One Comment About Taxation – Who is Mark Carney?  And What Does Canada Need From a Tax Policy Perspective?   Well, Canadians are finally headed to the polls after enduring a lame duck government, capped by a newly anointed Prime Minister whose recent policy reversals reek more of opportunism than leadership.   At the…

  One Comment About Taxation – Canada Needs Tax Reform; Not to Get “Fooled Again”   Another tax season, another tax filing debacle.   On March 11, 2025, the Canada Revenue Agency announced that its systems were not yet ready for personal tax filings that include capital gains with the following statement:   “The CRA recommends that…

  One Comment About Taxation – Tariffs Are a Tax and Will Be Felt Broadly   U.S. President Donald Trump’s leadership style is hard to pin down precisely.  However, there is no doubt he embraces elements of the chaos theory of leadership.  Such a leadership style disrupts norms, often creating instability that forces others to react.…

  One Comment About Taxation – Mark Carney’s Proposal to Separate the Federal Budget into “Operational” and “Capital” Budgets is a Tired Old Accounting Trick   Luca Pacioli – the Father of double-entry accounting – was onto something when he contributed his wisdom in the 15th century to create what we know today.  Out of his principles, the basic…

  One Comment About Taxation – Have You Ever Thought About How Much Government Taxes, Fees and “Levies” You Actually Pay?   When people talk about paying taxes, there is usually an automatic assumption that the topic is about income tax.  However, have you ever thought about all of the other types of taxes and…

  One Comment About Taxation – History Provides Lots of Guidance About Taxation….The Lesson?  Canada Desperately Needs Significant Tax Reform   Over my career, I’ve had the privilege of knowing Arnold Sherman, one of Canada’s first international tax practitioners. Starting in the 1960s, Arnold built one of the most impressive taxation libraries in Canada—a collection…

  One Comment About Taxation – Canadians Need to Significantly Improve Their Financial Literacy   Over my lengthy career as a tax practitioner, I have advised numerous Canadians across a wide spectrum of complexity.  Many have tax situations that are straight forward.  However, if one becomes financially successful, has international connections / interests, involved in estate…

  One Comment About Taxation – The Capital Gains “Deferral” is the Right Decision But Certainly Should Not Be Celebrated   Well, by now, most Canadians will know that The Department of Finance announced the “deferral” of the capital gains proposals (first released in the April 16, 2024 federal budget) to January 1, 2026.  The Canada Revenue Agency…