Former advisor to premier, CEO of Finning and Canfor, to speak at Complex Wednesday
By Kyra Hoggan
A new local organization will be bringing a corporate giant to Castlegar to talk about taxes tomorrow.
The Kootenay Tax Payers Association (KTPA) is bringing Jim Shepard to the Complex tomorrow at 7 p.m. Shepard, former CEO of Finning Tractor and Canfor as well as senior advisor to Premier Christy Clark, will be in Castlegar as part of a province-wide tour to discuss how Clark has been underrated as the province’s CEO.
Event organizer Garry Kalinski, now retired, used to develop tax software and said he’s not opposed to taxes per se – but he’d like people to become more aware of how taxes are applied and why, and how the various forms of taxation work.
“This speaker, obviously, has a specific political agenda, but (the KTPA) is more about public education,” he said, adding the organization intends to bring a variety of speakers to the region.
The KTPA is self-described as, ” a coalition of rate payers who wish to keep public officials and elected representatives accountable, as it relates to community and government services. The coalition will work to make the public aware and to lobby in order to educate, minimize waste, minimize duplication, optimize service, obtain value for taxation in an open, accountable and democratic manner as it pertains to the providing of essential community services with public monies”.
Kalinski said the idea of the association has been kicking around since last year, but they’ve only recently hit the ground running, and hope to raise awareness and membership with this, their inaugural speaker event.
For more information on the organization, email kootenaytax@shaw.ca
