Previous Tax Policy Research Symposiums

2023 Symposium Tax Rules for a Modern World - Canada's GAAR and Mandatory Disclosure Rules

Toronto, May 4  (Hybrid)

Panel: “Tax rules for a modern world - Canada’s GAAR and mandatory disclosure rules”

Moderator: Andy Bauer (Tax Centre, University of Waterloo)

Panelists:

  • Bruce Ball (CPA Canada, Toronto)
  • Rob Jeffery (Deloitte, Halifax)
  • Preetika Joshi (McGill University, accounting)
  • Kevin Milligan (University of British Columbia, economics)
  • Erin Towery (University of Georgia, accounting)

Canadian Tax Foundation Update

Heather Evans (Executive Director CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation)

2022 Symposium - Second Pillar of Wisdom? Ado about a Global Minimum Tax

Online – May 9-10

Panel: Second Pillar of Wisdom? Much Ado about a Global Minimum Tax
Moderator: Ken Klassen (Director, Tax Centre, University of Waterloo)

Panelists:

  • Albert Baker (Deloitte, Toronto)
  • T.J. Atwood (University of Arkansas)
  • David Duff (University of British Columbia)
  • Johnny Tang (Harvard University)

Canadian Tax Foundation Update
Heather Evans (Executive Director CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation)

Papers Presented:

Taxes and takeovers: Evidence from private negotiations during tax reform
Presenter: Alex Edwards (Accounting, University of Toronto)
Practice discussant: Nelson Whitmore (Deloitte)
Academic discussant: Devan Mescall (Accounting, University of Saskatchewan)

The Simple Analytics of the Reform of Employee Stock Option Taxation
Presenter: Amin Mawani (Accounting and Health Policy, York University)
Practice discussant: Amelie Desrochers (Deloitte)
Academic discussant: Michael Veall (Economics, McMaster University)

The Deterrence Effect of Cross-Border Monitoring: Evidence from Foreign Tax Authority Enforcement
Presenter: Anh Vuong Persson (Accounting, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Deloitte discussant: Practice discussant: Charles Taylor (Deloitte)
Academic discussant: Andrew Bauer (Accounting, University of Waterloo)

2019 Symposium - Taxation of Global Digital Commerce

Toronto, May 9-10

Panel: "Taxation of Global Digital Commerce"
Moderator
: Andrew Bauer, University of Waterloo
Panelists:

  • Albert Baker (Global Tax Policy Leader, Deloitte, Toronto)
  • Allison Christians (law, McGill University)
  • Art Cockfield (law, Queen’s University)
  • Wei Cui (law, UBC)

Canadian Tax Foundation Update
Heather Evans, Executive Director CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation

Papers Presented:

Evaluating Canadian Tax Remission Orders: A Debt Relief Vehicle for Taxpayers
Presenter: Samuel Singer (law, Thompson Rivers University)
Academic Discussant: Colin Campbell (law, Western University)
Practitioner Discussant: Amanda Doucette, Stevenson Hood Thornton Beaubier (law firm), Saskatoon

A Reflection on Tax Work and the Nature of Tax Expertise: Mapping the Tax Field for Researchers, Educators and the Profession
Presenter: Till-Arne Hahn (accounting, Queen’s University)
Academic Discussant: Sally Gunz (law and accounting, University of Waterloo)
Deloitte Discussant: Shawn Porter, Deloitte, Toronto

Taxation in the Age of Smart Contracts
Presenter: Allison Christians (law, McGill University)
Academic Discussant: Carl MacArthur (law, Western University)
Practitioner Discussant: Aaron Grinhaus, Grinhaus Law Firm, Toronto

The Relation between Book-Tax Conformity and Earnings Quality: The Role of Accruals in Taxable Income
Presenter: Kaishu Wu (accounting, University of Waterloo)
Academic Discussant: Suzanne Paquette (accounting, Laval University)
Deloitte Discussant: Andrew Oldham, Deloitte, Toronto

Carbon Tax Shifts and the Revenue-Neutrality Dilemma
Presenter: Rory Gillis (law, University of Toronto
Academic Discussant: Frances Woolley (economics, Carleton University)
Deloitte Discussant: Scott Legree, Deloitte, Ottawa

2018 Symposium - Tax Policy Aspects of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

Toronto, May 3-4

Panel: "Tax Policy Aspects of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency”
Moderator
: Ben Alarie (law: University of Toronto)
Panelists:

  • Ian Caines (law: Blake, Cassels Graydon, Toronto)
  • Louis Gagon (finance: Queen’s University)
  • Alexia Hefti (Deloitte, Toronto)
  • John Lennard (law: Davies, Montreal)

Canadian Tax Foundation Update
Heather Evans, Executive Director CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation

Papers Presented:

The efficiency cost of dividend taxation: a new approach and estimates for Canada
Presenter: Michael Smart (economics, University of Toronto)
Academic Discussant: Ken McKenzie, University of Calgary
Deloitte Discussant: Charles Taylor, Deloitte, Toronto and Calgary

The intersection of government post-secondary education funding and securities regulation
Presenter: Gail Henderson (law, Queen’s University
Academic Discussant: Christine Neill (economics, Wilfrid Laurier University)

Does country by country reporting deter tax avoidance and income shifting? Evidence from capital requirements directive IV
Presenter: Preetika Joshi (accounting, York University)
Academic discussant: Devan Mescall (accounting, University of Saskatchewan)
Deloitte discussant: Inna Golodniuk, Deloitte, Toronto

Electing into a value-added tax: survey evidence from Ontario microentrepreneurs
Presenter: Emily Ann Satterthwaite (law, University of Toronto)
Academic Discussant: Mitchell Stein, Western University
Deloitte Discussant: Danny Cisterna, Deloitte, Toronto

The Canadian Retail Market for Marijuana: Estimating Tax Revenue Implications
Presenters: Anindya Sen (economics, University of Waterloo) and Rosalie Wyonch (C. D. Howe Institute)
Academic Discussant: Michael Veall (economics, McMaster University)
Deloitte Discussant: Christy MacDonald, Deloitte, Kitchener

2017 Symposium - Offshore Tax Compliance and Evasion

Toronto May 11-12

Panel: "Offshore Tax Compliance and Evasion"
Moderator
: Joanne Magee, York University
Panelists:
Larry Chapman, former executive director CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation

  • David Chodikoff, Miller Thomson LLP, Toronto (formerly of the Department of Justice, Ottawa)
  • Art Cockfield, Faculty of Law, Queen's University
  • Shawn Porter, Deloitte, Toronto

Reflections on the life of my brother, Tim Edgar (co-organizer of the Symposium, 2004-2015)
Vicki Edgar

Reflections on the Commission's 2016 Final Report
Bev Dahlby (Economics, University of Calgary and Chair, BC

Canadian Tax Foundation Update
Heather Evans, CEO, Canadian Tax Foundation

Papers Presented:

Income shifting and the cost of incorporation
Presenter: Alisa Tazhitdinova (economics, McMaster University)
Discussant: Nabil Annabi, Dept. of Finance, Ottawa
Deloitte Discussant: John Huston, Deloitte, Toronto.

Taxation without information: The Institutional foundations of modern tax collection
Presenter: Wei Cui (law, UBC)
Academic Discussant: Alan Macnaughton, University of Waterloo
Deloitte Discussant: Richard Marcovitz, Deloitte, Toronto

Does stock price crash risk subside when the IRS imposes stricter corporate tax enforcement?
Presenter: Andrew M. Bauer (Accounting, University of Waterloo)
Academic Discussant: Jeffrey Callen, University of Toronto
Deloitte Discussant: Chris Watt Bickley, Deloitte, Ottawa

Implicit corporate taxes, investment, and income shifting
Presenter: Kevin S. Markle (Accounting, University of Iowa)
Academic Discussant: Robin Broadway, Queen's University
Deloitte Discussant: Charles Taylor, Deloitte, Calgary

Assessing BEPS: Origins, Standards, and Responses
Presenter: Allison Christians (Law, McGill University)
Academic Discussant: Jinyan Li, York University
Deloitte Discussant: Albert Baker, Deloitte, Toronto

2016 Symposium - Stock Options and Equity-linked Compensation

Toronto, May 16-17

Panel: “Stock Options and Equity-linked Compensation”
Moderator
: Alan Macnaughton University of Waterloo
Panelists:

  • Andrew Bird, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Alister Boyes, Australian Taxation Office
  • Victor Fleischer, School of Law, University of San Diego
  • Sofia Johan, Schulich School of Business, York University
  • Charles Taylor, Deloitte, Calgary

New Developments at the Canadian Tax Foundation
Larry Chapman (Canadian Tax Foundation)

Papers Presented:

The Devolution of the Revolution: Taxation of High Incomes in a Federation
Presenter: Michael Smart (University of Toronto)
Academic Discussant: Carl MacArthur (Western University)
Deloitte Discussant: Heather Evans, Deloitte Toronto

Estimating Elasticities of Taxable Income: Canadian Evidence from the Tax on Income (TONI) Reform of 2000/2001
Presenter: Scott Legree (University of Waterloo)
Academic Discussant: Michael Veall (McMaster University)
Deloitte Discussant: Christy MacDonald, Deloitte Kitchener

Eroding Taxpayer Privacy: FATCA and Sharing Information with Police
Presenter: Saul Templeton (University of Calgary)
Academic discussant: Alan Macnaughton (University of Waterloo)
Deloitte Discussant: Ranvir Chana, Deloitte Toronto

The Effects of Interpersonal Fairness, Informational Fairness and Delay on Taxpayers’ Compliance Intentions
Presenter: Jonathan Farrar (Ryerson University)
Academic Discussant: Marion Steele (University of Guelph)
Deloitte Discussant: Karen Wilkinson, Deloitte Kitchener

Alpha: Labor is the New Capital
Presenter: Victor Fleischer (University of San Diego),
Academic Discussant: Lisa Philipps (York University)
Deloitte Discussant: Shawn Porter, Deloitte Toronto

2015 Symposium - Interest and Other Financing Payments: The OECD's BEPS Action 4

Toronto, June 1-2

Panel: "Interest and Other Financing Payments: The OECD's BEPS Action 4"
Moderator:
Ken Klassen, University of Waterloo
Panelists:

  • Albert Baker, Global Tax Policy Leader, Deloitte, Toronto
  • Jennifer Blouin (accounting), University of Pennsylvania
  • David Duff (law), University of British Columbia
  • Michael Kobetsky (law), University of Melbourne

New CTF Book: "Timing and Income Taxation"
Colin Campbell (Western University)

Experimenting with IBM's Watson re Employed vs. Self Employed
Ben Alarie (University of Toronto)

Papers Presented:

Country-by-Country Reporting and Commercial Confidentiality
Presenters: Art Cockfield (Queen's University) and Carl MacArthur (Western University)
Academic Discussant: Alex Edwards (University of Toronto)
Deloitte Discussant: Shiraj Keshvani

Governance and Taxes: Evidence from Regression Discontinuity
Presenter: Andrew Bird (Carnegie-Mellon University)
Academic Discussant: Suzanne Paquette (Laval University)
Deloitte Discussant: Craig Cowan

Risk-Based Overrides of Share Ownership as Specific Anti-Avoidance Rules
Presenter: Tim Edgar (York University)
Academic Discussant: Lindsay Tedds (University of Victoria)
Deloitte Discussant: Hugh Chasmar

Peer Effects in Tax Avoidance
Presenter: Alex Edwards (University of Toronto)
Deloitte Discussant: Andrew Oldham

The Use of Private Companies for Income Splitting - Recent Canadian Experience
Presenters: Scott Legree (University of Waterloo) and Micahel Wolfson (University of Ottawa)
Academic Discussant: Frances Woolley (Carleton University)
Deloitte Discussant: Paul Walker

2014 Symposium - International Tax Planning: Canada and the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project

Toronto, May 19-20

Panel: “International Tax Planning: Canada and the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project"
Moderator:
Christy MacDonald, Deloitte
Panelists:

  • Albert Baker, Global Tax Policy Leader, Deloitte
  • Art Cockfield (law), Queen’s University
  • Dhammika Dharmapala (economics), University of Illinois
  • Ken Klassen (accounting), University of Waterloo

New Developments at the Canadian Tax Foundation
Larry Chapman, Canadian Tax foundation

Papers Presented:

User Fee Design and Implementation Guide
Presenter: Lindsay Tedds, University of Victoria
Academic Discussant: Marion Steele, University of Guelph
Deloitte Discussant: Charles Taylor

Estimating downside Tax Risk: Exploration of Unfavourable Tax Settlements
Presenter: Andrew Bauer, University of Illinois
Academic Discussant: Michael Smart, University of Toronto
Deloitte Discussant: Muris Dujsic

Taxing Indirect Transfers: Improving an Instrument for Stemming Tax and Legal Base Erosion
Presenter: Wei Cui, University of British Columbia
Academic Discussant: Jinyan Li, York University
Deloitte Discussant: Jay Niederhoffer

Piercing the Veil - Private Corporations and the Income of the Affluent
Presenter: Michael Wolfson, University of Ottawa
Academic Discussant: Devan Mescall, University of Saskatchewan
Deloitte Discussant: Christy MacDonald

Policy Preferences and Expertise in Canadian Tax Adjudication
Presenter: Benjamin Alarie, University of Toronto
Academic Discussant: Frances Woolley, Carleton University
Deloitte Discussant: Tom Crowe, Deloitte

2013 Symposium – Tax Avoidance and the 2013 Budget

Toronto, June 20 – 21

Panel:  Tax Avoidance and the 2013 Budget
Moderator: Heather Evans, Deloitte
Panelists:

  • Wayne Adams, Canadian Tax Foundation (formerly CRA)
  • Ben Alarie, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
  • Neil Brooks, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Ken Klassen, School of Accounting and Finance, Univ. of Waterloo
  • Charles Taylor, Deloitte

Keynote Speaker:  Robin Boadway, Department of Economics, Queen's University

Papers Presented:

The Effect of Taxes on the Global Equity Supply Chain of Multinationals
Presenter:  Kevin Markle, School of Accounting and Finance, University of Waterloo
Academic Discussant:  Michael Smart, Department of Economics, University of Toronto
Deloitte Discussant:  Julia Belova, Deloitte

Tax Havens and Strategic Trade Policy – Economic and Legal Implications
Presenter:  Geoffrey Loomer, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
Discussant:  David Duff, Faculty of Law, UBC

Activist-Driven Tax Policy
Presenter:  Allison Christians, Faculty of Law, McGill University
Discussant:  Maureen Donnelly, Faculty of Business, Brock University

Financial Constraints and the Incentive for Tax Planning
Presenter:  Alexander Edwards, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Academic Discussant: Kathleen Powers, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas
Deloitte Discussant:  Shiraj Keshvani

The Timing and Direction of Statutory Rate Changes by the Canadian Provinces
Presenter:  Bev Dahlby, Department of Economics, University of Calgary
Academic Discussant:  Anindya Sen, Department of Economics, University of Waterloo
Deloitte Discussant:  Charles Taylor, Deloitte

Tax Credits for Foreign Location Shooting of Films: No Net Benefit for Canada
Presenter:  John Lester (formerly Dept. of Finance in Ottawa)
Academic Discussant:  Marion Steele, Department of Economics, University of Guelph
Deloitte Discussant:  Albert Baker

2012 Symposium – Review of Federal Support to Research and Development

Toronto, June 21-22

Panel:  Discussion of tax incentives for R&D, including both the budget proposals and the Jenkins panel, Review of Federal Support to Research and Development (report released October 2011).
Moderator:
Christy MacDonald will moderate the session and open the discussion by presenting a comparison of the Jenkins report recommendations and the March budget proposals
Panelist:

  • Natan Aronshtam, Deloitte
  • Bev Dahlby, University of Alberta (and a member of the Jenkins panel)
  • John Lester, research director of the Jenkins panel
  • Ken McKenzie, University of Calgary
  • Pierre Mohnen , Maastrich University, Netherlands

Keynote speakerWayne Adams, Canadian Tax Foundation (retired from the Canada Revenue Agency)

Papers Presented: 

Sunk costs, extensive R&D subsidies and permanent inducement effects
Presenter:  Pierre Mohnen, Maastrich University
Academic Discussant:  Frances Woolley, Carleton University
Deloitte Discussant: Albert De Luca

Corporate Tax Compliance: The Role of Internal and External Preparers
Presenter:  Kenneth Klassen, University of Waterloo
cademic Discussant:  Alex Edwards, University of Toronto
Deloitte Discussant: Tina Lee Alex Edwards, University of Toronto

The Meaning of 'Beneficial Owner' in Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the OECD Model Treaty: A Canadian Perspective
Presenter:  Carl MacArthur, University of New Brunswick
Academic Discussant: Colin Campbell, Western University
Deloitte Discussant: Sandra Slaats

The Individual Impact of Tax Fairness Dimensions on Tax Compliance: Canadian Evidence
Presenter:  Jonathan Farrar, Ryerson University
Academic Discussant: Thaddeus Hwong, York University

Tax Avoidance and Geographic Earnings Disclosure
Presenter:  Ole-Kristian Hope, University of Toronto
Academic Discussant:  Suzanne Paquette, Université Laval
Deloitte Discussant: Andrew Oldham

2011 Symposium – The Taxation of Corporate Groups: Loss Transfer, Full Consolidation, or Stay with the Existing Informal System?

Toronto - June 9-10

Panel: The Taxation of Corporate Groups: Loss Transfer, Full Consolidation, or Stay with the Existing Informal System?
Panel members:

  • Albert Baker, Deloitte (Moderator)
  • Brian Ernewein, Department of Finance, Ottawa
  • Charles Taylor, Deloitte
  • Graeme Cooper, University of Sydney
  • Steve Orsini, Ontario Ministries of Finance and Revenue
  • Michael Smart, University of Toronto
  • Allister Young, Brock University
  • Antony Ting, University of Sydney

Keynote Address: 
Reflections on Canada's Tax System
, Richard Bird, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Toronto

New Developments at the Canadian Tax Foundation
Larry Chapman, Canadian Tax Foundation

Papers Presented:

Prefilled Income Tax Returns: A Comparative Analysis of Australia, Belgium, California, Québec and Spain.
Presenter:  François Vaillancourt, Université de Montréal
Academic Discussants: Rod Quiney, Simon Fraser University
Deloitte Discussant:  Karen Wilkinson

How Does Transfer Pricing Risk Affect Premia in Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions?
Presenter:  Devan Mescall, University of Saskatchewan
Academic Discussant: Kevin Markle, University of Waterloo
Deloitte Discussant:  Muris Dujsic

International Tax Co-ordination: Lessons from the Past
Presenter:  Lyne Latulippe, Université du Québec à Montréal
Academic Discussant: Geoff Loomer, Dalhousie University
Deloitte Discussant:  Shiraj Keshvani

Repatriation Taxes and Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Tax Treaties
Presenter:  Michael Smart, University of Toronto
Academic Discussant: Ken Klassen, University of Waterloo
Deloitte Discussant:  Tony Ancimer, Deloitte

Price Discrimination in Income Taxation: Defending Half-Hearted Anti-Avoidance
Presenter:  Benjamin Alarie, University of Toronto
Academic Discussants: Graeme Cooper, University of Sydney
Deloitte Discussant:  Charles Taylor

2010 Symposium – Stock Options and Other Equity-Linked Compensation

Toronto – June 10 – 11

Panel: Stock Options and Other Equity-Linked Compensation
Panel members:

  • Shawn Porter, Deloitte (Chair)
  • Neil Brisley, University of Waterloo
  • Alan Macnaughton, University of Waterloo
  • Amin Mawani, York University
  • Peter Megoudis, Deloitte
  • John Ruffolo, Deloitte

Keynote Address:  Professor Daniel Shaviro, Wayne Petty Professor of Taxation, New York University School of Law

The new web-based TaxFind
Larry Chapman, Canadian Tax Foundation

Shift Happens: A Comparison of the Income Shifting of Multinationals in Territorial and Worldwide Countries
Presenter:  Kevin Markle
Discussant: Christy Macdonald

Substantiating an Allowable Business Investment Loss Deduction: An Analysis of the Key Elements
Presenters:  Maureen Donnelly and Allister Young
Discussants: Chris Wormsbecher and Joanne Magee

Curtailing Income Tax Relief for Cosmetic Medical Expenses
Presenters:  Ling Chu, Alan Macnaughton and Nicole Verlinden
Discussant: David Duff

Internal Control Quality as an Explanatory Factor of Tax Aggressiveness
Presenter:  Andy Bauer
Discussants: Andrew Oldham and James Chyz

Top Income Shares in Canada: Updates and Extensions
Presenter:  Michael Veall, 
Discussants: Peter Megoudis and James Davies