# Toronto Area Meeting for Expat Tax and FATCA Issues



## pwdunn

Hi everyone:

I just had a nice lunch with Baird68 and we want to organize a GTA meeting to discuss issues of Expat tax, FBAR, FATCA and renunciation of citizenship.

We decided first to contact folks on the forum to determine how many people might want to come to such a meeting, and then we would decide when and where to meet.

So this thread is open to see how many would like to have a meeting at a pub, restaurant, hotel or other venue, to discuss issues, share stories, organize. Everything is up in the air (time, place) except the fact of the meeting, because if no one else wants to show up, me and Baird68 will just get together and eat more sushi.


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## Arlington

PetrosResearch said:


> Hi everyone:
> 
> I just had a nice lunch with Baird68 and we want to organize a GTA meeting to discuss issues of Expat tax, FBAR, FATCA and renunciation of citizenship.
> 
> We decided first to contact folks on the forum to determine how many people might want to come to such a meeting, and then we would decide when and where to meet.
> 
> So this thread is open to see how many would like to have a meeting at a pub, restaurant, hotel or other venue, to discuss issues, share stories, organize. Everything is up in the air (time, place) except the fact of the meeting, because if no one else wants to show up, me and Baird68 will just get together and eat more sushi.


If I lived in the area, I would certainly join you. Hopefully you will report back anything interesting from your get togethers.


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## Guest

I would actually be interested in attending as I have lots of questions! I live downtown btw.


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## Guest

zucchero81 said:


> I would actually be interested in attending as I have lots of questions!


will do my best to make it......u guys are rather north of town, I am central.......where would u like to meet?


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## pwdunn

nobledreamer said:


> will do my best to make it......u guys are rather north of town, I am central.......where would u like to meet?


What does central mean? St. Clair , 401, Eglington, Avenue/Allen road??


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## Guest

PetrosResearch said:


> What does central mean? St. Clair , 401, Eglington, Avenue/Allen road??


anywhere in the "uptown" area - N of Bloor, S of Eglinton, W of Yonge, E of Dufferin


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## TooMuchCoffee

I've been reading posts on this board for a few months, but just finally joined so I could answer this. I'd be interested in attending a meeting like this. I live in the east end of the city, but can get downtown pretty easily. And I am fond of sushi.

(not so fond of all this personal info I have sent off to the the IRS, and am wavering about whether or not I want to renounce my not-terribly-useful-to-me U.S. citizenship)


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## Guest

TooMuchCoffee said:


> And I am fond of sushi.


And I am not...


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## pwdunn

nobledreamer said:


> And I am not...


Not to worry. The sushi restaurant at Dufferin and Steeles is not the right location. It seems to me that Yorkdale Mall might work better as the most centrally located place, with even access via public transportation. But the question then remains, where can we meet? Is their a restaurant or pub with a semi-private room?

Schubart suggested that we meet at a school (U of T-York), and I have some contacts at Wycliffe College (near Museum exit). But I think we are still a small group at this point. We don't yet need a large conference room but could meet at a pub or restaurant.


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## Guest

PetrosResearch said:


> Not to worry. The sushi restaurant at Dufferin and Steeles is not the right location. It seems to me that Yorkdale Mall might work better as the most centrally located place, with even access via public transportation. But the question then remains, where can we meet? Is their a restaurant or pub with a semi-private room?
> 
> Schubart suggested that we meet at a school (U of T-York), and I have some contacts at Wycliffe College (near Museum exit). But I think we are still a small group at this point. We don't yet need a large conference room but could meet at a pub or restaurant.


It's been decades since I lived in Toronto, but another possibility might be to contact a local chapter of a Civil Liberties Union or the American Friends Services Committee or some other arm of the Quakers. I don't know if either of those organizations have meeting rooms available (the Quakers presumably do) and the latter were always very supportive of US draft-resisters coming to Toronto back in the 60s and 70s. And they're good people and very socially conscious and sympathetic to issues like ours, in my limited experience with them (two very good friends in Ottawa are Quakers and have done sterling and personally very risky work in South Asia, on the ground and in communities, over human rights and conflict resolution issues for several decades). I'm not a Quaker, but I have far more respect for and trust in Quakers than I do for members of almost any other religion I've ever encountered.

For a small group of no more than half a dozen people, another option might be some of the chain coffee shops (not Timmy's though, it's too cramped and croweded) if you can find one with some relatively secluded seating at a time when the place isn't crowded and you don't need to be too worried about being overheard by people you might not want overhearing you. Second Cup, Bridgehead, even Starbucks (gasp) might be options depending on the specific shop's seating layout and traffic patterns.


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## Guest

If we get bigger, another possibility is the library-they have meeting rooms

Yorkdale seems a good possibility for now

I know OISE has large student lounges where we could easily find a spot


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## rhunt08

I just joined to offer a warning: a meeting last Monday in Fredericton to discuss the IRS, FBAR and FATCA, at which a dozen or two people were expected, drew a crowd of 275.

A word to the wise.

-- Russ


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## pwdunn

rhunt08 said:


> I just joined to offer a warning: a meeting last Monday in Fredericton to discuss the IRS, FBAR and FATCA, at which a dozen or two people were expected, drew a crowd of 275.
> 
> A word to the wise.
> 
> -- Russ


Thanks Russ. Good to know.


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## Accidental

Hi Guys:
I would like to join you if it fits into my schedule. I would be coming out from the west end as I live in Mississauga.


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## CanadianHoosier

I would like to attend.

One suggestion:

The Miller on Yonge, south of the 401. Good for at least a table of 8, I am sure.


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## Guest

rhunt08 said:


> I just joined to offer a warning: a meeting last Monday in Fredericton to discuss the IRS, FBAR and FATCA, at which a dozen or two people were expected, drew a crowd of 275.
> 
> A word to the wise.
> 
> -- Russ


Thanks for thinking of this; I think we were planning to do this privately for now; i.e., no advertising before we are ready. Is that right Petros?


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## pwdunn

nobledreamer said:


> Thanks for thinking of this; I think we were planning to do this privately for now; i.e., no advertising before we are ready. Is that right Petros?


It could be good to start that way before calling a public meeting--and that is sort of more what we (Baird 68 and me) had in mind. But then again, this forum is pretty public. If we want to limit the size we should make it RSVP. What do the others think?


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## Guest

PetrosResearch said:


> But then again, this forum is pretty public. If we want to limit the size we should make it RSVP. What do the others think?


I hadn't thought of that. Yes it should be RSVP.


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## Guest

RSVP sounds good.


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## luvcanada

I am interested. Something close to the subway may be the best location for most people. There are meeting rooms at most of the libraries in Toronto. I don't know what they charge to rent them, though. I think there are several meeting rooms at both the branch near Yonge and Eglinton and also at the North York Centre branch.


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## pwdunn

luvcanada said:


> I am interested. Something close to the subway may be the best location for most people. There are meeting rooms at most of the libraries in Toronto. I don't know what they charge to rent them, though. I think there are several meeting rooms at both the branch near Yonge and Eglinton and also at the North York Centre branch.


Can you find out for us? That could be a really good idea.


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## pwdunn

So far these are the people who are signed up for the meeting: luvcanada, Baird68, Zucchero81, Nobledreamer, TooMuchCoffee, Accidental, CanadianHoosier. I will be contacting these people to find a time and place for a meeting that will happen before Christmas. I think it best not to disclose the time and date publicly, but to take names of anyone else who wants to come. We can decide if we want to host a public meeting at a later date.


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## luvcanada

I will look into the library meeting room idea and get back in the next few days. I like the plan to keep it limited to a small group until we decide on a plan.


PetrosResearch said:


> So far these are the people who are signed up for the meeting: luvcanada, Baird68, Zucchero81, Nobledreamer, TooMuchCoffee, Accidental, CanadianHoosier. I will be contacting these people to find a time and place for a meeting that will happen before Christmas. I think it best not to disclose the time and date publicly, but to take names of anyone else who wants to come. We can decide if we want to host a public meeting at a later date.


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## Accidental

I could not open my message for some reason. I would like to join the meeting but I am actually heading to the U.S. this week ironically. Not sure what the date is but would still like to come if it works.


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## pwdunn

Accidental said:


> I could not open my message for some reason. I would like to join the meeting but I am actually heading to the U.S. this week ironically. Not sure what the date is but would still like to come if it works.


Sorry you'll be gone next week. Have a great trip to the US. Try not to get groped too much, and we'll have another meeting in the new year.

TSA - HELP YOU MAKE IT TO YOUR FLIGHT - Buck Howdy - YouTube


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## Accidental

That was too funny Petros. I will avoid being groped if I even make it that far with a Canadian passport. I feel like each trip across the boarder is potentially my last since I am refusing to comply.


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## pwdunn

luvcanada said:


> I will look into the library meeting room idea and get back in the next few days. I like the plan to keep it limited to a small group until we decide on a plan.


We are going to meet Wednesday at 7:30, but I don't want to disclose the location publicly. /SNIP/


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## Ladyhawk

Oh my heart is with you all. Please let us know how it all goes!


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## pwdunn

Ladyhawk said:


> Oh my heart is with you all. Please let us know how it all goes!


Thank you. Just five us meeting, in private.


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## Omater

I wish I could be a part of that meeting too! I wonder if you could perhaps have a yahoo account where you could send notices to those who would like to know how things went and if there is anything you are doing that we could perhaps do from our own locations. I would like to do something right now, but I am leaving for a few months. There are a lot of Canadians and dual citizens where I am going and I am going to see if I can gather us all up for a meeting stateside. I would also like to prepare some type of mailout to real estate agents in Florida, Arizona, California and all the popular vacation spots to inform them of what is about to happen to all of their snowbirds. They honestly don't know. If I can provide the backup to prove what I am saying, maybe I can stir something up in the area I will be visiting. Maybe we could develop an informative newsletter and send them out to agents in all the vacation/snowbird areas in the states. Some of these brokers do have a bit of pull in government. They are among the highest contributors in PAC funds. Union groups are the others. Politicians will answer the phone for the people who pad their pockets and campaign funds. The government of Canada may continue to trade with the states but the impact of FATCA and new regulations of domestic Canadian home buyers is going to seriously threaten jobs even more than it already has. I seriously think education of the public and business in both countries is what might turn things around or at least make some noise.

I am not going to be able to do much from here for the next 2 months, I wish I could, but I am more than willing to give whatever time and money I can to do my part in getting a serious movement going. 

My 2 cents...


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## Ladyhawk

Omater said:


> There are a lot of Canadians and dual citizens where I am going and I am going to see if I can gather us all up for a meeting stateside. I would also like to prepare some type of mailout to real estate agents in Florida, Arizona, California and all the popular vacation spots to inform them of what is about to happen to all of their snowbirds. They honestly don't know. If I can provide the backup to prove what I am saying, maybe I can stir something up in the area I will be visiting. Maybe we could develop an informative newsletter and send them out to agents in all the vacation/snowbird areas in the states. Some of these brokers do have a bit of pull in government. They are among the highest contributors in PAC funds. Union groups are the others. Politicians will answer the phone for the people who pad their pockets and campaign funds. The government of Canada may continue to trade with the states but the impact of FATCA and new regulations of domestic Canadian home buyers is going to seriously threaten jobs even more than it already has. I seriously think education of the public and business in both countries is what might turn things around or at least make some noise.
> 
> I am not going to be able to do much from here for the next 2 months, I wish I could, but I am more than willing to give whatever time and money I can to do my part in getting a serious movement going.
> 
> My 2 cents...



As this issue gets bigger and affects a larger and larger constituency (Canadians being asked about citizenship by their banks; US businesses affected by removal of customers and investments from abroad) there is more scope all the time for us, the most informed, to spread the word to people who truly know nothing about it and will be shocked when the tidal waves begin to hit. Omater, by all means talk about this to anyone who might listen. 

So far we haven't had a lot of sympathy from outsiders because to them it seems such an insignificant problem - so you owe the IRS a bunch of paperwork, this is a problem? - but once the consequences start hurting large numbers of people who are not directly involved, the ungulate excreta will lambaste the flabellum. By then it may be too late in the game, so the sooner we get the word out, and preferably some publicity, the earlier the pressure will build to reverse this insanity. Anyone who is in contact with people who could be hurt by this should press the issue ASAP.


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## rivka88

*Agenda Item*

US citizens in Canada basically have 3 elected representatives to protect their interest.

The president who will throw you under bus if it means votes, by lumping us together with drug lords and money launderers

The local MLA and MP who have a duty to all who reside in their riding.
They need to be made aware of the effects FATCA and FBAR will have as the banks will err in favour of the IRS to identify folks with links to the US


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## pwdunn

It was a good meeting. We will try to do another one in the New Year. No plans were made.

We spent the time chatting, eating and drinking.


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## Ladyhawk

It's a start, along with the meeting in Ottawa. Getting together is at least doing something for our morale.

Might I suggest that more of us could meet more easily and efficiently through Skype? You can download it for free, you can do conference calls, and those of us with videocams can actually see each other.


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