Every time Paul MacDonald gets the brown, Government of Canada envelope in the mail, he feels something akin to a kick in the gut.

That is because he knows its a letter from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) telling him his taxes are being reassessed SA国际影视传媒� again.

The Inuvik resident and owner North of 60 Medical Solutions Ltd. has had his taxes reassessed more than a dozen times since 2007.

SA国际影视传媒淚've never done anything wrong and I've lived here consistently for 15 years,SA国际影视传媒� MacDonald said on Tuesday.

MacDonald is not alone.

According to a document tabled in the House of Commons on June 20, Northerners had their tax returns reassessed at a notably higher rate than their southern counterparts.

In 2016, the reassessment rate for territorial tax filers who claimed northern deductions was 13.6 per cent. For other taxpayers in Canada, the reassessment rate was nine per cent.

In Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 13 per cent of taxpayers had their tax returns reassessed. At 15 per cent, Yukoners were reassessed at the highest rate.

MacDonald is frustrated he continues to be reassessed, year after year. He said he does not use cash in his business and always pays his personal and corporate taxes on time.

SA国际影视传媒淚 don't know if I'm on a hit list,SA国际影视传媒� said MacDonald.

SA国际影视传媒�(The CRA) is almost like the mafia, they're worse than the mafia.SA国际影视传媒�

He said CRA agents have hung up on him and that one time, the agency got a court order shutting him out of his bank account because it did not believe he lived in Inuvik.

SA国际影视传媒淚 couldn't even get money to buy groceries,SA国际影视传媒� said MacDonald. SA国际影视传媒淚 had to depend on friends.SA国际影视传媒�

Melinda Gillis and her husband, also of Inuvik, have had their taxes reassessed every year for more than 10 years.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have had to prove our residence every year,SA国际影视传媒� said Gillis. SA国际影视传媒淚t's exhausting.SA国际影视传媒�

NWT MP Michael McLeod said Thursday he has raised the reassessment issue with Diane Lebouthillier, the federal minister of National Revenue.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople a lot of times that are being audited are also of the greatest need, and they're expecting income tax returns that would provide them some income, and that's also delayed, so it causes a lot of hardship in some cases,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.

He said he would like NWT residents to have easier access to CRA agents, be it through more service counters or a northern office.

Cathy McLeod, the Conservative shadow minister for Indigenous and Northern Affairs, demanded an explanation for why Northerners are disproportionately reassessed in a letter sent last month to Lebouthillier.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's clear that (Northerners) are being assessed at a significantly higher rate, and she has to tell us whether for legitimate reasons, and if so, why, and if there's no legitimate reasons, she needs to take action,SA国际影视传媒� McLeod said in an interview on Tuesday.

A reassessment, said McLeod, is SA国际影视传媒渁nxiety provoking. It's time consuming and of course it takes sometimes significant additional work.SA国际影视传媒�

Andy Wong, a Yellowknife accountant (and News/North columnist) with thorough knowledge of the Northern tax regime, says Northerners do get their tax returns reviewed at a high frequency.

One reason for this, said Wong, is the complexity of the northern travel deduction.

Northern residents may be eligible for a tax deduction for trips outside the territory, depending on their employment agreement.

The amount which Northerners may claim for travel, however, is based on a rather oblique figure, said Wong SA国际影视传媒� the lowest return airfare ordinarily available.

That number is difficult to ascertain, both for the taxpayer and the CRA.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's a tax law that states you that can claim up to the lowest return airfare ordinarily available and the tax law was not written by the CRA, it was written by politicians,SA国际影视传媒� said Wong.

SA国际影视传媒淪o the CRA and taxpayers are left to struggle to make sense of what that amount is.SA国际影视传媒�

Canadian North and First Air will provide a figure for the lowest return airfare available on a particular date of travel, if asked, said Wong.

He said the CRA is working on clarifying the Northern travel deduction and that a guideline is expected in 2019.

Claiming a Northern living allowance can also send red flags aflutter, but this complication is easier to remedy, said Wong.

Taxpayers need simply to submit their property tax statement or rental agreement document.

Wong also noted that once a taxpayer is reassessed, he or she is guaranteed to be audited the following year.

Wong said the best way to avoid getting reassessed is to file taxes through the mail.

SA国际影视传媒淯nfortunately, that's the way I would recommend because that forces you to document everything you are claiming.SA国际影视传媒�

Jeremy Ghio, spokesperson for the minister of National Revenue, said Lebouthillier is aware of Northern residents' concerns related to reassessments.

Ghio said the Lebouthillier has asked the CRA to develop a SA国际影视传媒淣orthern Strategy for Service.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭his will advance a solution that addresses the unique realities of living in CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 remote northern regions,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he strategy promises to improve service and the northern residents deductions administrative practices to help address issues faced by Northerners.SA国际影视传媒�