While Canadian media are busily fawning over pictures of Trudeau bottle-feeding an orphan otter, we’re catching wind from the latest rich people leak showing that Liberals are not exempt from the same greed Conservatives exhibit, they’re just better at hiding it:
A key aide of Canada’s PM is linked to offshore schemes that may have cost the nation millions of dollars in taxes, the Paradise Papers show.
The revelations may embarrass Justin Trudeau, who has campaigned against tax havens.
The leaks pose questions about the actions of Stephen Bronfman, chief fundraiser for Mr Trudeau’s Liberal Party as well as ex-senator Leo Kolber.
Lawyers for them said no deals had tried to evade tax and all were legal.
Canadian broadcaster, CBC, and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) have been spearheading this investigation as part of the Paradise Papers leaks.
They said a trove of documents found in the files of Appleby, the offshore law firm that is the main source of the leaks, suggested that Mr Bronfman’s investment firm, Claridge, had for more than 20 years moved millions offshore for the Kolber family.
I’ll concede that there is a difference between the Kicking 500 Puppies Party and the Kicking 1000 Puppies Party–500 puppies, to be precise–but that doesn’t change the fact that the Kicking 500 Puppies Party has been banking on the thoroughly uninspiring talking point that it kicks 500 fewer puppies than the other guy.
How many trolleyology experiments do you have to run before you start asking who is tying people to the rails?
-Shiv
Your closing question is great! I’m gonna quote that one someday.
I suspect that the paradise files will vanish soundlessly. Too many people are in on the scam for too much money.
@Marcus, indeed. When was the last time there was press on the
PanamaMossack Fonseca Papers? I mean that was a whole year and a half ago.[Edit: Fixed it. -Shiv]
Ack borktag. Strike should only be through “Panama” and not the rest of it.
Marcus and Onamission indeed. How many national legislatures have introduced effective legislation to stop this behaviour or have taken action about the tax havens at least partially under their control? Yes HM’s Government I am looking at you.