
	Thursday September 9, 2010

Letters to the Editors

MAY 24, 2005 THE KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARD

As the local president of the Union of Taxation Employees, I want to make Kingston residents aware of upcoming changes to the level of service they receive from their local Canada Revenue Agency office.

People aren't always cognizant of changes that take place over a long period of time. I've worked as an employee in the client services section for close to 20 years. When I was first hired, we provided counter and phone service locally to Kingston-and-area clients. We knew our clients and their needs.

A few years ago, we lost our phone service to a call centre. Service, as anyone will tell you who has ever tried to call our toll-free number, has never been the same. We also, in the past, had available to the public the full array of forms, pamphlets and guides. We now carry next to none and expect citizens to download forms from their computers or to phone and wait days for delivery.

The number of staff who work in client services has steadily declined over the years, and when people retire they're not replaced. Therefore, staff knowledge and expertise is in gradual but steady decline.

It's been proposed that our cash counter be closed as of April 2006 and that our enquiry counter be available only by appointment. The Canada Revenue Agency is dictating to the public the level of service it's going to provide. This is a public service. It's the public that pays for this service with hard-earned tax dollars. The public should dictate the level of service, not the Canada Revenue Agency.

These cuts particularly hurt the most vulnerable in our society, especially seniors, low-income earners, new Canadians and small business owners.

If you don't agree with the cuts in service, please contact your member of Parliament. It isn't too late to reverse this trend.

David Berofe President Union of Taxation Employees Local 00011

Service needed by clients JUN 02, 2005 THE KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARD PAGE: 4

We're writing to thank David Berofe for his letter "Service cuts affect public" (May 24). He's making the public aware of a proposal to eliminate the Canada Revenue Agency cash desk in Kingston and decreased accessibility to Canada Revenue Agency information personnel. Although we don't officially represent the industry, I believe we speak on behalf of many local tax practitioners in saying what a loss it will be if this happens. If the cash desk closes in April 2006, there will be no place for us to deliver the hundreds of thousands of dollars we and the other tax companies collect annually for the Canada Revenue Agency for no fee. Instead, our clients will have to either mail the money or pay through their banks, both of which have associated costs. This may seem like a small thing, but for many of our clients it would be the removal of a service they've come to rely on. The move to have information available by appointment only is absurd. At present, the Canada Revenue Agency office is the one place we can get consistent information on the status of client files. The toll-free number isn't sufficient. Furthermore, it's rarely accessible during tax season, when it's most vitally needed. What's also vitally needed is continuation of the excellent personal assistance we receive from our local, dedicated, service-oriented Canada Revenue Agency staff on behalf of our clients. We're sending a copy of Berofe's letter and a copy of ours to our local MP, Peter Milliken, to try to stop this government-driven death march of service - ironically by the very agency that makes money for the Government of Canada.

Julia Clark Janet Leduc, Kingston

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