http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060119.wxbcmason19/BNStory/National/
"Tell me, is the B.C. government going to start issuing refund cheques to people from Alberta who purchase goods and pay sales tax in B.C.? Not likely. But if you're going to start erecting walls around your province, it has to work both ways.
There is nothing wrong in what the provincial government did. If you are a cheapskate who goes to Alberta to buy a 30 dollar coffeemaker just to save 2 dollars in tax you deserve what you get.
I'am not against cheating on taxes. In fact I do support arranging your finances to reduce your taxes. But then I don't advocate killing your local merchant's livelihood so that you can save a few pennies in taxes. You got to have perspective. By giving your business to Alberta you are saving maybe a few hundred dollars a year. (If you spend 10,000 dollars a year you save 700 dollars. Subtract the fuel cost and time spent , you probably end up saving 400 dollars) The result is that your local merchant will have to close shop. The 10,000 dollars that you spend at the merchant injects about 4000 dollars into the local economy and produces about 1500 dollars in direct and indirect taxes to the local and provincial governments. The programs which that money supports will be reduced. Do you think saving 400 dollars a year is worth your local library closing? Do you want your money to subsidize Alberta's school system?
NorthYorkDesi you have a valid point. Yes, we're all socially responsible but OTOH, there's the other issue about privacy. The way the Govt. is asking Costco to reveal the names & addresses of all BC members, is not right IMO. If Costco is forced to do that, can you imagine the impact it will have on their business. Keep in mind that Costco is not just in Canada.
Next time they may ask all the US branches of Costco to reveal info. about Canadian customers who shopped in the US.
Assuming that in the worst case (which I'd hate to see), they do get the list of customers from Costco. The customer may admit to having bought the item from Costco but further add that it was gifted to a friend in Alberta. Now what....
Even the Canadian Customs allows you to bring in goods without duties & taxes (s/t limits) everytime you return back to the country. So why is the BC Govt. sticky on this one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SS
Reiki Grand Master
Location: British Columbia
Posted on: 19-01-06 17:24:19
Funny there has been no news of this in the local papers..only G & M.
Is is a rumor?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
~ Morning rain
"Funny there has been no news of this in the local papers..only G & M."
This is because G&M is a rightwing mouthpiece. There is a noticeable lack of coverage of issues that don't affect rich white kids. Their recent coverage of the immigration issue is a case in point.
"Yes, we're all socially responsible but OTOH, there's the other issue about privacy"
People abusing the honor system causes the system to fail. Right to privacy is guaranteed as long as society polices it's own. Blame the idiots who bring the stuff in from Alberta. Our reluctance to deal with them has removed any rights that we may have had. Don't blame the government.
"Even the Canadian Customs allows you to bring in goods without duties & taxes"
That's a privilege. It exists as long as it is not abused. Importing trinkets from your vacation is what it is intended for. You start smuggling in the expensive stuff......
"Costco is forced to do that, can you imagine the impact it will have on their business"
That's a very valid point. Costco should not be the only business targeted. Just because they maintain records shouldn't cause them to lose business to WalMuck. But then as the U.S so beautifully puts it they are 'Collateral damage'.
Location: British Columbia
Posted on: 19-01-06 17:59:13
Quote:
Orginally posted by NorthYorkDesi
That's a very valid point. Costco should not be the only business targeted. Just because they maintain records shouldn't cause them to lose business to WalMuck. But then as the U.S so beautifully puts it they are 'Collateral damage'.
Can you clarify the above statement? What do you mean by collateral damage?
Also, whats your take of the G & M's 'rightwing' stance as you put it. How would this affect us say in BC when it seems G & M is mostly an ontario based news - paper.
what do u think?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
~ Morning rain
"Collateral damage" means "unintended consequential damage". It is typically used in wartime as an euphemism for large scale civilian deaths. In the U.S war on Iraq thousands of innocent civilians died in Iraq in the first few days as missiles hit their houses instead of military targets. These deaths were dismissed by the U.S as "collateral damage".
This term is used cynically to describe any unintended consequence of heavy handed application of government power.
The G&M is a paper which rarely covers stories outside of the GTA unless it furthers the rightwing agenda. It does seem to have a large readership in B.C
