Man refuses to pay tax at Home Depot and walks away saying 'play time is over'

A person from Canada is causing a stir online because they went shopping at Home Depot and decided not to pay the sales tax. This person, who uses the name @leaderofthefreeworld_ on TikTok, shared a video with the caption, “Playtime is over.” In the video, shot inside a Home Depot store, the man shows viewers his bill totaling $521.81. He says, “$521.18 — this was before tax for Hands Across Canada; look at that. I’m dropping money for Hands Across Canada.” The cashier asks, “Ready now?”

The man replies, “No, hold on,” and counts 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.”

The Conservative Party of Canada is running the "Axe the Tax" campaign. They oppose the carbon tax because they feel that, at a time when living expenses are already high, it is driving up the cost of goods like gas, groceries, and heating. However, there is some misunderstanding over "Hands Across Canada," which appears to be a different campaign opposing the carbon tax.

The Home Depot staffer requests the individual's tax-exempt number. However, the individual declines, claiming they have no loyalty to the king or queen. They kept saying they didn't need a receipt because they'd paid enough.

As they walk away, the employee tries to stop them, pushing a full cart towards the exit. The person corrects the employee, calling them "Ma'am," and then calls for management loudly. “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 anything. It’s not your job; you don’t have the authority to do that, ma’am.”

They get frustrated, feeling like the employee is overstepping their authority. Leaving the store, the person looks back at the camera, visibly shaken, and says, "And that's how you do it."

Many people showed their support for the man in the comments section.

One viewer wrote, “This is legendary, I love this guy!” Another said, “That’s what we all should be doing.”

Some commented, “Everyone should do this!!” and “Hate to be the worker, but I agree.” The original poster replied, saying he “really tried to be nice to her” but “could tell she is Karen.” One commenter found the best part to be when the person yelled, ‘I NEED MANAGEMENT!’ Hahaha.”

However, not everyone watching the video was impressed with this shopping method. “Hands Across Canada??!” questioned one viewer. “Is this how you treat people just trying to work and pay their bills? Absolutely disgusting behavior, worse than a child.” Erin, a small business owner mentioned how badly it can affect a small business owner. 

View the entire video here :

Follow leaderofthefreeworld_ here on TikTok for more such content about Hands Across Canada. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 17, 2024. It has since been updated.