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…

One Comment About Taxation – Taxation Myths….They’re Not Good For You and For Society   I’ve never been to Portugal, but I’ve heard good things – the culture, the towns, the history, the food and wine. My wife and I are planning a trip later this year.   When I mention it in conversation, a…

One Comment About Taxation – Capital Outflows From California and New York Are Not Coming To Canada   Walter Wriston, the former Citicorp CEO, once observed that “capital goes where it’s welcome and stays where it’s well treated.” The line has become tax-policy wallpaper. It is, nevertheless, the most useful sentence in English for thinking…