Marty Morantz, MP
I would like to begin my first article in this publication by thanking the people of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley for putting their trust in me and electing me to be their member of Parliament. I would also like to thank my wife, Lisa, and son, Jeremy, for their support throughout the campaign and the months leading up to it. Families sacrifice a lot in the business of politics. I could not have done this without them.
I previously served on Winnipeg City Council as the councillor for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Whyte Ridge and as both the chair of Finance and chair of Infrastructure and Public Works.
Although I very much enjoyed my time on Council I wanted to see if I could help my community in a different capacity and decided to run for federal office.
It has been a whirlwind in my first months as a member of Parliament and I find myself learning something new every day from my colleagues and our entire Conservative team. I have been given the privilege of serving as the shadow minister for National Revenue. This role allows me to make sure that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is treating all Canadian taxpayers with the utmost respect and to look for ways that they can improve their service delivery.
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights
As the end of the year approaches, many people begin to think about filing their tax returns. Some people file their own, others use tax preparation services or have an accountant file their taxes for them. Regardless of how you get your taxes filed, there are some resources you should be aware of so you can ensure CRA takes your rights as a taxpayer seriously.
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights exists to ensure the CRA can be held accountable when interacting with taxpayers. According to the CRA’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, taxpayers have the following rights to:
1. Receive entitlements, and to pay no more and no less than what is required by law;
2. Service in both official languages;
3. Privacy and confidentiality;
4. A formal review of a CRA decision and a subsequent appeal of that decision;
5. Be treated professionally, courteously and fairly;
6. Complete, accurate, clear and timely information;
7. Unless otherwise provided by law, not to pay income tax amounts in dispute before an impartial review has occurred;
8. Have the law applied consistently;
9. Make a complaint about the CRA’s service, and to be provided with an explanation of the CRA’s findings;
10. Have the costs of compliance taken into account when tax legislation is administered;
11. Expect the CRA to be accountable to Parliament and for its decisions;
12. Relief from penalties and interest under tax legislation because of extraordinary circumstances;
13. Expect the CRA to publish its service standards and to report annually to Parliament;
14. Expect the CRA to warn taxpayers about questionable tax schemes in a timely manner;
15. Be represented by a person of the taxpayer’s choice; and
16. Make a complaint about the CRA’s service or to request a formal review of a CRA decision without fear of reprisal.
As tax season approaches, make sure to keep these rights in mind. If you are having any issues in your dealings with CRA, please feel free to contact my Parliamentary Office at 613-995-5609 or [email protected]. We would be more than happy to assist you.
I look forward to contributing to this publication throughout my term as an MP and to serving the constituents of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley to the best of my ability.