>>>When I've visited Canada in the past, on my return to UK I've been able to claim back any GST or provincial taxes that I've paid on any service or purchase (incl. e.g. whale watching trip). It's like Canadians can claim back any VAT they've paid while visiting UK. Might this not be a similar case whereby non-Cans can claim back this "VAT"?
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>>VAT -- a wonderful invention for making a nation's goods economically uncompetitive.
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>>As an American, I guess I shouldn't talk. Between the gasping dollar, the ballooning national debt, and the ballooning trade deficit, the U.S. could be approaching an economic "perfect storm." It could get really, really ugly, like 1930s ugly. And that won't be just a local problem.
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>>Mike
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>"A rose by any other name...". It may not be the case in all the States but, when I was in NY NY, I bought a T-shirt and was disgruntled to find out that I had to pay a few extra bucks to what was on the price tag. It was explained to me that this was state tax, or purchase tax, or whatever - it was a tax on my purchase. This is true in Canada as well. Here, the price on an item is the price incl. VAT, so no unpleasant surprises.
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>Hey, with all this ballooning going on in the US, you sgould take up employment as children's clowns :-)

Clown, interesting suggestion -- I've got experience!

Yes, we have sales taxes, and they function the same way the VAT does. But they sure aren't 15%. If you paid "a few extra bucks" tax on a T shirt, you were bilked.

Mike