Finance committee  Thanks very much for the chance to appear today. I did take the time to watch yesterday's session, which was actually enormously helpful to me, as I'm sure it was to you. I have a couple of thoughts, though, that are my own but directly link to that. The signing of the FATCA IGA

Finance committee  He's completely wrong. The obligation is satisfied upon entering into the IGA. That has been done. The agreement states very specifically that it doesn't take effect until Canada gives notification.

Finance committee  Well, I think it has had absolutely no study. It's quite apparent that very few people even understand what it is, and clearly it needs to be taken out of the omnibus bill, not hidden, and given the light of day, precisely so people can understand it and then have a reasonable de

Finance committee  Oh my God, to abandon U.S. citizenship voluntarily is called a “relinquishment” under U.S. law, specifically, section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The practical effect of it, since 2008, has been that a large number of people who are deemed U.S. citizens will actua

Finance committee  The whole focus of this process has been the protection of the banks. Mr. Brison asked a question. He first asked if any of these people even know how many people might have been affected by this, and there was no satisfactory answer given. He's suggesting a million. That's a num

Finance committee  Absolutely they are seen that way, because the U.S. is starting with a definition of citizenship status meaning having been born in the country. But being born in the country has absolutely no meaningful relationship to citizenship as it is understood. Some of these people—I'm no

Finance committee  If I may, I will answer that question. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service has a program called “Streamlined”, to allow non-compliant U.S. citizens to come into compliance. What they are requiring as part of that is six years of foreign bank account reports, known as FBARs, s

Finance committee  I am.

Finance committee  How long have I been a Canadian citizen? I became a Canadian citizen in I think 1990 or 1991.

Finance committee  Do I value my American citizenship?

Finance committee  I haven't made that decision yet. Certainly the longer one lives outside of the United States.... I've lived outside the United States since I was 12, so I consider myself 98% Canadian, with maybe 1% or 2% to go over the next few years.

Finance committee  I can tell you that I don't think the question is so much does one value a U.S. citizenship...I think the question is, does one value it in a way that could possibly be worth the cost of it and the problems that are now arising?

Finance committee  That's not my site. I'm at citizenshipsolutions.ca.

Finance committee  Sorry, which organization are you talking about?

Finance committee  I am at citizenshipsolutions.ca.