be long before many other countries do the same thing, rapidly putting the USA in it’s place where it deserves to be. Once they smarten up, we can undo this restriction, and go about our normal lives.

6. SO TRUE! Why cant people SEE the truth in this?
   It is so obvious- every word- and yet they close their eyes to it.

7. john richardson ROCKS. this submission says it all.

8. A magnificent summary of the complexity of this absurdity. Thank you John Richardson.

9. There are not enough thank you’s for you John. You are moving mountains and have a huge heart that is being noticed by many Canadians, very soon, ALL Canadians.

10. It strikes me that someone somehow needs to get this into the news media in New Zealand and perhaps Canada as well.

11. Only a Canadian,

    I’ve sent John Richardson’s NZ submission on to James Fitz-Morris and Amber Hildebrandt, the CBC Canadian reporters who interviewed me and provided excellent Canadian media coverage in January. I encouraged them to take the time to read the John Richardson NZ submission. I also forwarded to them my yesterday’s email to my Canadian government representatives (http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/02/04/a-template-for-submissions-to-the-governments-of-every-country-paying-tribute-to-america-by-john-richardson/comment-page-1/#comment-1069149),

    with the introduction a comment I made this morning (http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/02/02/allison-christians-was-right-mr-mahany-the-annual-cost-of-filing-u-s-taxes-can-be-astronomical-accounting-firms-estimate-the-cost-of-filing-personal-u-s-taxes-can-be-anywhere-f/comment-page-3/#comment-1070218),

    as I try to stay somewhat on top of understanding my own family’s situation.

    I hope others will communicate with their government representatives, forwarding the NZ submission that quite clearly applies to Canada and every other country.

12. For anyone that is interested here is the link to the webcast of the New Zealand Select Committee meeting due to run between 9AM and 1PM Wednesday 12th Feb New Zealand time:

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/see-hear/webcast-of-select-committees/

    I understand that John Richardson is scheduled to make an oral submission at 11:45 AM.

13. Thanks for letting us know Osgood.

14. John Richardson’s follow up submission as requested by the Select Committee is now published on the IRD web site…

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/0002224568

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