The Canada Revenue Agency is facing a public crisis: long delays, wrong assessments, and frustrated taxpayers. Hosts Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt unpack the CRA’s 100-day “fix,” why it’s only a Band-Aid solution, and the deeper structural issues inside Canada’s tax system. From call-centre chaos to a tax code even accountants struggle to understand, this episode explores how CRA policies are eroding public trust and what real reform would look like.

Mike also shares his personal experience battling denied medical expense claims and the endless back-and-forth with CRA agents. Together, they discuss the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, the agency’s growing enforcement powers, and why ordinary Canadians are being left behind by a broken system.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction 

00:42 CRA's challenges

02:35 An incredibly complicated tax code 

03:42 Understanding taxpayer complaints

04:50 Guilty until proven innocent

06:16 The numbers behind objecting to assessments

08:52 The taxpayer bill of rights

10:05 Personal experiences with CRA

13:42 BOOM!

Research/links:

There are much bigger problems with the CRA than just long hold times

This is the real problem with the Canada Revenue Agency

Taxpayer Bill of Rights

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/taxpayer-bill-rights.html

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.