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THE CANADIAN POLITICAL LEADERS DEBATES 2008
A commentary on the Real Issues, the Red Herring Issues and
Side-Step Issues to be expected during the French Language debate on October 1rst and the English Language debate on October 2nd 2008.
By Victor Drummond ©
September 2008
Real Issues:-
Regardless of any bail-out package the American Congress may approve for “Main Street” to salvage “Wall Street” the world economy vis-à-vis the Canadian economy will dominate the Canadian Political Leaders debate in both official languages.
i.e:- Job Loss, Job Creation, International trade treaty re-negotiation etc.
Getting tough on youth crime is sure to make the top ten list.
Energy conservation. Initiating projects to replace fossil fuel energy sources by renewable energy sources. All leaders will subscribe to this issue but do not expect much in the way of a W5 on this item.
Then the topic of provincial equalization payments will take center stage – at some point -- with accusations flying back and forth regarding which provinces are being over compensated and which are being short-changed.
Municipal transfer payments – Infrastructure renewal etc.
In the mix will be the issue of recognizing Quebec as a nation within a nation.
To what extent self rule etc.
Red Herring Issues:-
Saving the world from global warming. According to scientific calculations Canada’s total contribution of green-house gas to the world total is approximately 2%. Go figure.
Our political leaders may make a lot of rhetorical comments on this issue but in reality there is nothing substantial that Canada alone can do to make any real difference.
The Carbon Tax. The theory of revenue neutral taxation sounds great but just does not work in this instance.
The cost of setting up -- and operating -- anything like a system that gives the taxpayer something for nothing would be horrendous and could never be kept in balance. This plan should be best classed as a Make Work project.
Side-Step Issues:-
Note:- A side-step Issue is a Real Issue that none of the Party Leaders want to deal with.
Although most – perhaps all – Canadian Political Parties subscribe to popular moral values such as honesty, decency, dependability, justice, fairness, equality and the like – when it comes to costing them votes and/or significant sums of money they can turn a blind eye to the most flagrant examples of a violation of one or more of these typical Canadian Values.
The matter of correcting unfair, unequal, abusive, taxation of thousands of Canadians allowed by a defect in the taxable benefit legislation is well known to every current Canadian Political Leader. To date not one leader has acknowledged the existence this outrageous violation of taxpayers RIGHTS.
Canadians for Fair and Equal Taxation, (CFET), has organized the submission of several versions of the “Question” –
As Canada’s next Prime Minister what would you do to correct this unjustified tax and compensate its current victims?
My bet being their question will not be presented – in any form -- during either of the Leadership debates. It will be lost in the shuffle of so-called higher priority issues.
What if I am wrong – for once? Then my sincere apology will be posted in my next article – constructed to be commensurate with the degree the question is presented intact.
Then if any of the top three party leaders claim no prior knowledge of this issue – they are at the very least undermining their party communications system and at most prevaricating.
Because this issue has been appealed by its victims numerous times -- to every party to form our government -- over the past seven years.
Side-Step Actions:-
(1) At least one party leader can claim to have partially addressed the issue -- of taxing phantom income -- by way of signing a “Tax Remission Order”, (TRO), to revoke this unjustified taxation of -- by my estimate --- 0.00001% of those honest hard working Canadians victimized by this insidious tax.
(2) This same leader can also claim to have upgraded the tax victims appeal process and appointed a toothless Tax Ombudsman to advise the Canada Revenue Agency to treat all such victimized appellants courteously.
Victims shouldn’t mind being told very politely to:-
“Pay up or else.”
(3) In order to facilitate a victim’s case being brought to the attention of a “Chief Appeals Officer” this same leader had a tax appeal form, or two, upgraded to make it easier for individual appellants to organize and submit their appeals.
The problem has not been solved – or even alleviated – by the foregoing three government actions.
As Journalist Don Cayo said on this topic in his article published in the Vancouver Sun last year:- “Change the law – don’t just mask the problem.”
When a flaw in an existing law becomes apparent by creating victims at a wholesale rate it is dishonest, unfair, and an insult to the intelligence of any normal person to pretend a one-at-a-time appeal process is any kind of corrective action.
Unless at least one leader – if elected Prime Minister -- commits to -- the very minimum -- extending the conditions of the SDL/JDSU – TRO – to every honest hard working Canadian -- taxed on phantom income – then they have all failed the people they portend to represent.
See you at the Federal Election Polls – O’Grady
Victor Drummond ©
FROM ONE FAMILY MAN TO ANOTHER
A commentary on the family relationship between the Person
Elected to be the leader of Canada and All Canadians.
By Victor Drummond ©
September 2008
Among the first 2008 election promotions issued -- by the three main federal political parties of Canada – are those video clips portraying the party leader as a down-to-earth, responsible, dependable, hard-working Family Man.
Stephen Harper – shown with his wife and children – dressed in ordinary everyday clothes and with the moderator telling the audience what a great husband and father he is.
Stephane Dion and Jack Layton also climbed on to the Family Man band-wagon – appearing in public with their wives – and letting everyone know they have the best interests of Canadians at heart.
All of the above are promising to lower taxes, provide the best child-care, provide more jobs, save the environment by supporting renewable energy projects etc.
Not one party leader has acknowledged the relief -- of thousands of innocent, hard-working Canadian Tax Payers – from the abuse and distress caused by a defective piece of Canadian Tax legislation.
Following is an excerpt from a recent message I received from one such victim.
============================================
Nortel is now trading at the equivalent of 30 cents per share and yet the government is still wanting to tax me on shares at a value of $104.
My nightmare has resumed, the pundits are saying Nortel is ripe for a take-over. If this happens does this mean that my shares are considered sold? Even though I don’t want to sell them? Even if I refuse to hand them over?
Can I just keep the certificate and claim “Hey, the law says the taxes are due when I sell – well I haven’t sold!”
Needless to say I am again loosing sleep and desperate with worry. At age 68 is this what my government really thinks is a good thing?
To add insult to injury, if I am forced to sell, if I do have to include close to $1 million (of fictitious income) in income this year, not only will I have a tax-debt of over $200k but I have nothing with which to pay this. Sell my house? Cash in $300k of my equity? And oh yes, the Ontario Government will ding me for $900 as a fair-health premium! As that is based on income.
CFET is my only hope!
==============================================
(Victim’s identity withheld by Vic Drummond)
When a federal party leader is elected to the office of Canada’s Prime Minister -- to represent all Canadians -- does he, or she, not have a duty/responsibility to serve and protect every Canadian from being victimized -- like this -- by their own government?
How many innocent, hard-working Canadians are -- too many -- to be allowed to be financially destroyed through taxation on income that never existed -- before our elected representatives say enough? I believe – one -- is one too many.
Yet there are thousands of Canadians -- who have been levied huge taxes on phantom income – and many are in situations as bad – or worse – than the person who wrote the above excerpt.
The above victim see’s the group:- “Canadians for Fair and Equalized Taxation”, (CFET), as their only hope for relief from this oppressive/abusive tax. Is that the way you see it also?
What about a voters protest? If enough ordinary Canadians decided to demand this tax atrocity be corrected – and notified their local candidate(s) in this coming federal election – what do you suppose would happen?
Wouldn’t the same people -- who vowed to boycott the Leader’s Election Debate if Elizabeth May were allowed to participate – suddenly recognize how unfair, and un-Canadian this tax fiasco is?
You can bet your last Loonie they would have their eyes opened in a flash.
If you are unfamiliar with this tax rip-off visit the CFET web page at:- http://www.cfet.ca
Follow the links to Sign our petition, and Signatures, and read the comments posted by those who signed the petition. Also follow the link to “Press” and read the articles published by several prominent Canadian Journalists.
The USA had a similar problem with their Alternative Minimum Tax, (AMT), and they are now in the process of rescinding taxes levied on phantom income. (Kerry/Lieberman Bill).
Also the USA has suspended their Internal Revenue Agency, (IRA) from collecting the taxes previously levied on AMT phantom income.
If you would like to show your support -- of abused fellow Canadians in this issue – kindly notify your local federal election candidate you want their commitment to support the objective of CFET for fair and equitable taxation.
CFET is a non-partisan, non-profit group and does not even have a membership fee.
Anyone may become a member and/or supporter by sending an e-mail to - inquiy@cfet.ca
Vic Drummond ©
A For Real FAMILY MAN.
Note:- If you wish to contact the tax victim -- who authored the excerpt quoted above -- send me an e-mail which I will forward on your behalf to the victim personally.
Ref:- vic.drummond@sympatico.ca
THEY’R OFF
A commentary on the miscues by Canadian
Political Leaders in the first week following
the Calling of the 2008 Federal Election.
By Victor Drummond ©
September 2008
In the days immediately prior to the dissolution of Canada’s 39th Parliament Canada’s political leaders were warned well in advance an election would be called this fall.
They all had oodles of time to develop a solid election platform and declare exactly what they would do for Canadians -- if elected.
So what have they declared so far?
First out of the gate was the Most Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada – with a video of a couple of ordinary citizens declaring Stephen knows where he stands, is a straight up guy and a regular good person.
This extremely non-committal video was quickly followed by another of Stephen in ordinary casual attire -- blue sweater and all – surrounded by his wife and children with the commentator informing the audience that Stephen is a devoted family man etc.
About this time other Canadian Political Party leaders climbed on the band wagon releasing videos portraying themselves as regular Canadians who love Canada and also have family values etc.
Still little to zero commitment to do anything solid for the average Canadian.
Then things began to jump the track. Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, declared she intended to participate in all pre-election Party Leader debates. She would take the issue to the courts if necessary to achieve this end.
Other party leaders announced their positions on this issue with one or two saying it didn’t matter and a couple saying no-way. The debate authorities (media) said no as did Stephen Harper and Jack Layton. The latter political party leaders even went so far as to say -- if May were allowed to be a participant then they would boycott the debate.
(Major goof No. 1).
Not a very fair or well thought-out attitude to assume.
Being a high profile Canadian Elizabeth’s situation was given nation-wide media coverage and her supporters launched protest scenes which also received nation-wide coverage.
No doubt both Stephen Harper and Jack Layton were embarrassed by this turn of events but realizing a lot of votes were at stake they both did a prompt about face.
While the Elizabeth May fiasco was winding down the Conservative War Machine release a smear video depicting Stephane Dion as a loser with an Atlantic Puffin dropping poop on his shoulder as it flew past. (Major goof No. 2)
Who in their right mind would even imagine a smear tactic of this kind could be a plus credit to the author(s)?
Likely as part of the over-all Conservative Election strategy Stephen Harper then began to announce party policy on genuine issues. Issues that might actually benefit the average Canadian.
Promising to cut the diesel fuel excise tax by 50% -- if elected -- is a solid issue.
Promising to support the replacement of fossil fuel energy – as much as practical – by renewable energy sources – if elected – is a universal *issue.
*An item that is also on the USA Presidential Election agenda.
Promising to set a withdrawal date for Canadian troops -- serving in Afghanistan -- is an astute political manoeuvre but will not actually benefit average Canadians in the immediate future. This more of a good intention commitment.
Attacking the election platform commitments of the other federal Political Parties is standard procedure and it falls to the promoters of each party’s platform to defend and/or justify the benefit – if any – their policies would bring to the average Canadian.
Publicly attempting to discredit the father of a Canadian soldier killed on active duty in Afghanistan, however, can not be justified under any circumstances. (Major Goof No. 3)
There is another major issue – however -- deserving of highest priority attention by whatever party forms the next government.
An issue that has resulted in a very significant number of honest, hard-working Canadians being financially decimated and kept in a state of duress for over seven years.
An issue that is very similar to the unjustified taxation of many American citizens which the USA Congress is now in the process of correcting. (Kerry/Lieberman bill)
An issue that every Canadian Federal Party Leader has been made well aware of – but not one party leader even acknowledges exists.
An issue that not one Canadian party leader has committed to do anything to correct – if elected.
It is ironic that those who solicit our support – to be elected to represent all Canadians – will ignore defective legislation that unjustly causes financial ruin, distress, anxiety, and loss of hard earned financial security while presenting themselves to be ordinary Canadian family people.
Until our elected representatives recognize all Canadians are their family and are entitled to equal and fair treatment -- they are REALLY OFF.
If the issue of taxation of phantom income is not addressed during the Political Leaders Election Debates -- and -- if no party leader commits to correcting this atrocity – then I won’t waste my time voting for any of them.
A real family person would not allow this travesty of justice to continue.
If unfamiliar with the phantom income tax issue visit the web page of:- “Canadians for Fair and Equitable Taxation”, (CFET) at http://www.cfet.ca and explore the links to “Press”, “Sign our Petition” --> “signatures” --> “Comments”.
Victor Drummond ©
