refusing tax canada

Canadian TikToker slammed for refusing to pay tax at Home Depot

A Canadian is stirring controversy online after shopping at Home Depot and refusing to pay the sales tax.

The TikToker, who goes by the handle @leaderofthefreeworld_, shared a video with the caption, "Playtime is over."

The clip, filmed inside an unspecified Home Depot, starts with the man showing viewers his total of $521.81.

"$521.18 — this was before tax for Hands Across Canada; look at that. I'm dropping money for Hands Across Canada," he says.

"Ready now?" asks a cashier.

"No, hold on," he responds, counting cash in front of the camera.

After paying the total without the tax, he picks up the camera and points it at an employee.

"Now, you can feel free to call your manager; do what you like," he says. There's the money. I refuse to pay the tax. I'm part of the Hands Across Canada Axe the Tax."

Axe the Tax is a campaign by the Conservative Party of Canada to end the carbon tax that's "driving up the price of gas, groceries, and home heating during a cost-of-living crisis." However, an online search reveals some confusion about Hands Across Canada, an unofficial movement against carbon tax.

The employee responds, "Okay, we need your tax-exempt number."

"No, I don't pledge allegiance to the monarch. I got proof — the money's there, I dropped the money. Have a great day. I don't need a receipt, nothing," he says, walking away.

"Sir, just a second," the employee calls out, pushing a full trolley towards the exit.

"Ma'am," he says, before shouting, "Management! I need management! Immediately! I need management. Please move out of the way, ma'am. Look, she's jumping in the way. Leave it! I put the f*cking money there! She can't do nothing. It's not your job; you don't have the authority to do that, ma'am."

He then leaves the store and says, "There you go." Visibly shaken, he looks at the camera and says, "And that's how you f*cking do it."

@leaderofthefreeworld_ #tiktok #trending #money #tiktokcanada #canadiantiktok #leaderofthefreeworld ♬ original sound - 🤝🇨🇦HandsAcrossCanada🇨🇦🤝

People took to the comments section to show their support for the man.

"This is legendary, I love this guy!" wrote one viewer. "That's what we all should be doing," said another.

Others said, "Everyone should do this!!" and "Hate to be the worker, but I agree."

The original poster responded by saying he "really tried to be nice to her" but "could tell she is Karen."

"Best part: 'I NEED MANAGEMENT!' Hahaha," wrote one commenter.

Not everyone who watched the video was impressed with this shopping hack.

"Hands Across Canada??!" asked one viewer. "This is how you treat people just going to work to pay their bills? Absolutely disgusting behaviour, worse than a child."

"Step one: film yourself committing a crime. Step two: post it on social media. Step three: get arrested," stated one commenter.

Another wrote, "Hey thing, great intimidation of an older woman 😒 pathetic."

Someone else asked, "Did he drive to the store on a road built by taxes?"

One business owner pointed out how such actions affect people's livelihoods.

"As much as I hate tax, as a small business owner, if someone refused to pay me the tax, I'd still have to pay it out of my pocket to remit to the government," they wrote. "This doesn't hurt anyone but the business."

The video currently has over 182,200 views.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

Lead photo by

@leaderofthefreeworld_/TikTok


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