"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Canadians by birth or government approved deviant strategy

Senator Carl Levin of Michigan was a guest on Charlie Rose' program a couple of weeks ago. He has been a Democratic Senator for thirty-four years and will serve two more. With Republican Senator John McCain, he is working to remove an entitlement for U.S.corporations. A company can create a corporation off shore. Sell its intellectual property to the outfit created for the purpose, then lease it back to conduct its business in the States and be relieved of taxes. Senator Levin explained the strategy and others like it have reduced corporate share of tax to the U.S. treasury from 50% to 9% of all revenue. Days later, on a Sunday evening,we learned the Royal Bank is using the same strategy. They created an agency in India to allowed them to hire workers with temporary work permits, terminated their Canadian employees and required them to teach their replacements how to do their own jobs. It seems being able to work in Canada gives temporary workers the right to permanent status. Within seconds, comments were being tweeted. Within days the President and another official of the Royal Bank were apologizing and promising the Canadians their jobs back. We already knew the Royal Bank was not the only business employing the strategy to use cheaper labour and uncrease profits. I switched my telephone service several years ago for the same reason. A few weeks ago, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney commented on The West Block television show,how concerned his government is about the well-being of those who are "Canadians by choice and not by chance" I am a Canadian by choice. My children are Canadian by birth. Not chance. The Honorable Mr. Kenney's remarks and his governments policies are not appreciated. .

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You certainly are not a one-trick pony. Well done. The Royal Bank has taken a pasting with even the cartoonist at the Globe taking a crack at them. Those cartoonists seem to get it right so often. Sad that AirFarce is no longer available for people to vent & laugh once a week.

Anonymous said...

Keep an Eye on the Labrador by-election. Shaping up nicely.

Anonymous said...

what a lovely day.! I hope you managed to get some sun on your nose.

Anonymous said...

The economy has become a world-wide one. Products and services are created or fulfilled by those that provide the best return on investment. Why has Canada's manufacturing gone to Mexico or China? Software development has been "off-shore" for a long time. Software support as well.

Governments have made this possible with trade agreements around the world.

Next time "Jerry" calls you about a duct cleaning deal they are having... ask him how the weather in Mumbai is. It's always good for a laugh.

Anonymous said...

"Jerry" probably won't know about the weather in Mumbai - he's more likely to be in Karachi, Pakistan.

Anonymous said...

11:06am

There is always a little troll lurking to get in the last word isn't there?

Anonymous said...

Are you volunteering, 3:04 PM? You seem eminently qualified.