Monday, October 09, 2017

Five Wines for your Turkey Dinner

Pinot Gris from Oregon: Before reaching for yet another Pinot Grigio from Italy, try serving the same grape — Pinot Gris — but from Oregon. It will offer more intrigue for your feast, with slightly more weight and a spritzy jolt of acidity, often joined by an aftertaste of honey and spice.

Cru Beaujolais: A somewhat more serious version of Burgundy (French Pinot Noir vines), it is light on the palate, while consistently charming with floral aromas and irresistibly lithe red fruit. You are drinking the latest Beaujolais vintage and each year is or isn't a standout.

Pinot Noir: This silky, aromatic red’s versatility with food made it popular with foodies long before it was the star of the movie Sideways. Burrowing Owl and Blue Mountain wineries have excellent VQA offerings. Its restrained frame and snappy acidity gives lift not only to poultry of all types but also to most foods associated with white wine and the majority you would relate with red.

Chinon: Light- to medium-bodied, this French red is a multitook of a wine, poised to invigorate your wine snob uncle with a uniquely tangy and herbal earthiness. Be prepared for tales of his winery bicycle tour of the Loire Valley.

Dolcetto: This Italian red has moderate weight and cherry or raspberry aromas, with ample acidity and occasionally a bit of tannic bite that will counter the feelings of fatigue that set in after your third helping of mashed potatoes and gravy. Ciao,


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Saturday, October 07, 2017

Federal Tax Changes Will Hurt West Vancouver Business Owners


Here in the cooler days of autumn, when thoughts should be drifting to turkey, a new season for the Canucks and shorter days, recent musings about the tax changes envisaged by federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau are causing significant anxiety for those who take the risk of being their own boss. There is worry, frustration and, in some cases, anger.

In Western Canada, we feel tax pain more than most. The cumulative tax burden vis-a-vis federal benefits is one of our biggest challenges and these new changes proposed by the federal government could make it even harder to bear.

The lower small-business tax rate on the first $500,000 in corporate income remains vital to the success of many small firms. Now, government officials are charging ahead to limit access to it or eliminate it.

When running for office, the Trudeau Liberals pledged to cut the rate from 10.5 per cent to 9 per cent. That hasn’t happened. These proposed changes will make things more difficult, especially for owners of smaller firms.

The idea is to make sure the wealthiest pay their fair share of taxes. Fair ball, but let’s not throw smaller businesses under the bus in the process. Unfortunately, the government appears to forget that the vast majority of independent business owners aren’t members of the so-called wealth one per cent; they’re the middle class. Two-thirds of small-business owners earn less than $73,000, and half of them earn under $33,000.

The feds’ plan is to eliminate or restrict how some business owners save on taxes, including:

  • Sharing income with family members that contribute to the success of the business
  • Saving passive investment income in a corporation that is taxed later when withdrawn
  • Converting a corporation’s income into capital gains which are taxed when realized
  • These measures are currently legal and are often used by independent businesses to re-invest, ensure stability, offset federal programs that business owners haven't ability to access, or save for the owner’s retirement.

    Most worrisome is the proposal to make it difficult for small-business owners to share income with family members working for them and the success of their firms. The support of family members in formal roles is often key to the success of a firm, and any limitations could have significant, unintended consequences.

    On passive income, we know it is much more difficult to borrow money as a small-business owner. A business’s passive income acts as insurance against emergencies and unforeseen costs. Business owners need to be able to rely on their investments — in their own business — to protect them against the risks of owning a business.

    Also, since business owners don’t have the kinds of generous pensions available to public servants, or giant salaries creating RRSP room, they need to depend on the value of their business, including any of its investments, for their retirement years.

    These proposed changes would come into effect in 2018. A public consultation process has been launched and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business vigorously brought forward the concerns of small-business owners. Did the Trudeau Liberals listen? We will soon know.

    Typical self-employed individuals are professionals, university educated and have vast contacts though out a community like West Vancouver. Assume the miss-calculating Liberals continue to bully small business. Seems to be a very risky proposition for their re-election on October 19, 2019. After all, those business owners will have memories longer than two years. After all, the victims are exactly the kind of individuals that will take action to protect themselves, their families and their businesses.

    Ciao,


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    West Vancouver Real Estate Report - Aug 2017


    Canada’s national median home listing price this month is $290,900, which means that West Vancouver is in the top 20% for Canada.

    The $1,488,000 price tag on the median West Vancouver home means that it is quite highly priced by Canadian standards.

    If you’re looking at investment properties in West Vancouver, then you’re most likely to find homes with 3 bedrooms on sale this month.

    Is West Vancouver a good investment prospect? It’s never a perfect science, but the data we have gives us a number of positive indicators.

    Over the last three months in West Vancouver, housing stock available seems to be falling – this could mean that homes values might recover later.

    Ciao,


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    Back when we had a superstar!


    Pavel Bure Stands up for himself. Ok I was an elbow. A well deserved elbow.
    At 28 seconds in watch the Dallas fans cheer for the hit on Bure.