Why the CRA is going after former Blue Jays for millions in taxes

7 comments

1. Of course they are, those pricks. Nobody will play up here now

2. Not sure what’s outrageous about this. US athletes playing in Canada have really complicated tax filings – not surprising there is a dispute between them and CRA. No need to think less of Jose/Josh/Russell either. Their accountants came up with this structure and it’s not particularly egregious.

   And I’m not sure how any RCA interpretations will lead to Canadian uncompetitveness, given that the USA doesn’t have an RCA equivalent in the first place. Plenty of states with the same tax rate as Ontario attract top free agents (New York, California), and tax rates are not even close to the full picture.

3. Bautista’s accountants didn’t know how to set up a legal RCA and screwed him over or they intentionally tried to skirt the rules to his advantage and got caught. This is not the CRA’s fault.

   Every other player has had no problem setting up a legal RCA. The argument put forward that CRA should just let it slide because we like/love these particular people with 10’s of millions of dollars is laughable.

   Everyone wants to eat the executive working 70 hours per week in a stressful position if they make 1 million/year but athletes earning 20 mil per year shouldn’t have to pay tax.

4. For some reason I thought it’d be a good idea to read the comments on a National Post story.

5. [deleted]

6. The idea he needed 13 million to transition into retirement is hilarious.

7. Sounds a bit like his accountants may have known exactly what they were doing and got caught. Sucks for him but this isn’t on the CRA.