543 replies to this topic

[Sparky]

^ Attend a conference on expense spending?

[tjv]

Big difference collecting the information and handing it over compared to being judge jury and executioner

 

 

Its a fine line, its misuse of funds and is a firing offense, very hard to prove criminal intent.  Look at all the cases where book-keepers have been caught misappropriating hundreds of thousands of $'s ... at most they get a slap on the wrist.

 

This is more like abuse of the lax rules like the Mike Duffy situation 

well since its public funds, i think we need to know what is going on.  politicians have always given their opinions haven't they?

 

in my case, the person in my company got 3 years in prison, all of their assets frozen and a full restitution order.  their life is pretty much over so it was a little more than a slap on the wrist

[spanky123]

well since its public funds, i think we need to know what is going on.  politicians have always given their opinions haven't they?

 

in my case, the person in my company got 3 years in prison, all of their assets frozen and a full restitution order.  their life is pretty much over so it was a little more than a slap on the wrist

 

I think the difference here is that we are going to find out that all of the purchases/expenses were approved and that the policy in place at the time permitted them. Now we can argue about whether the approval authorities and policies should be changed, but that is an entirely separate issue.

 

The biggest indicator for me on how this is playing out is the fact that Wally Oppal bailed after 3 weeks. My guess is that he doesn't think this is going anywhere and doesn't want potential blowback on how this was handled sticking to him.

[Mike K.]

Agreed.

This will end up being settled behind closed doors, most likely. To “prove” malice isn’t likely to be worth Crown’s efforts and those alleged to have misspent funds can point to a lack of guidance and direction.

The ultimate justice here will be handled through the court of public opinion. The public has yet another bullet in its “pigs at the trough” clip and that’s that.

[On the Level]

Plecas isn't seeing the big picture.  He's pushing to have taxpayers spend millions in legal costs over misuse of a few thousand dollars.   

 

Hopefully they can keep a lid on it.

[tjv]

I think the difference here is that we are going to find out that all of the purchases/expenses were approved and that the policy in place at the time permitted them. Now we can argue about whether the approval authorities and policies should be changed, but that is an entirely separate issue.

 

The biggest indicator for me on how this is playing out is the fact that Wally Oppal bailed after 3 weeks. My guess is that he doesn't think this is going anywhere and doesn't want potential blowback on how this was handled sticking to him.

by the same definition I should buy that new penthouse condo in Mexico and just expense it as a tower crane!  Ditto on that trip to trip to Germany to buy a $200 drill from Hilti!  Nothing illegal there and no CRA issues either!  Thinking about buying a new printer, make sure you take a 40k trip to Japan and personally interview each manufacturer directly

 

attention all business owners:  the flood gate is open, I repeat the flood gate is open!

 

That is the message the BC government and CRA is sending if nothing is done about it

[todd]

https://www.cheknews...cmurray-537128/ I suppose no one in their right mind would vacation in Fort McMurray.

[tjv]

WTF!

 

That's it, I am booking a corporate trip somewhere this year, like perhaps importing sand off a Caribbean beach for new pipe bedding materials!

[spanky123]

WTF!

That's it, I am booking a corporate trip somewhere this year, like perhaps importing sand off a Caribbean beach for new pipe bedding materials!

What I am saying is that if your corporate policy permitted someone to fly business class on flights over 3 hours and that their manager could approve expenses up to $20k then you would have a very hard time firing someone because they flew business to London to attend a confrrence that was approved but you think was a waste of time.

[todd]

WTF!

That's it, I am booking a corporate trip somewhere this year, like perhaps importing sand off a Caribbean beach for new pipe bedding materials!

I thought the same thing until I got the credit card bill and found out I was self-employed the wife holding
an inquest now.

Edited by todd, 24 February 2019 - 03:23 PM.

[Mike K.]

From a business perspective, it’s your money that’s being spent on a dubious trip and the tax deduction from that trip isn’t likely to have yielded much of a tax windfall for the feds, so it’s a wash.

Sometimes an accountant will advise a company to spend some money, but usually spending the money is counterproductive compared to just paying the tax on that sum and banking the funds as a liquid asset.

Want to go to Germany to buy a power tool? Fill your boots. But by spending $5,000 to save $100 (or whatever, it’s just an example) in tax might not be worth it.

[tjv]

What I am saying is that if your corporate policy permitted someone to fly business class on flights over 3 hours and that their manager could approve expenses up to $20k then you would have a very hard time firing someone because they flew business to London to attend a confrrence that was approved but you think was a waste of time.

Agreed, but there are the legal precedents of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust and fraud that all apply here regardless of what a corporate policy says.  The BC Supreme Court has ruled on this many many times

 

From a business perspective, it’s your money that’s being spent on a dubious trip and the tax deduction from that trip isn’t likely to have yielded much of a tax windfall for the feds, so it’s a wash.

Sometimes an accountant will advise a company to spend some money, but usually spending the money is counterproductive compared to just paying the tax on that sum and banking the funds as a liquid asset.

Want to go to Germany to buy a power tool? Fill your boots. But by spending $5,000 to save $100 (or whatever, it’s just an example) in tax might not be worth it.

Great, and there will be no issues from CRA as a taxable benefit.  Looks like I am shopping for a $1 million penthouse in Mexico tomorrow and labeling it as a tower crane because I am getting paid $1 million tax free in essence.  Take that Tax Court of Canada!!!!!  TJV never will pay income tax ever again because that is what you are saying

[LJ]

.

Want to go to Germany to buy a power tool? Fill your boots. But by spending $5,000 to save $100 (or whatever, it’s just an example) in tax might not be worth it.

Yeah but when the whole idea was to go to Germany for a vacation it all starts to make sense.

[Kungsberg]

“Former Supreme Court of Canada chief justice Beverley McLachlin has been called in to investigate allegations of misconduct against two suspended B.C. legislature officials.

 

McLachlin has been retained by the house leaders of all three parties in the legislative assembly and will act as a special investigator into charges of misuse of public funds by Clerk of the House Craig James and Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Lenz.

 

Her role will be to determine if James and Lenz engaged in misconduct while working in the legislature.

 

…McLachlin's appointment is expected to be ratified on Thursday.”

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...cials-1.5046184

 

[tjv]

Yeah but when the whole idea was to go to Germany for a vacation it all starts to make sense.

Yup you get it.  20k vacation all paid for tax free!

[spanky123]

BM is 77 years old. She isn't going to be heading to the leg, rolling up her sleeves and working 60 hours a week sorting through documents and details. She will review the work already done by staff, make a couple of recommendations and then collect her cheque. Her opinion will be that there was bad judgment, a lack of oversight but nothing that reaches the standard of criminal conduct. 

 

As we said earlier, if there was any fire then Wally wouldn't have quit after 3 weeks. 

[lanforod]

^ I think you underestimate her.

[spanky123]

^ I think you underestimate her.

 

I think that she is very capable, the terms of reference of the engagement define what she does however.

[Kungsberg]

... if there was any fire then Wally wouldn't have quit after 3 weeks. 

The wood-splitter alone would seem to indicate that there's a fire...

[Former Death Watch Typist]

My take in Focus Magazine on the legislature's expenses issues: https://www.focusonv...ive-trough-r10/