34th Annual Canadian Tax Conference May 7-10, 2000 Holiday Inn Plaza de la Chaudiere, Hull, Quebec.

Marlie R.M. Burtt, Tax Executives Institute's Vice-President-Region I, announced recently that planning for the 34th Annual Canadian Tax Conference is complete. The result is an outstanding technical program and fun-filled social activities. Ms. Burtt's summary of the conference's highlights appears below. Details about the conference and registration materials are available by contacting Marlie Burtt at [phone] or Sherry Ann Pollock of Royal Bank of Canada at [phone]. The registration form is also available on TEI On-Line.

We have great things planned for our first conference of the 21st Century, from May 7-10, 2000 at the Holiday Inn Plaza de la Chaudiere in Hull, Quebec. In response to our survey of members attending last year's conference, 67% of the respondents wanted to try the addition of a new fiscal liaison activity for Monday afternoon.

We are not changing the number of hours in technical sessions, which we consider one of the principal purposes of the conference. The other principal purpose of the conference is the wide variety of networking opportunities with federal revenue and finance officials. Accordingly, the Tuesday night gala and the CCRA and Department of Finance panels will remain the same, and our new Monday liaison has been added.

Our Sunday evening reception and dinner will feature an excellent dinner, an instrumental accompaniment from some of Ottawa-Hull's finest musicians, and a magician.

TEI Liaison Day

As discussed above, we have added a new liaison opportunity for Monday afternoon. The CCRA GST and Income Tax Panels and the Department of Finance Sales Tax speaker will be moved to Monday morning. At lunchtime, everyone will be bused to the Chateau Cartier for our afternoon activities, where we will be joined by government guests. The Department of Finance, Income Tax Policy Branch panel is still scheduled for Wednesday morning as in prior years.

TEI members and their guests will have the following choices of activities:

1. TEI Best Ball Golf Tournament. Shot-gun start, maximum 72 golfers, including a minimum of 18 government guests, one per four-some, first come, first served in registration, so book early! This is a fun tournament with a few rules and aids to "level the playing field" and speed up play so proficiency at the game is not a prerequisite! Club rentals are available. Prizes will be awarded for high and low teams, closest and furthest from the pin, longest and shortest drives, and there will be water ball draws!

Buses will leave the hotel at noon for the Chateau Cartier. Deluxe bag lunches will be provided. Refreshments will be available on the course.

As usual, the Golf Tournament goes rain or shine and is not for the weak of heart!

2. TEI National Gallery Challenge and Grand Prix. Following lunch at the Cartier Clubhouse, buses will leave for the Gallery at 1:30 p.m. Teams of four will be given a list of challenges and a map of the Gallery. On the way back to the Chateau Cartier, the teams will stop at the new Go Kart emporium for a Grand Prix race. This involves two heats of ten minutes each between the teams and a finale grand prix of 15 minutes. There will be prizes for teams meeting the most challenges, creativity, the best and worst artistic ability (elementary drawing involved!), and winners of the Grand Prix.

After the activities everyone will meet at the Chateau Cartier Golf Clubhouse for the prizes and cocktails from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. over which you can discuss the great golf shots and racing prowess. (The golfers will join the reception around 5 p.m.) The evening is free, but the Clubhouse will be available for anyone wishing to stay on for dinner.

For those that do not wish to participate in either activity, the Chateau Cartier will accept appointments for bike rentals (for biking along the Ottawa River), tennis courts, spa, or you are free to enjoy any other Ottawa delights, or connect to the office and work through the afternoon. You can register for the reception only at the Chateau Cartier. If you choose this preference and there are sufficient numbers, we will arrange a shuttle from the Holiday Inn to the Chateau Cartier at 4:30 p.m.

Our government guests have been invited to the liaison activities on the Monday afternoon and the Tuesday evening Gala. The CCRA and the Department of Finance have indicated they will support the Monday afternoon liaison events so there should be at least one government guest on each team.

The Wednesday afternoon "Mock Court of Appeal" is a new event for those with late flights. Ian McGregor, head of the Department of Justice, as counsel for the Crown, and Al Meghji, Donahue & Partners, as counsel for the Taxpayer, will be arguing a mock appeal of Spotless, an Australian High Court decision on economic substance and abuse of the Act, from 2-3:15 p.m. The Honorable A. Garon, Chief Judge of the Tax Court of Canada, has agreed to preside. The registration for this event is $15 to cover the cost of a shuttle to the airport with a short stopover tour of the Supreme Court. Estimated time of arrival at the airport is 4 p.m.

We also have an excellent spouse program this year. In addition to the Tuesday evening gala and the Sunday reception and dinner, we are offering, on Tuesday, the option of either a trip to Montebello with lunch at the Chateau Montebello or golf at the Chateau Cartier. In addition, spouses may register for the Monday liaison events.

We believe this conference will be of considerable value, from the excellent technical sessions, arranged for by our Income Tax Committee Chairman, John Allinotte, and our Commodity Tax Committee Chairman, Glen Pye, to the liaison meetings planned.

Registration forms and additional information are available by contacting me at [phone] or Sherrie Ann Pollock of Royal Bank of Canada at [phone]. Alternatively, the conference program and registration form are available on TEI On-Line.

See you all in Ottawa-Hull!

Marlie R.M. Burtt Vice-President-Region I