Size, Causes and Consequences of the Underground Economy

Chapter 9The Underground Economy in Canada*

Lindsay M. Tedds

Introduction

The Bougons are a French-Canadian family that has recently achieved notoriety not only in their home province of Quebec but also across Canada. The father, Paul Bougon, bribed a Canada Post letter carrier to deliver fraudulent welfare cheques to the Bougon house. His wife, Rita, is a self-employed phone sex operator. Their eldest son, Paul Jr., engages in car theft, among other illegal activities, and their daughter, Dolorès, is an exotic dancer/prostitute. The family also adopted a Chinese child, Mao, to help the family with computer scams. Not a penny of the income earned through any of these activities is reported to the appropriate tax collecting agency.

The family, ...