One Comment About Taxation – Are The “Rich” Paying Enough Tax? I’m a fun guy to go out for dinner with. Just ask my wife or our friends. Before long, I’ll steer the conversation toward tax policy. I know, I know…I’m a blast at parties.   A common dinner topic is how much the so-called…

One Comment About Taxation – The Canada Revenue Agency Has a New Commissioner…Will This Be a Small Step Toward Improvement in the Tax System?   On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped off the ladder of the lunar module and into history: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” (Armstrong long maintained he…

Happy Canada Day!   Before diving into this week’s newsletter, I wanted to wish all Canadians a very happy Canada Day.   As many of you know, I’m incredibly proud to be Canadian. Like every country, ours has a history with moments of great achievement and moments we can certainly learn from. We should not…

One Comment About Taxation – Canada’s AI “Strategy” is a Political Brochure   In grade school, my essay writing assignments were sometimes handed back with poor grades. “You missed the core ideas, Kim. You need to explore the topic from all important angles. Try again.” When I was honest with myself, my teachers were right.…

One Comment About Taxation – Resentment Is Not a Tax Revenue Model   When growing up in Fort McMurray, AB, my family ran a number of small businesses. I learned at an early age that nobody hands an entrepreneur a paycheque. They put their own capital at risk, work brutal hours, and live with the…

One Comment About Taxation – Tax Branding: A Dangerous Replacement for Financial Literacy   Recently, my sister and I took my 82-year-old French Mom to Northern France for a two-week vacation. We booked several short-term rental accommodations, all of which were excellent – with one exception. That unit turned out to be a three-storey property…

One Comment About Taxation – Canada’s Attempt at Automatic Tax Filing – Does it Make the Grade?   As a tax professional, I suppose I’m expected to defend the annual ritual of tax return filing. But I don’t.   The annual pilgrimage – especially with a shortage of accountants and increased complexity – has become a necessary…