Pay close attention to Harper's "omnibus" bills. Those contain the bulk of his agenda. They're so big that he's hoping you don't even look. These bills are so multi-dimensional that calling them "budget implementation bills" is a bad joke. Bill C-31, the budget implementation bill for 2014, is no exception.
In single column, english only form, this bill is over 150 pages long ... and it's small print. Make no mistake about it, this legislation is much more than just a budget implementation bill. Yes, it contains the usual array of legislative changes to taxation and spending as one would expect.
But it contains even more that people should be concerned about.
First, it contains the legislation to implement FATCA - the most egregious violation of Canadians' rights under our Constitution ever done in the name of a foreign country's laws. FATCA, and the agreement that the Harper Government has signed with the US, basically hand over your banking information to the US government. Worse, the US can demand those records up to six years in the past.
In single column, english only form, this bill is over 150 pages long ... and it's small print. Make no mistake about it, this legislation is much more than just a budget implementation bill. Yes, it contains the usual array of legislative changes to taxation and spending as one would expect.
But it contains even more that people should be concerned about.
First, it contains the legislation to implement FATCA - the most egregious violation of Canadians' rights under our Constitution ever done in the name of a foreign country's laws. FATCA, and the agreement that the Harper Government has signed with the US, basically hand over your banking information to the US government. Worse, the US can demand those records up to six years in the past.
