Bill S-217
In committee · Commons
Fairness for All Canadian Taxpayers Act (measuring the tax gap to fight international tax evasion)
This bill would require the Canada Revenue Agency to publicly report on the 'tax gap' — the difference between taxes that Canadians owe and what is actually collected, including taxes lost to international tax evasion.
Sponsor · Hon. Percy E. Downe
What it means for you
Canadians would get a clearer picture of how much tax revenue is lost each year to evasion and avoidance, creating public pressure and parliamentary accountability to crack down on tax cheats.
The debate · 5 points
Supporters say
- Just as having an independent body forecast the economy alongside the government leads to more accurate results, having an external organization measure the tax gap would improve accountability and push both the government and watchdogs to share better information with Parliament.
- Without a public measure of unpaid taxes, MPs and senators have no baseline to evaluate whether the government is doing enough to collect what is owed — this bill would give them that tool.
- Money hidden offshore or through complex schemes is money not available for public services. Measuring the gap is the first step toward closing it.
Critics say
- Some argue that requiring the Canada Revenue Agency to produce this reporting duplicates work already done within government, adding administrative burden without necessarily improving collection.
- Estimating the tax gap involves significant uncertainty and methodological challenges, meaning published figures could be misleading or contested.
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