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I thought my luck was changing from yesterday … because I was 2 for 2 this morning phoning Canada Revenue Agency, and obtaining information that I needed to know.

Then, around 10:30am this morning .. a customer called me on my cell phone - to inform me that my LAN phone number was disconnected!

Believe it or not, I have a REASON why this happened .. however - it’s not really a valid EXCUSE - so, I will leave it at that for now.

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I needed information today, but I managed to call and get through at 7:55am this morning, when it was an automated phone message. It urged me to call back between the local hours of 8:15am and 5:00pm.

1-800-959-8281

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The following News Release or Speech has just been posted on the Finance Canada Site.

Ottawa, April 16, 2007
2007-034

“I am disappointed in the statement released last week by Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Finance, Tom Marshall, regarding Equalization, which falsely accused the federal government of misleading his government and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador about Budget 2007 and our fiscal balance solution.

The Government of Canada’s position has been clear and fair. Let me repeat the facts.

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The following News Release or Speech has just been posted on the Finance Canada Site

Ottawa, April 16, 2007
2007-033

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today highlighted the commitment by Canada’s New Government to help establish a national vaccine program that will protect women and girls from cancer of the cervix. At this event, Minister Flaherty was joined by clinical staff and a cancer patient at the Shirley E. Greenberg Women’s Health Centre in Ottawa.

Budget 2007 provides $300 million in per capita funding for provinces and territories to fight human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the major cause of cancer of the cervix. This is the second most common cancer in women aged 20 to 44, after breast cancer.

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The following is now available on the CRA Web site:

Did You Know …

That you can claim child care expenses on your income tax return if your child is cared for at home or in nursery school, daycare, day camps, boarding schools, and sports schools? You can claim these expenses if you or your spouse or common-law partner incurred the expenses in order to work, carry on a business, or attend school.

If you qualify and your child is under the age of 7, you could claim up to $7,000 a year. If your child is over 7 but under 16 years of age, you may be able to claim up to $4,000. There is no age limit if you have a disabled child, and you could be able to claim up to $10,000.

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The following is now available on the CRA Web site:

News release

The Minister of National Revenue announced the Canada Revenue Agency’s Action Task Force on Small Business Issues Report: Helping Small Businesses by Reducing the Compliance Burden

Regina, Saskatchewan, April 11, 2007… Minister of National Revenue Carol Skelton today released the final report of the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Action Task Force on Small Business Issues, titled Helping Small Businesses by Reducing the Compliance Burden.

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The following Economy In Brief has just been posted on the Finance Canada Site.

Overview

* In the fourth quarter of 2006 real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.4% following gains of 2% in each of the two previous quarters. For 2006 as a whole, real GDP increased 2.7%, down from 2.9% in 2005.

* Domestic demand growth slowed in the fourth quarter. Real final domestic demand grew 3.0%, down from 4.0% in the third quarter. Growth in consumer spending on goods and services and business spending on plant and equipment remained solid but slowed. Business inventory accumulation fell.

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The following News Release or Speech has just been posted on the Finance Canada Site.

Mississauga, April 11, 2007
2007-032

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today visited the Health Partners International of Canada distribution centre to emphasize how Budget 2007 creates an additional incentive for drug manufacturers to donate medicines from their inventory to the developing world.

“There are people in Africa and in developing countries around the world in desperate need of medicines like the ones in this very facility,” said Minister Flaherty. “It’s unacceptable to Canadians that pharmaceuticals remain on shelves while people are suffering from life-threatening diseases. I encourage all Canadian manufacturers to step up and donate more medicines to worthwhile charities, getting them off the shelves and into the hands of those who would most benefit from them.”

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The following is now available on the CRA Web site:

Did You Know …

That as a student, you may be able to claim a tax credit for the tuition fees you paid for post-secondary level courses you attended during the year? You may also be able to claim an education amount of $400 as a full-time student and $120 as a part-time student for each whole or part month you were enrolled in a qualifying program. In addition, you may be able to claim the proposed non-refundable textbook credit to help with the cost of your textbooks.

You may also be eligible to claim moving expenses, child care expenses, and a tax credit for interest paid on your student loans, as well as the proposed non-refundable tax credit for public transit passes.

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The following News Release or Speech has just been posted on the Finance Canada Site.

St. Catharines, April 10, 2007
2007-031

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today highlighted an important Budget 2007 initiative designed to make Canada’s communities even safer. The Government is providing $1 million to the Canadian arm of the International Association of Fire Fighters to help implement a hazardous materials training program for dealing with emergencies.

“The safety of our communities is a top priority”, said Minister Flaherty, speaking from the Main Fire Station in St. Catharines, Ontario. “Canada’s New Government is helping to ensure that firefighters and other first responders have the training they need to safely and effectively respond to hazardous material emergencies, including those involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials.”

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