RE:RE:I decided to
A lot of us Canadians were scrambling to decide the most prudent course in the face of the increased capital gains inclusion rate in June.
I confess I'm more concerned about general market forces than taxation planning. In the past two decades we have seen whipsaw moves in all of the stock markets, commodity markets specifically, the US dollar, that have made for see-saw financial gains and losses. I see Berkshire Hathaway just hit another all-time high valuation today. US markets are looking a little toppy to me, That could lead to a downdraft correction of some concern in the event of some "bad news" black swan occurance. I'd really like to see the ETG situation resolved sooner rather than later, and I'd leave some money on the table to see that happen.
For ETG, the prospect of an escalating trade war with China may not be all bad - it would likely include a degree of competitive weakening of the US dollar, which could give a goose to commodity prices, and the commodity stocks, particularly the miners, should respond. In the run-up of gold over the past three or four years the junior golds, the mid-tiers, even the big gold miners have not seen convincing gains. The public is not on board with a long period of high profitability in the mining business, although the table-setting of slow capital expense, rising demands, rising prices,
limited production, declining reserves, has been going on for some time. The inverse relationship between the dollar and metals prices seems to have been a brake.
Unkal, we'll all be happy when and if the combination of the obvious structure of ownership issues at Oyu Tolgoi, plus the pressure of rising gold and copper prices lights a fire under ETG and precipitates a decision by Rio Tinto the time is right to wind-up the JV through a buy-out and consolidation. A metals price move up lit up by a weaker US dollar could be a catalyst to get them moving, if arbitrations and Mongolian pressures can't do the trick.
Taxes are inevitable. I'll pay my share without too much grumbling when I have a big profit in hand.
What really raised my blood pressure about the Trudeau government and that thoroughly unlikeable Chrystia Freeland, is not so much the policy decision they need to raise revenue, it was the lying and dishonesty they employed selling a flawed policy to the public. They tried to sell the capital gains tax increases as "taxing the rich" when in fact the target is middle-class savings. Canadians who own a second home as a rental property, small businesses that have owned their own building premises, cottages, stock portfolios built up as retirement savings ... the truth is they are going after the big middle class wealth transfer set to occur as baby boomers age. And the ultimate "payors" are not the boomers who hold those assets so much as their children, who had hoped or expected that the proceeds would be inherited and might help them own a principal residence or save for their own retirement.
Every doctor, dentist, accountant, small businessperson selling a building, every grandparent selling a cottage or rental property, every family where the older generation dies still holding an investment portfolio, these are the people who are going to pay more tax. What a lie when they said it was directed at a tiny fraction of the population who make "extraordinary gains". The Department of Finance, who have guaranteed, indexed, taxpayer-funded pensions and benefits hate the independent entrepreneurial class, but the politicians won't let them go after the truly grossly wealthy with a super tax on extreme wealth or very high income. No surtax on income over $1,000,000 per annum for example. Go after the middle class independent business and professionals instead. A-holes. They lied about their intentions and they knew it.
The Trudeau government has had two big files to manage over the past decade - housing and medical accessibility. And they have absolutely dropped the ball on both. At the same time they have pursued a policy of huge numbers of foreign guest workers and foreign students, giving both a pathway to permanent residency, without first ensuring we have enough housing units to accomodate them, and a medical system with the capacity to serve the growing population. I'm all in favour of immigration, but not when it displaces citizens from an affordable home and accessible medical care when they need it. The Federal government has mismanaged two huge issues of importance to Canadians. Ten years is enough, throw out the bums.
cg