What was said..

IS THERE REAL REASON FOR HOPE THIS TIME?
A commentary on
Prime Minister Right Honourable Stephen Harper’s
Address to the Toronto Canadian Club November 8th 2007
What he said and what did he mean?
Victor Drummond ©


In November 2006 Canadian victims of the taxable benefits rip-off were thrown a straw of hope when conservative MP Gary Lunn -- for the riding of Saanich Gulf Islands in British Columbia --proudly announced that a group of JDS Employees had been granted a remission of their unjustified taxes.

He further proudly declared – on that occasion:- “It took a change in government to get someone to listen, but the prime minister has come through and delivered tax relief,” said Lunn

It’s not in the interest of the government to tax people on money they never saw.”

Unfortunately for Mr. Lunn -- and all other Canadians taxed on money they never saw – the fair tax relief began -- and ended right then and there.

Appeal after appeal -- by similar tax victims for identical tax relief -- were either entirely totally ignored – or a polite -- but totally fruitless reply was returned to the appellants.

Requests for an explanation -- of the unequal tax situation -- were equally futile.

No explanation of the unfair exclusion -- or details of the deal made with the BC, JDS victims -- has been forthcoming to date.

(Update after posting this article:- Some details of the deal made with the British Columbia JDS taxable benefits victims has now been published in the Canada Gazette
see url:- http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2007/20071114/html/si99-e.html)

The conservative government is holding fast to their claim:- to bring “Fair taxation” to all Canadians -- by upgrading bulletins and pamphlets in support of their proclamation of “A Fair taxation Pledge”.

So far this wonderful “Fair Taxation Pledge” has done absolutely nothing to restore the RIGHT of “All Canadians” to fair and equal taxation.

There has been no material change made to the fundamentally defective taxable benefit legislation and consequently the victims taxed on fictitious “Income” still have no RIGHTS by which to recover their stolen property.

They are still waiting for equal treatment under the law – per The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, article 15 (1) and/or equal treatment per the new Taxpayers Bill of Rights, article (8).

So what did the Honourable Stephen Harper actually say in his address to the Toronto Canadian Club members on Thursday November 8th 2007?

Well among other things:-

“Harper promised Thursday that to maintain and enhance Canada’s prosperity over the long term, his Conservative government would develop “one of the most competitive and attractive tax environments on the planet.”

“Federal taxes will fall to the level they were at in the last year (1963) of the Diefenbaker government – before the policies of the late 1960’s before Trudeau – back to the level in nearly half a century,” he said.

The government still has the flexibility to help the forest industry or to allow capital write-offs for manufacturers, he said.


So that in part is what the Most Honourable Stephen Harper said. Now what did he mean?

While restoring the Federal Taxes to the level they were in the last year of the Diefenbaker government is Stephen Harper also prepared to restore the Taxable Benefits legislation and apply the same tax policies, (specifically taxable benefit legislation), to what they were in that same era?

I am certain John Diefenbaker would never have condoned taxing fictitious “Earned Income”. He had more integrity than that.

If the (Harper) government still has the flexibility to help the forest industry – and/or to allow capital write-offs for manufacturers – do they not also have the power to give truly fair taxation to all Canadians – and an equal – No -- not only equal – but based upon the updated “Pledge of Fair Taxation” -- even a greater obligation to do so?

So Mr. Prime Minister put some action where your words are and give real “Equal and Fair Taxation to All Canadians” – and give us truly -- the most attractive tax environment on the planet.

A NEAR CASH fix is not going to cut it. Show us the restoration of our RIGHT to fair taxation and give us a solid reason to vote you and your party back into office with a majority government.

See you at the voting polls – next federal election.

Victor Drummond ©