...And Speaking of Education

My Mom asked me to write Revenue Canada after she recieved a letter of rejection for a tax credit she expected from a German language course she took at U Vic. Below is their justification and our response.

REVENUE CANADA:

We have adjusted your federal claim from $155 to $0 and your provincial or territorial claim from $155 to $0 for the following reason(s):

-The course you took cannot reasonably be regarded as one that will provide you with new skills or enhance your skills in an occupation.

ME AND MOM:

Dear Revenue Canada,

I was dismayed that you rejected my claim for a tax credit on tuition fees on the basis that my chosen course of study will not enhance my skills in an occupation. It was my understanding, based on the receipt I received from the University that I would be granted a tax credit; no one said anything about how this education needed to be directly related to the possibility of enhancing my employability.

In the first place, you seem to have insinuated that my studying of German has not benefited Canada economically. In fact, my tuition was helpful, insofar as it was paid directly to the University, an institution your political masters have consistently under-funded. Not only that but I purchased books in German from local sellers. Perhaps I will use a Travel Agent in the future to book a trip to Germany; more spin-offs for the local economy. Therefore regardless of my ability or desire to use my course directly as a business resource there have been benefits to the Canadian economy.

In the second place, since when has it been a qualification that educational tax credits are conditional on the basis of how much future revenue they generate for the federal Government? If this is indeed your policy it is your obligation to publish a complete list of the courses you deem worthy of tax credit and make it available to the Canadian public. As a highly informed and literate person this is the first I've heard of it. It is deplorable that you would use the dubious method of rejecting a claim after the course has been taken and the money paid, in spite of your promise of a credit.

Furthermore, your decision is a direct insult to retired persons who choose to use their hard-earned savings to better themselves and their communities through continuing education. I may no longer be gainfully employed, but I continue to pay taxes and use my knowledge to benefit society. In turn I expect that will honour the rules you have created to help me save on my taxes, much as I have honoured your right to collect them.

In conclusion I request that you a) reverse your decision regarding my educational tax credit forthwith, as I have proven it to be economically beneficial to Canada and b) send me a complete list of the courses you have designated worthy of tax credit status that I may use it for my future reference.