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Fairness: A right, not a privilege
Ms. Kamal Khera, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, tabled the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman 2016-2017 Annual Report in the House of Commons.
"Fairness: A right, not a privilege" is the theme of this year’s report. It addresses the issue of fairness and how it applies to the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) delivery of service to taxpayers, and how the Ombudsman continues to help the CRA improve its service to taxpayers.
In 2016-2017, the Office of the Taxpayers' Ombudsman received 1,490 new individual complaints, up 5% from the previous year. Inconsistent or incorrect information provided by the CRA is the largest source of complaints representing almost 25% of all complaints received, while delays in processing T1 adjustments is a new trend in complaints.
Examinations into systemic issues that affect a large number of individuals or a segment of the population were also conducted. The Ombudsman completed the Rights and Rulings – Understanding the Decision report, which looked at the information provided by the CRA in Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance (CPP/EI) rulings letters. A new examination was also launched to look into the CRA’s procedures with respect to warning taxpayers prior to taking legal action to collect unpaid taxes.
The Ombudsman made significant outreach efforts throughout Canada to educate taxpayers about their rights, to raise awareness about the services offered by her Office, and to proactively explore service issues that may be recurring for certain groups.
Source: Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman, Canada
