We Are the Engine

As in any Democracy, the citizens are the engine that gets things done and government is just the oil lubricating the mechanism. And with any engine, too much oil is bad news.

The Liberals have just released the Prime Minister's mandate letters to their new and continuing Ministers. This process publicly sets the priorities for how these ministries move forward, hand-in-hand with the career public servants that implement any change of emphasis.

For Diane Lebouthillier, our National Revenue Minister who continues to supervise the CRA, she received the usual "be professionals", "listen to the constituents", and "show humility" when screw-ups happen fluff. This culminated with: We have committed to an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians, lives up to the highest ethical standards and applies the utmost care and prudence in the handling of public funds. I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do. I want Canadians to look on their own government with pride and trust.

MY PROBLEM WITH THE ABOVE IS THAT IT IS JUST EMPTY WORDS.

BUT THESE NEXT WORDS TO THE REVENUE MINISTER WILL NOT BE:

• Enhance our existing tax avoidance and evasion whistleblower programs based on best practices in other countries, including the United States.

THREE RESPONSES NEED TO IMMEDIATELY BE MADE:

#1) TAX AVOIDANCE IS UTTERLY LEGAL AND GOOD BUSINESS SENSE. NUMEROUS COURTS HAVE STATED THAT PAYING MORE TAX THAN OWED UNDER THE LAW IS JUST POOR JUDGEMENT.

#2) THE LIBERALS ARE ABUSING THE WORD "WHISTLEBLOWER." A WHISTLEBLOWER HAS REAL INSIDER INFORMATION AND TAKES REAL RISK. OUR GOVERNMENT IS PROMOTING SNITCHING MOTIVATED BY GREED, AMBITION OR JEALOUSY AND WITHOUT ANY HARD EVIDENCE. THE CRA’S OWN PUBLIC STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT WELL OVER 90% OF CALLS TO THE "SNITCH LINE" ARE BASELESS AND COMPANIES AUDITED BASED ON SNITCH DATA ARE BEING FALSELY SMEARED. MORE INEFFICIENT GOVERNMENT AND MORE INVASION OF PRIVACY IS ALL THIS POLICY PROMOTES.

#3) THE USA ALSO HAS A SNITCH LINE DIRECTLY TO THEIR TAX PEOPLE, BUT THAT IS BALANCED BY A TAXPAYERS BILL OF RIGHTS THAT IS LEGALLY BINDING IN AMERICA. CANADA HAS A TAXPAYERS BILL OF RIGHTS THAT HAS NO LEGAL RAMIFICATION; THAT THE CRA NEED NOT UPHOLD. WE LITERALLY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DEMAND THESE RIGHTS, SO THERE IS NO COUNTERBALANCE TO THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF A SNITCH LINE.

THIS POLICY IS AN EXCUSE TO GROW THE CRA TO EVEN HIGHER PERSONNEL LEVELS. THE CRA ALREADY HAS 46,000 EMPLOYEES WHICH (BASED ON PER CAPITA) IS 5 TIMES THE STAFFING LEVEL OF THE IRS AND 9 TIMES THAT OF GERMANY'S TAX DEPARTMENT. MORE SNITCH DATA MEANS MORE AUDITS WHICH MEANS MORE AUDITORS. ACCORDING TO OECD REPORTS, CANADIANS ARE AMONG THE MOST HONEST AND COMPLIANT TAXPAYERS IN THE WORLD. AND YET THIS GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO TREAT US (THE PEOPLE THEY WORK FOR) AS "CHEATS AND LIARS."

WE ARE THE ENGINE, GOVERNMENT IS JUST THE OIL. FOR A CANADIAN AN OIL CHANGE DOESN'T COST US A WHOLE LOT, 'CAUSE WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES.