Below is a messagefrom the law firm Fasken Martineau regarding a special meeting on Dec. 7, 2007, of anethnic mediacoalition it is facilitating so as to fight unfair taxationthat is threatening scores of ethnicpublications
(Message sender – Jeffrey Graham (416) 865-5442):
As you may be aware, the Ontario government is now applying retail sales tax (PST) to many community and ethnic newspapers in the Province.
According to the Ministry of Revenue, many community and ethnic newspapers are NOT “exempt” as newspapers from provincial sales tax because some are bound with staples while others are not issued at least once a week.
Because of this, many ethnic and community newspapers, and the printing and publishing companies that supply to them, are being told to pay tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes!
This is unfair!
It threatens the survival of scores of ethnic and community newspapers;
It threatens thousands of jobs; and,
It threatens vital communications “lifelines” for diverse communities across the province.
TAKING ACTION
To protect community and ethnic newspapers in Ontario, a diverse group is forming a coalition to raise public awareness and to work with the provincial government to fix the sales tax problem as quickly as possible.
In support of this effort, we would like to invite you to an information session to fully explain the goals and strategy of the proposed coalition and, if possible, enlist your support.
The meeting will take place on:
Friday, December 7, 2007, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
at the offices of: Fasken Martineau
66 Wellington Street West (Corner – Bay Street), Toronto, 42nd floor
Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP via e-mail if you are able to attend.
Any questions about the coalition:contact David Robertson at 416-868-3546
