2007 Canadian Taxes are Done! Wait... what?

Those following the play-by-play on Facebook probably know by now that Canada has requested my 2007 taxes. Not my 2006. Not my 2008. My 2007. They sent me a very insistent letter asking me to file my 2007 taxes. Of course, they list a bunch of reasons why one might have to file a return, and one of the reasons is, literally, "We send you a request to file a return". Sounds somewhat circular - we're asking you to file a return because we've asked you to file a return.

Needless to say, I called them and told them that this was a very silly request. They suggested I send a fax with full contact information and tell them I no longer live in Canada, and that they'd drop the issue. Thinking the friendly lady is indicative of a human side of the Canada Revenue Agency, I did exactly that. Of course, that would be too easy - they simply took my letter, updated my address in their records, and sent me the same letter again. Except this time the ominous "second request" that I must respond to within thirty days.

Now this is particularly funny. They insist that I must file taxes within thirty days. But how, pray tell, will they enforce such a request? They can only fine me if I owe taxes - usually as a percentage of the balance owing. That $0.00 fine is going to be brutal, especially with the juice still flowing. On the other hand, I'm kind of a paperwork whore, and don't like to challenge authority, so I decided to bite the bullet and file anyways.

Final stats:

• 1.5 hours
• Forms: T1 General NR, Schedule 1, Schedule A, Schedule B.
• Number of $0.00's: 37.
• Most intrusive form: itemized declaration (in C$) of worldwide income.

You can guess how much I owed: $0.00.