I just tried to file my GST payment for the quarter, using the GST Netfile website. I figured it’d be the easiest way to do it, with the whole process taking maybe 5 minutes. I’m trying to be a responsible little consultant, filing proper papers and paying The Man to let me do it.
But, the business end of the NetFile website is actually unavailable outside of regular office hours. I don’t think they back the website with a database. It must actually fire off submissions directly to the desk of an overworked civil servant. Probably for security reasons, they don’t even hook the website up to a printer, where the pages could safely stack up in someone’s inbox. Nope. They just flash the numbers at someone in realtime. Maybe there’s a cool Wall Street ticker wrapping around the internet call centre or something.
Regardless, here’s what the website says now:
It’s comforting to know that the revenue collection system of a country with 30 million people is turned off when someone isn’t at their desk. How do they schedule potty breaks for the website monitors?
More ways to serve you, indeed.
Hello, Revenue Canada? I’m trying to give you money. Cough up for a database server already. Oh, wait. The last database built by our federal government wound up costing us over a billion dollars. Give me a shout. I’ll build you one for half that.
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Funny, funny post. I’ve never used this, but I will probably end up doing so at some point.
Congrats on your recent EdTechPost ranking, and Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your family for 2007.
I don’t know if you will personally be able to help me, but my name is Beckie and I am doing a project for my Automated Office course (Senior 4). I need to find a list of What company records must be kept by law and for how long? I have been site searching this evening and have really come up with nothing. I haven’t been able to find any other email addresses having to do with government services. And as I was searching i found this site. I am really hoping you might be able to find information for me or even give me a couple of links that would give me a better start thn what I have so far. Thank you
Please email me back ASAP…
Beckie
Beckie – I’m not sure. If it’s not in the textbook, maybe a provincial registration office will have some documentation on that? I’d assume it’s part of the standard info package when registering a business… Take a look at the publications on Revenue Canada’s site for more info…
In all the pages I can access, none show a mailing address.
Where, from Edmonton, do I mail my tax returns?????
gns
It’s a silly site, but you didn’t look very hard, either. Here’s the list of addresses. Or, I’d assume there’s a copy in your tax package…