16 — Wednesday, April 15, 1998 — North Shore News

Revenue Canada not al

SURPRISE! Revenue Canada isn’t bound to follow the advice it gives.

_ Ler’s say vou ask a ques- tion about claiming a deduc- tion and get an answer in writing saying such a claim is acceptable. Revenue Canada can still disallow the deduc- tion after you file your tax

: Teturn.

“But I have a letter from "you which says it’s OK,” you point out. “Sorry,” says the tax man (or woman), “I guess we made.a mistake.” In fact, recently'a group of investors in two different cities claimed similar deduc- , tions: One tax office allowed ~ the claims, the other tax office said no, When the taxpayers who were turned down took 2: their case to court, the judge _ Said the first tax office had probably made a mistake. .- ‘* Revenue Canada publishes “many guides, bulletins and

circulars; it: doesn’t deliberate-

ly set out to mislead taxpay- ers. “But good intentions are different trom legal implica- tions,” notes Arthur Drache, editor of the Canadian Taxpayer newsletter. “If the tax department is in error and misleads you, it is you who must pay the price for the mistake.”

However, this cuts both wavs. You might challenge the guidelines and if you can make your case, whether to Revenue Canada itself or to a judge, vou can win, too.

Talking of tax problems, the income tay department Down Under is finally com- ing up top in its dealings with unhappy taxpayers.

Australia has just intro- duced a Taxpayers Charter which tells people they will be treated as being honest unless they act otherwise. And it encourages them to complain if tax office staff don’t live up to the standards promised in the charter. The Australian tax office expects about 10,000 serious complaints a vear, now it has introduced its first tax appeals system as the key ini- tative in its taxpayers’ bill of rights. :

We have had a Declaration of Taxpayer Rights here in Canada since 1985. It says:

“You are entitled to arrange your affairs to pay the

north shore news

2 BUSINESS

least amount of tax the law allows. You are entitled to a fair hearing and courteous treatment. Fair handling of a complaint is one of vour fun-

NORTH Vancouver’s BC Rail has reached a five-year rail trans- portation agreement with Quintette Coal.

BC Rail transports export- bound shipments of coal from the Quintette minesite to Prince George. The coal is then transported to the Ridley Island terminal in Prince Rupert by CN Rail.

“Both railways are satisfied with the outcome of these very difficult negotiations and

Tires by the

damental rights.”

So if you run into prob- lems with Revenue Canada, vou should dig out your last tax return and read through

McELLIGOTT

are pleased that Northeast coal will continue to be an integral part of British Columbia’s exports,” said Paul McElligott, president and CEO of BC Rail. “We have once again demonstrated that our organization is customer- focused and = market-driven and thar we can work con- structively with our customers in difficult circumstances to produce a win-win deal.” More than 600 northern B.C. workers rely on the mine

the declaration on the back page. If you can't seem to get anywhere, contact the prob- lem resoluzion officer.

Be polite but be persistent,

SOMANI

for employment. awe

Do you have a neglected database of contacts, cobweb- by business: cards of never- contacted prospects and no time to improve your odds of landing new business?

Moe Somani and the SOFO Business Group have the answer.

On Thursday, April 23 SOHO will host David McCullough of Transamerica Microsearch Inc. who will pre-

ways right i

because it can often rake from a month or two to a year or more to resolve matters.

— Copvright 1998

Mike Grenby

SCHICK

sent ideas on coordinating contact databases, proactive telephone sales and: mail to attract. more” .. business... McCullough: will attempt to’:

turn your database from hell’ -’ 7

to heaven, =

The owvo-and-a-half hour session is scheduled -for ‘the Alberni Room of the Pacitic Palisades Hotel,.1277 Robson St., Vancouver at 4:30 p.m: ~- For more information’ calf

~ See Briefs page. 17.

S2WK . CLOSING WEEK LO/Hl PRICE CHANGE

. ; Cranefield Int. Inc. (CFN) 0.12-2.10 0.17 - 0.08 J “DBA Telecom Carp. (DBA) 0.11-0.37 0.17 -0.02 4

-. [Ebony Gold & Sas Inc. (EGG) 0.09-3.05 0.11 - 0.03 } "J Exito Minerals Ltd, (EXM} . Gala-Bari int. Inc. (GA8)

April 1 - 30, 1998 | CONCORDECALIBRE] sg

“regen 14" 498 1.15” 3 59%

0.05 0.31

Nc - 0.02 v

0.03-0.35 0.30-0.84 MMKX Ventures (MMX). - 0.31-0.44 Multiplex Technologies (MPX) 0.16-0.90 Metalex Ventures Ltd. (MTX} . _.0.40-0.85 Powertech Industries Inc. (PWE}.. ° 0.50-1.15, .{Promark Software Inc, (PAW) 0.02-0.17 __JRAT Int'l. (Marketing Ld. (RAT) 0.10-0.35 -{Terraweést Ind. Inc. C1-A (TAW.A) —_0.15-0.60 0.20 - 0.08. 4 ..1Us Platinum inc. (UPT) 0.12-0.41 0.12 0.044

‘ CLOSING price refers to share price at end of trading on Apri! 9, 1998.

0.23 - 0.03 Y 1.60 0.12 0.19

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