You are absolutely right! If you happen to be lucky enough to live in a country that the US has a tax treaty with (which Canada does). But that exemption only applies to money one makes outside the US, and not investments, one might have in the US.

But you are right, there is some help. Alas with the weakening US Dollar (or strengthening Canadian Dollar, depending on how you look at it) that 86k is getting less and less.