Re: Re: CRA gets tough on tax cheats, March 20

Re: CRA gets tough on tax cheats, March 20

As a grateful flag bearer for the successful efforts of the newly revived and invigorated CRA, it is comforting for me to know that a projected $13 billion will be collected from additional tax this year by CRA audits. Star reporter Marco Chown Oved has been painstakingly making a strong case for better CRA outcomes — and he deserves credit for his relentless pursuit of results.

The CRA decision to replace voluntary disclosures with criminal investigations represents an effective “paradigm shift” that should be a warning that proper justice will be meted out to the offending high-value tax cheats and multinational corporations that have been sheltering their profits in tax havens. Finally, Canadian taxpayers’ interests are now being served.

Now that the CRA is using real time data, developing algorithms to cross-reference outside data and computer information to trawl the information, the money flow that the CRA will be generating from aggressive tax avoidance and tax evasion will be a big boon for our cash-strapped federal government to invest in much needed social programs.

Rudy Fernandes, Mississauga

I am always so pleased when I see these articles on The Panama Papers with bold headlines on the front page. Hopefully, readers will take note of this important investigative journalism that The Star is doing on behalf of Canadians who do pay their fair share of the tax burden.

It’s about time Canadians had a more aggressive Canada Revenue Agency to crack down on these cheats — both corporate and individuals. Longer jail terms and bigger fines are desperately needed, as these lost tax revenues are hurting ordinary Canadians and the social services that we all depend on.

Even the tax cheats depend on our health care, infrastructure and educational institutions, but are not paying their fair share of the tax burden.

It is expensive to fight this battle, but it is long overdue and the Canadian people have the right to expect their federal government to bring these tax evaders to justice.

Sandy Forester, Bolton

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