WHERE WOULD THE MONEY BE..

WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE THE MONEY WOULD BE NOW
A commentary on the attempted robbery of the Legion Poppy Fund on November 12 2009 – at Legion Branch No. 73.

By Victor Drummond ©
November 2009

On November 12 2009 – the day after veterans day – volunteer veterans were busy counting the money -- collected through the Veterans Poppy drive -- in the board room of the Oak Ridge Legion, Branch No. 73.

A stranger, who had entered by way of a side door, walked into the board room and stood momentarily in front of the members counting the money.

Navy veteran, 84 year old, John Dietsch, asked the man what was he doing here? At that point the stranger brandished a gun and said: “give me all your bills.”

Without a moments hesitation John lunged at the man and attempted to seize his gun arm. The stranger pushed John back and began to back away. At that point 64 year old volunteer, Earl Gray, took after the stranger, caught him momentarily but the stranger managed to break free and took off.

Earl followed the stranger up to the point where the would be robber disappeared down a street where Earl could no longer follow or see him.

It is impossible to imagine that when John Dietsch saw the stranger holding a gun that warning bells didn’t go off in his head telling him that any action – other than that demanded by the gunman -- was setting an extremely dangerous string of events in motion.

If John had followed the example set by the Right Honourable Stephen Harper -- when Harper was warned by Senior Bureaucrats in the Department of Finance and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that his approval of the Gary Lunn Tax Remission Order (TRO) was setting a dangerous precedent – where do you suppose the poppy fund money would be today? Gone – that’s where.

When Harper decided to do an about face and break his word to “get it resolved” his life was not in danger.

The only risk he faced -- by keeping his word -- being that his reputation as a fair minded and self assured, decent, trustworthy, capable leader would become more creditable.

By reneging on his commitment to "resolve" the tax on phantom income Harper showed himself to be uncertain of his convictions and lacking confidence in his ability to give and keep his word.

Consequently thousands of honest, hard-working Canadians are still being financially ruined and spend anxious days and nights burdened with taxes levied on money never seen.

As Legion volunteer Earl Gray remarked when the Poppy fund robbery was foiled: “If the robbery had of succeeded a lot of people who are receiving this money would have been out of luck.”

Just like the thousands of honest, hard-working Canadians who depended on the Right Honourable Stephen Harper to keep his word to: “get it resolved are still "out of luck."

The time has come for Canadians to Stand up for their victimized fellow Canadians. The action plan is simple.

Every Canadian of voting age should contact their local Member of Parliament, either in person, by letter , by telephone and/or by e-mail demanding the defective Canadian taxable benefit legislation be amended to put an end to taxing honest, hard-working Canadians on money never seen.

The U.S. Government have already amended their defective tax legislation putting an end to taxing phantom income and have also put a system of victim compensation in place.

And as the U.S. Government has done when they amended their flawed “Alternative Minimum Tax” (AMT) legislation the Canadian government should include fair compensating to those Canadians who have already paid those unfair, unwarrented taxes and/or penalties.

Now: in view of the U.S. government action there is no excuse for Canada's government not doing the same for our victimized Canadians.

See you at the voting polls in the next Federal election O’Grady.

Victor Drummond ©