Obama proposes entry fee for Canadians visiting USA?
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d.green
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Sorry but some of this guy's decisions or ideas just baffle me.
Obama proposal for entry fee on Canadians creates uproar
Friday, February 18, 2011 12:17:34 AM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
By Gurmukh Singh
Toronto, Feb 18 (IANS) President Barack Obama’s proposal to charge an entry fee from Canadians entering the US has infuriated political and business leaders in this country.In his proposal in the 2012 draft budget submitted to the US Congress Monday, Obama has proposed a ‘passenger inspection fee’ of $5.50 for Canadian entering the US to raise millions of dollars annually. An estimated 16 million Canadians flew to the US in 2009. If each was levied the $5.50 entry tax, the US exchequer would make well over $90 million, according to the Canadian Press.
Currently, visitors from Canada, Mexico and some Caribbean countries are exempted from paying entry fee to the US authorities.
Millions of Canadians enter the US each month as the two countries form the biggest trading bloc in the world, with daily bilateral trade about $2 billion.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the proposed entry fee on Canadians would hamper trade and free flow of people across the border.
The prime minister said though he empathized with the US over its $14-trillion debt, “additional tax” on Canadians would not solve the problem and there were better ways for the US to raise money.
“Some 40 per cent plus of the American spending is financed by borrowing. These are enormously challenging figures. We want to ensure that trade and travel is easier, not more difficult, and we don’t need additional taxes on that kind of economic activity,” the Canadian prime minister said.
Canadian opposition leader Michael Ignatieff slammed the proposed US entry fee as a “nasty surprise” sprung on Canada by its big neighbour down south.
The opposition raised the issue in the Canadian parliament, describing the US move as an indication of deterioration in their bilateral relations. But foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon tried to calm them by saying that the idea was only at a proposal stage.
The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) also expressed concern about the proposed entry fee. “An additional tax on air travellers will decrease the ability of Canadian airlines to compete with low cost operations at border airports, an alarming trend outlined in recent studies by the NACC, the National Travel and Tourism Coalition and the Hotel Association of Canada, ” said NACC President George Petsikas.
“Indeed, the announcement of an additional cost advantage for border facilities should make clear the need to reduce the commercial aviation cost structure in Canada,” he added.
The National Airlines Council of Canada is a trade association of the country’s largest commercial airlines
Obama proposal for entry fee on Canadians creates uproar
Friday, February 18, 2011 12:17:34 AM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
By Gurmukh SinghToronto, Feb 18 (IANS) President Barack Obama’s proposal to charge an entry fee from Canadians entering the US has infuriated political and business leaders in this country.In his proposal in the 2012 draft budget submitted to the US Congress Monday, Obama has proposed a ‘passenger inspection fee’ of $5.50 for Canadian entering the US to raise millions of dollars annually. An estimated 16 million Canadians flew to the US in 2009. If each was levied the $5.50 entry tax, the US exchequer would make well over $90 million, according to the Canadian Press.
Currently, visitors from Canada, Mexico and some Caribbean countries are exempted from paying entry fee to the US authorities.
Millions of Canadians enter the US each month as the two countries form the biggest trading bloc in the world, with daily bilateral trade about $2 billion.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the proposed entry fee on Canadians would hamper trade and free flow of people across the border.
The prime minister said though he empathized with the US over its $14-trillion debt, “additional tax” on Canadians would not solve the problem and there were better ways for the US to raise money.
“Some 40 per cent plus of the American spending is financed by borrowing. These are enormously challenging figures. We want to ensure that trade and travel is easier, not more difficult, and we don’t need additional taxes on that kind of economic activity,” the Canadian prime minister said.
Canadian opposition leader Michael Ignatieff slammed the proposed US entry fee as a “nasty surprise” sprung on Canada by its big neighbour down south.
The opposition raised the issue in the Canadian parliament, describing the US move as an indication of deterioration in their bilateral relations. But foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon tried to calm them by saying that the idea was only at a proposal stage.
The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) also expressed concern about the proposed entry fee. “An additional tax on air travellers will decrease the ability of Canadian airlines to compete with low cost operations at border airports, an alarming trend outlined in recent studies by the NACC, the National Travel and Tourism Coalition and the Hotel Association of Canada, ” said NACC President George Petsikas.
“Indeed, the announcement of an additional cost advantage for border facilities should make clear the need to reduce the commercial aviation cost structure in Canada,” he added.
The National Airlines Council of Canada is a trade association of the country’s largest commercial airlines
Comments
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Justin Bieber gonna be their money maker...
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didnt bother to read any of that titangraph except for the 5.50...I can see it raising money . at first I was gonna say it was stupid but I dont think people gonna let 5.50 stop them from entering the states, if they really wanna come over here to visit or whateva.
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Lets be honest Obama did not propose this. 90,000,000 is a rounding error in our budget. This was placed into the budget by bean-counters that worked for the Under Secretary of Travel and Obama is probably surprise by it as well.
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yeah...no biggie. 5.40? you'll pay more in gas
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Cuz Canadians spending money in America isn't enough? Rotten ? .
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We all know trips to the US won't stop because of this but I can't figure out why everyone else is being held responsible for the mess they find themselves in except for themselves and the corrupt financial institutions they swear by. They won't hold them accountable so let's find another scapegoat. So much for Obama's brains. You can bet that Canada will implement an immediate tax attack on US visitors and watch our measly debt be erased in no time.
Good thinking Obama. -
? its not like they pay for healthcare....whats 5 bucks to them?
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Go figure... wrote: »? its not like they pay for healthcare....whats 5 bucks to them?
Statistics Canada says some 16 million Canadians flew into the U.S. in 2010. If all were charged $5.50 each it would translate into almost US$90 million in revenue. -
whatevathehell wrote: »didnt bother to read any of that titangraph except for the 5.50...I can see it raising money . at first I was gonna say it was stupid but I dont think people gonna let 5.50 stop them from entering the states, if they really wanna come over here to visit or whateva.
The bold.And its not people coming across by land, only the people flying in or traveling by sea will have to pay the entry fee. Look at a plane ticket you pay all kinds of fees, this is just another 1 being thrown in there..one_manshow wrote: »We all know trips to the US won't stop because of this but I can't figure out why everyone else is being held responsible for the mess they find themselves in except for themselves and the corrupt financial institutions they swear by. They won't hold them accountable so let's find another scapegoat. So much for Obama's brains. You can bet that Canada will implement an immediate tax attack on US visitors and watch our measly debt be erased in no time.
Good thinking Obama.
@ the bold, possibly, politicians up here not liking it. That ? aint gonna stop me tho, mostly travel by land.... -
one_manshow wrote: »Statistics Canada says some 16 million Canadians flew into the U.S. in 2010. If all were charged $5.50 each it would translate into almost US$90 million in revenue.
gee i wonder where that money is gonna go. sure wont see it in my pocket let alone the community...or to the national debt. -
one_manshow wrote: »......but I can't figure out why everyone else is being held responsible for the mess they find themselves.......
question: What new financial securities have been passed to keep the US from experiencing another financial collapse???i think it's an okay idea. seems kinda lame to start it now solely because they've dug themselves into a ditch, why not start it years ago?
I feel the same way.Lets be honest Obama did not propose this. 90,000,000 is a rounding error in our budget. This was placed into the budget by bean-counters that worked for the Under Secretary of Travel and Obama is probably surprise by it as well.
what??? -
Go figure... wrote: »gee i wonder where that money is gonna go. sure wont see it in my pocket let alone the community...or to the national debt.
My exact sentiments. That 90million will find its way into the defense budget. -
Go figure... wrote: »? its not like they pay for healthcare....whats 5 bucks to them?
Canadians pay for that healthcare thru those high ass taxes they pay. -
7 or 8theyre not THAAAAT high
only 13%
whut u guys pay?
i actually thought it was closer to 25% in Canada. -
theyre not THAAAAT high
only 13%
whut u guys pay?
I believe Ontario is like 15% sales tax. -
earth two superman wrote: »7 or 8
i actually thought it was closer to 25% in Canada.
lol hell no! What we 1% higher than California I think, if theirs' is 12%, not sure..... -
northside7 wrote: »lol hell no! What we 1% higher than California I think, if there's is 12%, not sure.....
I thought CA was 8.25% (highest in USA) while most US states are 4-7%?
With most Canadian provinces were 13-15%? -
CA is 8.25% (highest in USA)...most Canadian provinces are 13-15%
Most US states are between 4-7 general tax%
Thats why I like shopping for clothes in Penn state theres no tax on it and everything else is just 6%. Here in Ontario its 13% on damn near everything......
