Vancouver Secrets

The Tax Man Cometh - Thanks eBay

eBay Canada says it will disclose information on its “power sellers” to Canada Revenue Agency this week. The release of data is in response to a ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal last April.

The court ordered eBay to turn over to the tax agency the names and gross sales figures of Canadians who earn at least $1,000 a month from online sales for three straight months.

In a recent letter to affected customers, eBay said it strenuously objects to the federal requests, but it must comply.

At least they warned them.

In 2006, Revenue Canada started looking into whether power sellers had reported all their eBay earnings on their 2004 and 2005 income taxes.

It’s estimated about 32,000 Canadians make all or part of their income selling on eBay.

Meantime, many more Canadians are shopping online, with 2007 sales rising to $12.8 billion, Statistics Canada says.

h/t CBC

Be Careful Of What You Wish For

IF Obama wins today, we’ll quickly start to feel the “change” in Canada. The move to socialism in the US will have an impact that most left wingers couldn’t imagine due to their “Hate Bush Syndrome”.

Here’s how it will play out:

By being a capitalist driving force worldwide, the US has driven the economies of the world. A move to socialism will alter the world’s economy dramatically.

1) With a US government totally under control of the new breed of Democrats (the Moveon.org Liberals) the problems of the past month will compound. They will raise taxes and will increase social spending. With no check on them, the left will be able to pass all the programs the current congress were veto’d on. I was hoping Americans would have discussed how miserable the current congress and senate really are. The subject managed to stay hidden through the campaign. Nancy and Harry - nice.

2) The US economy will slow even more due to increased entitlements (paid through hidden payroll taxes). Not that Obama will be sending every poor American (less than $250K income) a check - although a lot of America believes this - the costs of his promised social programs is astronomical. Government spending on this scale usually improves the economy when it’s targeted to programs businesses take part in. But when the money is spent on entitlements, the impact is blunted dramatically. As much as they hate companies like Haliburton, the company sure impacts a lot of lives.

3) Business will be taxed more - this will mean either raising prices - impossible due to recession - or cutting costs. We all know which costs are easiest to lower. Less employment means less spending. Less spending means less imported goods… on and on.

4) Business investment will decline - due to higher taxes on capital gains and profits. This impacts all business globally.

5) A move to domestic social spending means America will have a lot less to spend internationally. Disaster relief and military spending are certain to be cut. This money flows to almost every country in some fashion.

So why would this matter to Canadians and the rest of the world that seems to desperately want Obama?

We’ll sell less to the US. Less wood, less oil, manufactured products, toys, services… less of pretty much everything.

Meaning less opportunity, less profits and income to tax.

So for all you Obama cheerleaders - remember the change you hoped for isn’t going to be quite as you imagined it. You may be re-electing the worst Congress and Senate ever (recent approval ratings of single digits), and electing the most inexperienced and left-learning president in history.

For those with conservative values - it will be time to hunker down. Get liquid and be ready to weather the storm. If McCain loses - it will be 4 long years of a social experiment that could likely decimate world economies. Patience will be needed - it’s all we’ll have to combat the lunacy.

I have faith that America’s entrepreneurial drive will win out in the end. I also have faith that Obama won’t actually come through on his promises… at least I can hope.

photo credit: genetew

Someone Needs To Bring Him Up To Speed

photo credit: vieux bandit

French President Nicolas Sarkozy this weekend:

“Frankly, if someone would like to tell me that the world today needs an additional division, we do not have the same reading of the world,” Sarkozy said Friday in Quebec City.

We normally don’t care what foreign leaders say about our internal affairs, but this is different, because it comes from France. France’s view of Quebec has a mythical significance to separatists.

Except for one thing.

Quebec has used separation to ride through each recession the past 40 years - and have always succeeded doing so.

The reason the Bloc gained isn’t because they didn’t want Harper or the Liberals, or because of cuts to the arts… it’s because they can see what is coming up fast - a recession.

Quebec has rising unemployment, a slowing manufacturing base, and is one of the first provinces to feel a recession.

As a province that has always taken more than it’s fair share of transfer payments, the separation threat has always resulted in increased payments, contracts and public works projects - all funded by Canadians.

Sarkozy wasn’t informed of this strategy. Maybe now they’ll bring him up to speed.

October 14th - The Other Non-Event

Not only did Canadians stay away from the polls on October 14th, but it seems there was an even bigger no show.

Blossom Goodchild’s prediction of a massive Lightship appearing within Earth’s atmosphere was crystal clear: No one came, nobody saw, and the skeptics won.

Since then, although all of Blossom’s videos have been removed from YouTube, she’s issued a YouTube video and formal apology to the world. She acknowledges she has no explanation for why nothing showed up.

(More on Blossom Goodchild)

The Message:

TO LEADERS, GOVERNERS, POLITICIANS AND ALL PEOPLE OF EARTH ….

We wish it to be understood that on the 14th day of your month of October in the year 2008 a craft of great size shall be visible within your skies. It shall be in the south of your hemisphere and it shall scan over many of your states.
We give to you the name of Alabama.

It has been decided that we shall remain within your atmosphere for the minimum of three of your twenty four hour periods.

During this time there will be much commotion upon your earth plane. Your highest authorities will be intruding into ‘our’ atmospherics that surround our ship. This ‘security field’ is necessary for us, as there shall take place a ‘farce’ from those in your world who shall try to deny that we come in LOVE.

The Prediction:

Then the apology:

It goes to show that there are wackier folk out there than Elizabeth May.

What Aren’t They Telling Us?

photo credit: Cayusa

The loonie is on it’s way to 75 cents, oil to $50, home prices are falling… and the TSX has lost 40%.

The good news is that thankfully Canada has the world’s soundest banking system.

So why am I suddenly feeling the worst is yet to come?

With the election being days away, I am becoming certain that Canadians will vote in another minority government even though it will hurt the country.

As the crisis deepens and the economy slows, Harper’s hands will once again be tied by two bumbling idiots.

So do you buy, sell, hold, or panic?

Funding The Green Party

photo credit: Lili Vieira de Carvalho

By Alina Abbot

One of the big obstacles that the Green Party will face in the next election is that of the strategic voters. Those people who share our values and agree with our policies, but who are swayed by the scare tactics of the big parties that claim “If you don’t vote for us, then THEY will get in!” as they point their fingers at the other big parties.

Here are some arguments to help persuade the strategic voters to cast their vote with the Greens:

1. Casting a vote for one of the big parties tells them that you approve of their policies and political games. You get one valuable vote, something that people around the world are willing to die for. When you use it to support a party you don’t really believe in, they still will make the assumption that you used your valuable vote to support what you believe. “Canadians have spoken!” was the cry heard from many Conservatives after the last election, even though 63.7% of Canadian voters chose someone other than the Conservatives. Every vote cast for the Green Party sends a message that Green values and policies are important. Every vote cast for the Green Party will cause the big parties to raise their eyebrows and think “Hmm, maybe Canadians really DO want something other than our policies!”

2. The parties that receive over 2% of the national vote get $1.75 per vote cast from taxpayers. When you cast a vote for a party, you are not only saying that you approve of their values, but you give them your $1.75 to support their policies and future campaigns. This translated into about $9.4 M for the Conservatives in the last election, and only about $1M for the Green Party. If you support Green values, why not also support them with your tax dollars? Your funding will be available to lobby the government in power to support Green policies, even if your Green Party candidate does not win the seat.

3. The electoral districts (ridings) that receive 10% or more of their local vote receive 50% of their campaign spending back from the taxpayers. This means that your vote not only counts for the present election, but also puts support behind that party for the NEXT election! The Green Party did make it past 10% in some ridings, but most ridings fell short. If the strategic voters had cast their votes with the Greens in the last election, then there would be more funding available in many ridings to get out the all-important message that the Green Party has values that are worth supporting.

4. With the rise of the Green Party in the polls, and the increasing interest in environmental and economic sustainability, it is highly probable that the Green Party will edge out the other parties in a number of ridings in the next election. For some ridings, it will be the choices made by the strategic voters that tip the balance for or against the Greens. For those Canadians who really want to see change in the next election, the best strategy will be to vote Green.

Perhaps the next election will have the big parties waving their fingers at the Green Party candidates, exclaiming, “Vote for us, or else THEY’LL get in!” Hopefully, Canadian voters will hear this, and say, “Really? Then I’M voting GREEN!”

Alina Abbott
Candidate nominee
Chatham-Kent-Essex

Confirms that they know they can’t win, but need to target ridings they can get more than 10% of the vote.

This may explain their non-compete with the Liberals.

Is Stephane Dion A Deadbeat?

photo credit: iandavid

The latest:

Stéphane Dion misses new debt payment deadline — again

For the second time, Stéphane Dion has failed to comply with an Elections Canada deadline to pay back his six-figure campaign debt remaining from his 2006 Liberal leadership campaign. Stéphane Dion has violated his agent’s written promise to creditors to pay back approximately $230,000 by September 3, 2008 -  almost ten days ago.

“Stéphane Dion was supposed to pay off all his campaign debts on June 3, 2008,” noted Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton. “He failed and got a generous extension, under which he promised to pay off 1/3 of his debts by September 3, 2008. His agent even signed a written promise to the creditors to do so. But yesterday we learned that Dion failed – again. He has missed another deadline and this time he has broken a written commitment to his creditors.”

“If Stéphane Dion can’t keep his own written financial promises, why should Canadians trust him to manage Canada’s finances?” asked Poilievre.

“Stéphane Dion has mismanaged his own campaign finances. Canadians can’t afford a weak and risky Dion, in a time of global economic uncertainty.”

Nor can they afford his wacky plans.

Let’s see if Dion leads the Liberals to numbers below the NDP for the first time.

Pay up Steve.

Harper Is Cutting Taxes Again?!

photo credit: romanlily

Stephen Harper’s plan to cut the excise tax on diesel fuel is a smart move. The last time this was used in an election, the PC’s beat out the NDP in Saskatchewan for the first time.

A diesel fuel cut will help lower the price of everything we consume on a daily basis.

If you read the story, it’s playing out as a horrible plan.

My favorite comment from the article:

Mark
Let me get this straight. Mr. Harper has cut the GST and now has some plan to decrease my taxes further? He wants to get tough on crime, improve Canada’s soverignty, strengthen our (Liberal) gutted military, protect families…

May I vote now please?

Good thing Canadians hate taxes more that the media and Liberals love them.

Canada’s Answer to Lipstick - Elizabeth May

photo credit: ewar woowar

The Green Party’s Elizabeth May finally got into the televised leader’s debates.

Let’s hope the Sarah Palin effect isn’t spilling over to in Canada.

Give her credit for getting Independent MP Blair Wilson - a former Liberal first elected in 2006 - to become a Green Party MP.  She now gets her shot to get heard… despite having a poll rating of 8% (they got a whopping 4.3% of the vote last election - making them the new Rhino party).

The interesting thing is the deal Elizabeth made with Dion not to field a  candidates in each others riding. Surprisingly, he didn’t join Layton in protesting her inclusion.

Any additional support she may get from the debates will come from the left and split the vote from those that want to crush Canadians with a new carbon tax…  helping the Conservative Party get their majority.

The good news is that no one will be watching.

Will The West Matter? Canada’s Election

photo credit: JosephGilbert.org

Now that the election has been called, will we even matter in the west?

There isn’t much to vote for unless you’re French or a lifetime NDPer.

Ontario and Quebec hold the decision, as usual, and hopefully Harper will get traction in Ontario.

The choice seems obvious when you look at the candidates:

NDP - Jack Layton leads a hopeless party - but somehow they keep hanging in there. The NDP plays the role of spoiler, and will probably split the Liberal votes.

Liberals - Stephane Dion has lost it already with his promise to tax the bejesus out of us with that lovely carbon tax scheme. The party is where the conservtives were - and needs to re-invent itself.

Conservatives - Harper should be a shoe-in, but the separatists in Quebec will split the vote. Like Vancouver, the French will always vote in a way to cause themselves the most grief.

We need a majority government that can take on the challenges we will be facing soon - with a declining economy and soon-to-be crashing housing market, Canada can’t play around with higher taxes and incompetent leadership.

Holding an election in concert with the US is a smart plan - hopefully Canadians will see we both share the same issues.

Just Call The Election, Steve…

photo credit: kagey_b

Prime Minister Stephen Harper seemed almost certain to call a general election next week to decide who will guide Canada.

It’s a great idea.

Although the election and candidates will be about as exciting as watching lawn bowling, holding an election alongside of the US election would let Canadians in on the fun.

We might be able to get rid of Gilles Duceppe, leader of the separatist opposition Bloc Quebecois. I always wonder what would happen if a traitor ran in the US…

Jack Layton, leader of the leftist New Democratic Party, also needs to go. With no possible chance of ever getting elected, it’s a wonder how the NDP has survived all these years. Note that the Riders have only won a Grey Cup when Conservatives have been in power in Sask.

Liberal leader Stephane Dion has proposed a tax grab similar to the National Energy Program they blessed us with in the last economic collapse. This is good for at least 10% more votes for Harper.

It’s time for change - as Barack Hussein Obama would say.

Best of all, it’s time to trounce the Liberals before their wacky carbon tax plan can see the light of day.

Here’s a video for more information on how the election will be decided: