September 2016

Businessman with World Map Globe.

On June 8, 2016, Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development announced that it would be undertaking a review of the Special Economic Measures Act and the Freezing of Assets of Corrupt Foreign Public Officials Act.  The announcement did not receive much press at the time. The announcement states:

Canadian flagCanada’s sales tax rates chart must be changed again as Prince Edward Island increases its sales tax rate to 15% as at October 1, 2016.  Canadian businesses and foreign businesses carrying on business in Canada must update their systems to reflect the new rate for PEI.

Canadian Sales Tax Rates Chart
As at January 1,

U.S.A.

Canada-US FlagsTonight is the first U.S. Presidential Debate.  Every 4 years, Canadian bureaucrats and those interested in politics watch the debates looking for clues as to what good and bad may be coming.  I thought it would be useful to make a list, from the perspective of a Canadian trade lawyer, of what Canadians should

Info Sign Showing Information Knowledge And Support

In writing this blog post, we are not advocating filing baseless, frivolous, vexatious and retaliatory “service complaints” against Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) auditors, collections officers and other employees of the CRA. However, we have learned from the experience of our clients that some legitimate complaints arise from time-to-time.  It is in the spirit of transparency

Happy Face Cut OutIn writing this blog post, we are not advocating filing baseless, frivolous, vexatious and retaliatory complaints against Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) officers. However, we have learned from the experience of our clients that some legitimate complaints arise from time-to-time.  It is in the spirit of transparency and openness that we have decided to write

Many-QuestionsCanada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (Ralph Goodale) is responsible for the Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”).  On September 20, 2016, Minister Goodale was asked about the antidumping case against gypsum board from the United States being imported/consumed/used in Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and Northwest Territories).  Minister Goodale made

THESSALONIKI, GREECE - AUGUST 8, 2013: Departures hall at an airport with passengers queuing with their luggage to book in at the airline counters

On April 27, 2016, the Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) released Guide BS5156 “What you need to know about Customs Controlled Areas”. In this one page document, the CBSA informs the public that a “customs controlled area” is:

“A designated area where there is a likelihood that domestic employees or domestic origin travellers leaving

Customs StopOn August 16, 2016, the Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) posted its revised Code of Conduct, to which all CBSA officers must adhere. The three “values” pillars of the CBSA Code of Conduct are (1) Respect, (2) Integrity and (3) Professionalism.

Respect

The CBSA makes the following statements in the Code of Conduct regarding

Customs Building (XL)One area of confusion for many small and medium Canadian businesses is the customs treatment of goods manufactured in Canada that are sold outside Canada (and exported), but have to be returned temporarily for warranty repairs. The goods manufactured in Canada may be entirely Canadian input content or may be made partly with foreign inputs. 

Canada

Businessman with World Map Globe.

Canadian companies must be careful to not inadvertently breach Canada’s very strict sanctions against North Korea. Most Canadian companies know that almost all dealings with North Korea are either not permitted or that an export permit or ministerial authorization is required.  That is why it comes as quite a shock to learn that not