sa国际传媒 government should聽SIN no more
The Speculation and Vacancy Tax declaration material arrived and I began the process. I worked my way through the questions, becoming concerned when it asked about federal tax returns and wanting my social insurance number. Hold on, I thought, what鈥檚 the linkage between income and property taxation?
The SIN is a cornerstone of federal income tax and benefit programs. On their website, the feds make it clear that you don鈥檛 have to provide your SIN for identification except for specific government programs. The speculation tax is not one of them.
There is no law compelling us to provide our SIN, yet the Speculation and Vacancy Tax legislation has significant financial consequences if we don鈥檛 complete our declaration form, and you can鈥檛 complete it without the SIN.
The government tells us it is targeting one per cent of property owners who are non-Canadian, non-sa国际传媒 residents and others who don鈥檛 use their property according to the government鈥檚 concept of how it should be used. In doing so, it is developing a database of personal information on the rest of us that is more relevant to collection of income taxes. Could it be that our personal data are needed to develop more tax programs such as a capital gains tax on sale of a principal residence?
The SIN is a key element of our income-taxation system. To coerce it out of us and link it to property taxation is inappropriate. We should all be objecting.
Mark Atherton
Metchosin
Speculation tax violates the charter
Among other claims, the speculation tax is intended to discourage foreign buyers from speculating on real estate in the province. However, it cannot be applied to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Before paying this tax, Canadians should read Section 6 (3.a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, available for perusal online. This section of the charter clearly states that laws cannot discriminate on the basis of province of present or previous residence.
If you are currently a resident of Quebec or any other province or territory in sa国际传媒, it is your right to own real estate in British Columbia subject to the same terms and conditions of residents of this province. Furthermore, despite stating that 鈥渢his new tax will help make sure that people who earn the majority of their income outside sa国际传媒 contribute their fair share in taxes,鈥� as a Canadian citizen, it is your right to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province, according to Section 6 (b).
The charter permits discrimination against nationals of other countries, but there is a clear distinction between citizens and permanent residents 鈥渨ho earn the majority of their income outside sa国际传媒鈥� 鈥� whether in another province or another country 鈥� and foreign nationals.
As currently written, this tax is too broad and encroaches on the rights of Canadians. It must be challenged.
Michael Goodwin
Victoria
Harassment is fault of聽the perpetrator
Re: 鈥淲omen must be willing to say 鈥楴o,鈥� 鈥� letter, Feb. 21.
One of the most disappointing, but unfortunately, not surprising, reactions to Times Up and Me Too has been the backlash from some older women against the fight to end sexual harassment.
Women such as the letter-writer have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, but instead of supporting women in the fight to change the culture, she has decided to insist that women are just being too sensitive.
This response continues to perpetuate the tired old trope that 鈥渂oys will be boys,鈥� that men are unable to control themselves, and so it is the responsibility of women to manage inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment by behaving in the 鈥渃orrect鈥� way.
The letter-writer should climb down off her high horse, take a moment to reflect and consider the negative effect that sexual harassment has on women, on their well-being and on their careers. The responsibility not to sexually harass another human being should not fall on the shoulders of the person being harassed.
Sexual harassment is 100 per cent the fault of the perpetrator. Telling women how to behave, or that they are being too sensitive, wilfully ignores the crux of this issue, that men should not behave this way in the first place.
Heidi Morrison
Victoria
Fix roads before building bike lanes
Re: 鈥淰ictoria gives green light to fast-track bike network,鈥� Feb. 22.
Instead of investing millions of our dollars on bicycle lanes, our bike-riding mayor and council need to invest in road repair. Many city roads have potholes the size of small craters. I realize that cycling and walking are better for the environment, but that鈥檚 not an option for many seniors and the disabled.
Terry J. Waller
Victoria
Great Bear Rainforest deserves protection
Re: 鈥淚n search of the spirit bear,鈥� Feb.聽17.
The story might have been a little more forthright.
The Great Bear Rainforest arguably should have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to be left alone effectively forever. But it wasn鈥檛. Instead, for reasons we all know, it was ceremoniously made the subject of a logging agreement that will see 25 million cubic metres of old-growth forest removed from it over the next 10 years. Just how much is that? The next time you鈥檙e on the road, take a look at a logging truck, which carries about 50 to 60 cubic metres of logs. Then do the math.
The Great Bear Rainforest is well on the way to becoming the Great Bear Stumpforest. Let鈥檚 hope someone finds the spirit bear pretty soon.
Brian Nimeroski
Sooke
