Editor, The Times:
I am 70 years old and have paid income tax all my life.
It seems all us senior citizens are getting our annual Christmas present from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and it comes with a red ribbon on it.
It turns out it is not a Christmas present, but actually a reassessment of my income taxes that are dealt with by April 30 of the calender year.
My reassessment this year, which I just received while I was in the hospital getting surgery, states I owe $612.
At my age, it turns out, I miss things once in a while.
The missed T3 investment form amount owed was $212. They penalize me for getting into my senior years and I need a lesson.
Upon phoning the CRA, they say they have legislation in place to back up the penalty payment on overdue income tax.
I am neither wealthy nor poor, but unhappy at the moment because of the power the CRA has to penalize me unfairly, without my knowledge, while interest accrues from April 30 through to November.
This is discrimination or a penalty for growing old. At my age, it is easy to miss things.
We don’t have a great income in the senior years and this unfair legislation gives the CRA way too much power to be nasty and uncaring.
They want their money.
A much fairer system would reassess me, then send the reassessment to me, with the amount missed on the form — along with the form that was missed — and have a due date on it.
The penalty should start after the amount due date.
Ron Telford
Kamloops, B.C.