8 thoughts on “Now’s the time to call in some markers.”

1. What is happening with injunction?

2. As a fellow member of CCLA, I sent an email to them, urging public and legal action against this agreement, as a violation of Section 15 of our Charter, and as a precedent for second-class citizenship in Canada which should be of grave to concern to ALL naturalized Canadian citizens of any ethnic or national origin.

   I would add that yesterday Murray Rankin, NDP National Revenue Critic, asked a very straightforward question of the government during Question Period, regarding whether the agreement violates the Charter. He got a typically evasive non-answer. The NDP, and especially to their credit Rankin and the entire BC caucus of the NDP, have been forthright in their concern and opposition to FATCA from the get-go, more than two years ago. I urge all persons reading this thread, whether you vote NDP or not, whether you ever would vote NDP or not, to email Rankin and Mulcair and thank them for the question yesterday and for their forthrightness on this issue during the past two and a half years. I think it is important for us all to recognize when a politician and a political party have done the right thing, and to thank them and encourage them for having done so. Emails to politicians shouldn’t always be rants and complaints, as I must keep reminding myself.

   As for the government MPs … rant away. I have.

3. Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca

4. His email:

   Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca

5. I hope Parliament is put in the position where a court strikes down the IGA, and Parliament must pass discriminatory laws to pander to the USG.

   Be warned – If push comes to shove they may stuff it in some obscure bill and vote on it in the dead of the night when Canadians are happily sleeping away.

   Do not let this happen. It wouldn’t be the first time a government hides something and pushes it through.

   Dissect all upcoming bills carefully that come to the floor for a vote.

   Perhaps push a bill through demanding all votes concerning changes in the Charter require that vote to take place at NOON time during a business day. That will stop this from happening.

6. @JoeSmith, Weren’t you the same Joe Smith who said our government would never do this? Sorry, not trying to be mean, I am actually trying to be funny. 🙂 Humour is the only thing that makes this whole mess somewhat palatable, that and the many friends I have made here at Brock.

   I’m up for a class action lawsuit. Can’t wait in fact! Who else is in?

7. @Don, re: “Do not let this happen. It wouldn’t be the first time a government hides something and pushes it through. ” Do you mean like FATCA was pushed through in the USA?

   One of the big problems with this is the complexity of it all. It is VERY difficult to explain FATCA and CBT to people. Our MP’s are fielding calls from angry constituents telling them not to worry because our government has made us a good deal with all those registered accounts being exempted. In other words, they still don’t get it. And they won’t unless we go through hoops trying to educate them. This is A BIG CHALLENGE, and if we cannot make the lights go on in the heads of our politicians and the public, we are doomed to be FATCA’d forever.

8. Yes, I was wrong. And still cannot believe it. If this withstands Charter and Human Rights challenges then citizenship is not really worth what I thought it was.