Latest news with #CRA
CTV News
13 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Vancouver woman mistakenly declared dead after filing late husband's tax return
June Miller and her late husband Giorgio pose for a selfie. After submitting his final tax return, she found the CRA had declared her dead as well. When June Miller's husband Giorgio died last September after 35 years of marriage, her world came crashing down. 'We were best friends, we did everything together,' said Miller. When she went to file Giorgio's final tax return, she was told it would not be accepted online, and needed to be mailed. 'So I put his and mine in the same envelope and shipped them off,' said Miller. She was flabbergasted when she got her notice of assessment back from the Canada Revenue Agency. It was addressed to 'the estate of the late June Miller.' 'I went to go online to look at my account, but it was locked. So I called them and they said, 'You're deceased.' I said, 'You're talking to me! Deceased, what are you saying? You have to change that,'' said Miller. 'And they said, 'Well, there's a process. You have to prove that you're alive.'' Miller went to Service Canada in person and submitted all of her identifying documents, along with a letter from the funeral home that handled her husband's service that said Giorgio had died, not June. She also presented a letter from her doctor saying she is very much alive. But so far, it hasn't been enough to bring her back from the dead in the CRA's eyes. 'I said, 'I really want you to help me because I don't want to be dead.' My goal is to be 107, and they took that away a month ago,' said Miller. The 65-year-old widow has just retired, but she's been told she's unlikely to get Canada Pension Plan payments while she's declared dead. Needing income, she'd like to go back to work, but because her social insurance number has been deactivated, she needs to apply for a new one. 'There was a point where I laughed,' Miller said, adding her late husband would find some humour in this situation too. 'Giorgio is up there and he's laughing, going, 'Oh June, look at this mess you got yourself into.' And then I was annoyed and angry, because I'm talking and I'm repeating and I'm talking and I'm repeating, and nobody's getting it at Canada Revenue Agency.' In an email, the CRA said it can't discuss Miller's case due to privacy, but outlined some possible reasons for a person to mistakenly be declared dead. 'It could be human error, a miscommunication from another government department, or, most often, a mistake made when a return is filed on behalf of a deceased person with an incorrect SIN number,' the email said. The CRA added when it does happen, the agency tries to address it immediately. 'We understand that this can be both alarming and have financial implications. Our goal is to minimize any occurrence, and if it occurs, deal with it quickly. Generally, the issue can be quickly resolved once we are advised of the error,' the email said. Miller says she's spoken to many officials both in person and on the phone and no one seems to be able to help her. She's been told she has to wait while a board looks into her status, adding: 'They're going to review it, and deem me alive or dead.'
Calgary Herald
16 hours ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
What is Canada's digital services tax and why is it infuriating Trump?
Article content U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cut off all trade negotiations with Canada on Friday, citing Ottawa's Digital Services Tax (DST) for the decision. The tax, enacted last June, targets U.S. technology companies that operate in Canada but pay little tax here. Under the new tax regime, the first payments are set to be collected on Monday, June 30. The Financial Post breaks down what you need to know about the DST and why it is infuriating Trump and Americans. Article content Article content Article content Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government enacted Canada's Digital Services Tax Act in June 2024, with the rules coming into effect the same month. The federal tax is applicable to large businesses — both foreign and domestic — that meet two specific criteria: a total global revenue of €750 million and up, and over $20 million of profits earned in Canada annually. The legislation levies a three per cent tax on digital services revenue over $20 million, and is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022, meaning Ottawa could stand to gain billions in DST revenue, according to some estimates. Taxable revenue includes those of online marketplaces, digital advertising, social media, and user data — which will primarily affect American Big Tech giants such as Inc., Apple Inc., and Meta Platforms, Inc. Article content Article content Under the DST, companies were required to register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by Jan. 31, 2025 and are obligated to file their first DST returns on June 30, 2025. The CRA has said that more than 500 companies have already applied to register for DST purposes, and expects more than 100 companies to pay the tax. If applicable companies fail to register with the agency, they could be fined $20,000 per year. If they fail to file a DST return, Canada could dole out a penalty equal to five per cent of the unpaid tax for the year, plus one per cent of the unpaid tax for the year for each month, not exceeding 12 months, in which the return hasn't been filed. Article content According to the government, the goal of the DST is to ensure that major technology firms are taxed appropriately in the country. The legislation however, has come under fire from business groups on both sides of the border, with critics warning that the rules could further inflame Canada-U.S. ties. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has argued that the tax could increase costs for consumers and risks 'damaging our beneficial and lucrative trade relationship with the U.S.' The U.S. meanwhile, has long denounced Canada's proposed rules, claiming that they unfairly discriminate against American firms. Last August, under the former Biden administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launched dispute settlement consultations with Ottawa under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement over the DST. The U.S. has said that American companies are on the hook to pay Ottawa US$2 billion under the DST. 'Only America should be allowed to tax American firms,' Trump said in a February statement. Tech giant Google LLC responded to Canada's digital services tax rules by introducing an additional 2.5 per cent fee for ads shown in Canada starting in October 2024. Called the 'Canada DST Fee,' Google said the surcharges will 'cover part of the costs of complying with DST legislation in Canada.'
CBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Disability tax credits are critical for some Canadians. But applying for them can cost thousands
Social Sharing When Kathy Meyers heard she could get money back from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) through the disability tax credit, she was excited — but the prospect of filling out forms alongside her doctor felt like another burden to her already demanding days. Meyers, a Port Coquitlam, B.C., resident, has Crohn's disease. Her condition is severe — even with an ileostomy and the removal of her colon, she frequents the hospital for months at a time, and is on permanent disability as she is unable to work. So when a friend recommended True North Disability Services to handle the disability tax credit (DTC) applications for Meyers and her 14-year-old son, it felt like a perfect fit. Her husband, who is also disabled, plans to file an application on his own, after his doctor refused to work with a DTC advocacy company. More than a year since she first hired True North, Meyers is still awaiting the outcome of her application. But for her son's successful return, the family was billed more than $7,600 by the company — 20 per cent of the money they received from the CRA, plus GST. According to 2018 figures from the CRA, these businesses charge people anywhere from 15 to 40 per cent in contingency fees for their services. That's money Meyers says could have gone a long way for her low-income family, as the funds they received from the CRA have so far gone right back out the door to pay bills and debts. It also comes on top of two $150 fees she still owes her doctor, who was responsible for filling in all but two of the 16-page DTC forms for both Meyers and her son. Meyers says she regrets using a DTC company — especially now knowing free alternatives exist. "It's been very stressful and financially it's been very hard," Meyers said. "I think they're abusing the people that are in need of obtaining this disability tax credit because they're taking such a big chunk of the rebate." The CRA estimates applications for the DTC will triple in the next five to six years because it's the main requirement to get the new monthly $200 Canada Disability Benefit, which will begin payments in July. But there remains limited awareness of free or lower cost help — with many people turning to True North and other DTC advocacy companies that offer to simplify the application process for a percentage of the return. DTC companies say their fees — which are only charged in the case of successful applications — are critical to fund support for filing DTC applications, and also to fuel their advocacy for clients to the CRA and medical professionals. Along with non-profits and other groups that provide free help, there are other services that charge a flat rate fee, typically a few hundred dollars. Former MP Carla Qualtrough, who pushed for the creation of the Canada Disability Benefit in her time as minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, is critical of the DTC application system — and the companies that profit from money intended for people with disabilities. She says hearing about what Meyers's family is facing is heartbreaking. "It feels like people are being taken advantage of," she said. "It's really frustrating to me, because the whole point of these benefits is poverty reduction, is helping people pay for the things they desperately need, and then they are being charged thousands and thousands of dollars." The federal government has attempted to limit the fees to $100 — but an injunction from the B.C. Supreme Court in 2021 halted this, following a legal challenge by True North and its co-founder Shane Nercessian. A trial has been scheduled for July 2026. DTC companies rely on fees When reached by the CBC over the phone and email, Nercessian declined interview requests. The 2021 injunction ruling described Nercessian's argument against restricting fees. "Mr. Nercessian deposes that the $100 maximum fee cap as set out in the Regulation would only cover basic data entry and processing, leaving little to no room to assist with issues involving eligibility, advocacy on behalf of the client … and work with the certifying health professional, and other associated services," reads the ruling. "In the result, most, if not all, DTC companies will be driven out of business as it will no longer be economical to provide many DTC services." The ruling also provides an overview of the services True North provides for clients, including a 10-year tax assessment, explaining the application and eligibility criteria to medical professionals, and filing objections if clients are "unjustly denied." In an email to the CBC, Nercessian said True North is part of the Disability Tax Fairness Alliance and played a "pivotal role" in exposing issues with insulin-dependent diabetics being denied benefits. There are former clients who say they are grateful for True North's help with their applications, such as Kathy Johnson, a resident of Blue River, B.C. About $1,900 of the more than $9,000 she received back from the DTC went to True North. Though Johnson wasn't aware of free options prior to applying, she didn't feel she had the time and energy to do it herself — and says she would recommend True North to others. "Really, I do have no regrets," she said. Others do have regrets, like Leanne King, who has diabetes and polycystic kidney disease. She says she likely wouldn't have spent $3,850 with True North if she had known alternatives existed. "I just wasn't capable at the time of managing all that they did," she said. "I do think it's a lot [of money], and I do think it's a little bit predatory, because they're dealing with people that are sick." Medical experts call for application to be streamlined The Canadian Medical Association, Doctors of B.C. and disability advocates are among those calling for the DTC process to be simplified, to reduce the burden on both medical professionals and people with disabilities. Dr. Charlene Lui, president of Doctors of B.C., says the time-consuming forms cause "significant moral distress for all physicians," as it takes them away from patients who already have limited access to doctors. "Ideally, the form would be shortened, made easier to fill out, and be embedded within the electronic record," said Lui. The CRA says it "significantly overhauled" the application process by digitizing it in 2023, sparked by concerns in the medical industry. When asked about whether it may streamline further with suggestions posed by Lui — such as accepting a doctor's note or forms compatible with existing files — the CRA said it is bound by legislation. "The CRA continues its efforts to make the DTC more accessible, aligning with the [Disability Advisory Committee's] recommendations to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access the credit without financial burden," the statement reads. Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu was unavailable for an interview, and her office did not respond to specific questions from the CBC. The ministry said Canada is funding $23.5 million for six disability non-profits to help people access benefits including the DTC for free, and $243 million to eliminate out-of-pocket fees for medical providers to fill out DTC forms. "The Government of Canada has committed to further reviewing and reforming the process to apply for the Disability Tax Credit," said the ministry in a statement. To Qualtrough, the issue lies with the lack of a consistent approach to disability support in Canada. Ideally, she says, people should be able to undergo a one-step process to access all provincial and federal disability benefit programs. "We're asking tax analysts to decide and serve as the gatekeepers for these really important social benefits, it's just not the right fit," she said.
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar have established extensive network across Canada: report
The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization that has declared 'jihad against the Jews,' has established a vast network of charities and fundraising across Canada, a new think-tank report finds. 'For decades, organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is also an adherent, have managed to embed themselves at all levels of Canadian society,' the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) argues. Its latest report, 'We Stand on Guard For Thee? The Growing Influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on Politics, Academia, and Civil Society in America,' was published Wednesday morning. The organization features Canada's former justice minister Irwin Cotler on its board of directors. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The Muslim Brotherhood is an Egyptian organization that believes in the establishment of an Islamic caliphate whose leaders have promoted antisemitic conspiracies. Hamas is a Palestinian offshoot of the Brotherhood. 'This report is a wake-up call for all Canadians,' ISGAP board advisor Charles Asher Small told National Post in a written statement. Small called on the federal government to 'designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and 'immediately freeze public funding to suspect organizations.' 'Our report exposes how federal agencies have become complicit in sustaining and legitimizing networks that promote antisemitic and anti-Israel ideologies under the guise of charity and social welfare,' Small wrote. 'These entities are exploiting the very values of tolerance and pluralism that Canada holds dear, weaponizing public institutions against Jewish communities and undermining Canadian democracy itself.' The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, a Florida-based research group, highlighted several Canadian charities that have extensive ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, alleging that they exploit Canadian laws to raise money for Muslim Brotherhood factions in the Middle East. Of particular concern to the think-tank is the Muslim Association of Canada, which describes itself as the 'largest Muslim grassroots Canadian charitable organization.' In 2021, an audit conducted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) found 'the concept of the Muslim Brotherhood appeared' in the charity's 'governing documents.' The Muslim Association of Canada disputed the characterization of its work, alleging it reflected a 'systemic Islamophobia' bias and appealed the CRA audit. The CRA, in its original investigation, found enough grounds to revoke MAC's charitable status. (The MAC remains a registered charity, according to the federal government's database .) On Wednesday, it dismissed the ISGAP report. 'This report is nothing more than recycled Islamophobic tropes dressed up as 'research,' when in reality it's a biased, unsubstantiated hit piece that relies solely on discredited allegations — allegations that were questioned by the Ontario Superior Court for their apparent bias and ultimately abandoned by the CRA in concluding its audit and reaching a resolution with MAC,' the organization told National Post in a statement on Wednesday. The federal investigation also revealed that 'most prominent members, directors, and officials' of MAC were involved either with International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and Needy (IRFAN-Canada) 'or a network of charities that appear to have been used to propagate and fundraise for Hamas in Canada.' IRFAN-Canada was designated a terror entity in 2014 for transferring nearly $15 million to Hamas, the Palestinian terror group behind the October 7 attacks on Israel. The Canadian government outlined in its decision that IRFAN-Canada exploited its 'status as a charitable organization to fund Hamas.' A decade later, Canada's public safety ministry secured a deportation order against a former female employee of IRFAN-Canada, stating her presence in the country was 'inadmissible on security grounds.' Lorenzo Vidino, a terror finance researcher at George Washington University's Program on Extremism, has spent the last 25 years studying the Muslim Brotherhood. He co-published a report in January 2025, 'The Muslim Brotherhood in the West? Evidence from a Canadian Tax Authority Investigation,' exploring the Muslim Association of Canada and sees as a window into how the Islamist group operates in North America and across Europe. 'I think all Western countries have come to an understanding that the Brotherhood is a problematic group and I think the findings of all other countries apply also to Canada,' Vidino told National Post. 'There's a consensus across security services in general of the threats that the Brotherhood poses and the main one is an issue of social cohesion and integration. The Brotherhood has an ability to push within Muslim communities narratives that are highly divisive, that are polarizing,' he said. 'It promotes values that are antithetical to those of Western constitutions when it comes to democracy, white it comes to women's rights, when it comes to gay rights, when it comes to freedom of religion, when it comes to antisemitism.' Vidiono, author of the 2010 book 'The New Muslim Brotherhood in the West,' said that while it the Islamist group, itself, 'might not be directly engaged in terrorist activities, it promotes a narrative — it mainstreams a narrative — that lays the groundwork for jihadists groups to recruit. It creates this narrative of victimization: the narrative that Muslims are constantly under attack by the West with widespread Islamophobia.' The ISGAP report noted that the leading Canadian Muslim advocacy group, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, also has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The organization, which was originally known as the Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada (CAIR-CAN), was an outgrowth of a similarly-named U.S. group which, the publication alleges, is 'a self-described Muslim Brotherhood front organization.' A 2003 affidavit from the former founder of the group, Sheema Khan, also acknowledged the relationship. 'This report does not serve Canadian interests. It amplifies foreign narratives designed to fuel Islamophobia and division within our society,' the Muslim Association of Canada added in its written statement. 'Canadians should be concerned about foreign influence, particularly the foreign-funded industry of anti-Muslim hate that fuels reports like this. These authors should be ashamed of themselves for trafficking in Islamophobic tropes that endanger Canadian Muslims and undermine social cohesion.' The report also explores efforts by Qatar, a small country in the Arabian Peninsula, to influence Canadian academia and fund local Islamic centres. Qatar offers safe passage and financing to Hamas leaders and has been a principal mediator between the Palestinian terror group and Israel to broker ceasefire talks. Concerns over the Emirati country's foreign influence have gained momentum in America amid reporting that suggests Qatar has been the largest foreign donor to American universities since 1986, contributing more than $6 billion, mostly to elite colleges. The ISGAP paper details how Qatar gave McGill University in Montreal a $1.25 million gift for its Islamic studies program in 2012, and created a collaboration between Qatar Airways and the school's Institute for Air and Space Law. Qatar's financial reach extends beyond academia and into the Canadian charitable realm. The CRA audit of the Muslim Association of Canada found that the organization received more than $1 million from Qatar Charity, which ISGAP describes as a 'state-owned organization,' in 2012. The foreign group gave nearly $2.5 million to help buy land and build the Islamic Community Centre of Ontario, the Canada Revenue Agency found during its investigation. The report argues that the financial power Qatar wields across Canada could influence how university administrators discipline antisemitism on campus and influence the message of religious figures in Muslim communities. The consequences of Canadian inaction, 'due in no small part to a lack of political will,' the report argues, 'has now become a major national security issue that requires serious scrutiny.' National Post sought comment from the Qatari embassy in Ottawa but did not hear back by press time. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to Concord Music Royalties, LLC, Series 2025-1, Series 2025-2, and Series 2025-3
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA assigns preliminary ratings to the Series 2025-1, Series 2025-2, and Series 2025-3 Notes (collectively, the Series 2025 Notes) issued by Concord Music Royalties, LLC (the Issuer). The Series 2025-1, Series 2025-2, and Series 2025-3 Notes represent the fourth, fifth, and sixth series of notes by the Issuer. All series of notes share the same collateral pool. No additional collateral will be contributed in conjunction with the issuance of the Series 2025 Notes. The proceeds from the Series 2025 Notes will be used to fully redeem the $1.750 billion Series 2022-1 Notes outstanding as well as for other general corporate purposes. Upon the redemption of the Series 2022-1 Notes, KBRA anticipates withdrawing the related ratings, and only the Series 2024-1 Notes and Series 2025 Notes will remain outstanding. KBRA anticipates affirming its ratings on the Series 2024-1, Class A Notes accounting for the issuance of the Series 2025 Notes and the execution of an amendment to the indenture. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here. Click here to view the report. Methodologies Disclosures Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above. A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here. Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here. Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at About KBRA Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), one of the major credit rating agencies (CRA), is a full-service CRA registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a Designated Rating Organization (DRO) by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized as a Qualified Rating Agency by Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission and is recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider (CRP) in the U.S. Doc ID: 1010126
