Just hours before the Toronto Centre debate on FATCA, MacLeans Magazine added fuel to the flame.
In On Being Canadian and How Freeland Could Have Responded to McQuaig, author Erica Alini brings FATCA front and centre.
In a debate, McQuaig attacked Freeland for being un-Canadian. Freeland, who has spent several years in Russia, UK and US, did not respond.
As Ms. Alini points out about FATCA:
This kind of snooping could turn out to unconstitutional under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects privacy and liberty and forbids discrimination based on “national or ethnic origin.” And among the many whose rights might be trampled over would likely be Freeland, who must have a SSN, if not a green card, and certainly had a U.S. address. It would also include Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who was born in Connecticut, and probably other MPs.
On McQuaig’s earlier support of FATCA, Alini says:
An aspiring MP should know that the road to awful legislation is paved with good intentions.
She concludes with:
If not Freeland, someone else should ask McQuaig to come clear on her stance on FATCA. I, for one, would be very interested in what she has to say.
I’ve asked. Others have asked. Let’s see if she finally comes clear now that MacLean’s is asking. Or at the debate tonight, which I still predict she won’t attend (Hope I’m wrong!)
Thanks again to Tim for sending this to me–and for all he does.