Says Revenue Canada destroyed him Man takes on a Goliath A LOCAL man has Jaunch- ed a $6 million lawsuit against Revenue Canada for selling off all of bis assets to pay taxes he didn’t actually owe, Howard Green filed the federal suit March 2 in Van- couver. He says that his livelihood was taken away two years ago after Revenue Canada sold everything he owned to pay what they claimed he owed for the Goods and Services Tax (cst). - “My -life fell apart. I lost everything,” Green says, ‘All they left me was four small boxes of stuff.”’ Green is the former owner of B & F Autobody in New Remo, which closed in - 1993, After it closed, Green says he spent the next two years building a fishing lodge in hopes of starting his own business. But on Feb. 2 1996, Green received a bill = from Revenue Canada, claiming that he owed more than $47,000 in unpaid GST from his former business. “They assessed me at $120,000 a year in clear profit,’ he says. ‘‘That’s just ridiculous. It was im- possible.” Punjabi delay queried THE PUNJABI community wants Punjabi ‘anguage courses taught from grades 5-12, and thinks the school district is being too slow in answering its request. Approximately 40 chil- dren in grades 5-7 are now taught Punjabi by two volunteers before school starts each morning. “T’s very inconvenient for the children and parents,” said Ravi Gill, _ who's heading up the Pun- . jabi language fight. “| Punjabi is also available in prades 8-10 at Skeena Jr. Secondary. About 24 stu- dents arc in that combined ‘class, Another eight want to take the course at the grade 11 level and another four at grade 12, meaning a split class of about 12 students, ' A few years ago the edu- cation ministry said it would make money available to expand ils second language offerings to languages like Punjabi and Mandarin. To have those languages offered, three things had to be in place: community demand, student enrollment and availability of instruc- tional resources. Gill says the Punjabi com- munity in Terrace has met * those criteria. He wants the grades 5-7 course taught during school ' time. And he’s worried about the future of the grade 8-10 Punjabi class. He says su- -perintendent Frank Hamilton told him that if the current teacher relires, and there are indications that could happen, the district might not be able to hire a replacement. ‘Gill-was also told at the board’s last education com- mittee meeting that there aren’t enough students to of- fer Punjabi in grades 11-12. But Gill says that informa- tion contradicts what he was told earlier by another ad- ministrator —- Bob Peacock, At thal time he was told that five students was the mini mum: number for a senior secondary course. Gill says one part time teacher could be hired to teach. Punjabi at both elementary, junior and senior high levels, if courses are scheduled carefully. ‘Why arc they dragging their heels?’* asked Gill in wondering if the Punjabi community is swffering from discrimination. ‘Hamilton said an_ initial review of the district’s op- tions has been completed, —and- will) be released at tonight’s board meeting. Gill says if the Punjabi community's demands aren't met, it might take political or legal action. Revenue Canada didn’t think so and when Green didn’t pay up, they seized all his assets, including his boat and fishing lodge, Green said filed all his returis, but they were not accepted because of in- formation Revenue Canada had = received claiming Green had been working un- der the table — something he denies. Green's lodge, boat, trailer and other assets were sold for $43,000, less than one- tenth what he says was their actual value. Several months _ later, Revenue Canada completed an audil of Green’s return and found that he did not owe any money for GST. Atid the next year, the money carned from the sale of Green’s assels was paid back to him by Revenue Canada. Green says no one has ever apologized ta him or admitied they made a mis- take. He’s been fighting to get back his assets ever since, even recruiting Skeena MP Mike Scott. “T think Revenue Canada was vety heavy-handed in this case,” Scatt says. “There’s no doubt that Howard Green Howard should have filled out his GST remittance. But the thing you have to ask yourself is if Revenue Cana- da grossly overreacted aud I believe they did.’’ Scott held meetings be- tween Green and Revenue Canada a year ago, but noth- ing was resolved. **They dug their heels in and wouldn’! budge,’? Scott says, pointing out that he wasn't even able to get an apology. ‘‘Howard basically lost his ability to carn an in- come. Everything he had was repossessed and sald to salisfy debts that weren't there.” Jim Solley of Revenue Canada refused to discuss the specific case, but he did say that seizure of property lo pay taxes owed is quite rare, He also says that GST claiins are a special case, since they are considered a trust fund, much like payrolt taxes. “GST and payroll tax belong to the employce or the consumer, whichever the case may be,’? Solley says. ‘We take a stronger ap- proach with them.” However, Mike Scolt argues that Revenue Canada should not have been so ag- gressive in the first place, and should have returned Green’s assets when they realized their mistake, “It’s not the kind of thing ‘you would expect to sec happen in Canada in 1998, but it did happen,’’ he says. Meanwhile, Green jis on welfare and says he has yet to find a lawyer willing to take his case. “My whole life has been turned upside down,’’ he says. “‘] spent years build- ing up my dream and they pulled the rug right out from under me.” Green’s first court date has yet to be set, The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 15, 1998 - A7 YOUR BEST FLOORCOVERING VALUE Tl Large Saxony Rollends jj Starting at $4 ist We've Given The Taxman An Unexpected Vacation Vinyl 885 ‘sf 2 Rolls Only Armstrong Peel & Stick Tile $ 1° st Berber Rallends } Starting At Bathroom Vinyl | 6° Wide $ i] Wi Living Room Carpet Starting At 2! 2 of =: A: err ror sS fF Now during tha End Of The Koll Tax Break Bj ES Sales Evant, wo've slashed an amount equal fo 8 the taxes payable off our aleady unbeatable @ prices to make thom imesistablo, ‘This is the tax brenk you've beon waiting for on raillions of square fost of quallly carpot and vinyl Rooting, all uf it in-stock! 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