Thanks to all who could attend - a great launch to the Fight HST citizens Initiative Tuesday night with nearly 600 people coming out to Kitsilano Secondary in Vancouver-Point Grey to hear from former BC Premier Bill Vander Zalm, ex-Unity Party leader Chris Delaney and myself.You can see clips on YouTube for Bill Vander Zalm and Bill Tieleman by clicking on the links on each name.
More on this later but it was a faaaaaantastic start to a wild 90 day campaign that will rock the province and hopefully block the HST!
And now we're hearing great news out of Peace River North - where volunteers for Fight HST have already got more than half the signatures needed for the Initiative in JUST ONE DAY!
See Fight HST news release below:
NEWS RELEASE
April 7, 2010
FIGHT HST INITIATIVE PETITION FIRST DAY LAUNCH EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS
Vancouver – Bill Vander Zalm’s Fight HST Citizen Initiative petition launch yesterday exceeded all expectations for first day sign ups, says the former BC premier.
Elections BC would only issue the petitions on April 6th, so the first day was spent madly rushing to print and get petitions into the hands of canvassers. However, despite the challenges, thousands of signatures were gathered at several locations throughout the province, with Ft. St. John taking the prize with over 1,800 sign ups in one day – a new provincial record.
Alvin Stedel, Regional Organizer for The Peace, said they started at 8:00am yesterday and weren’t able to leave until 10:30pm when the deluge of voters slowed enough to do a final tally. They ended the day with a total of 1,820 signatures – over half the amount required for the North Peace’s overall petition target of 3,387 signatures representing 15% of registered voters there.
“We were very pleased, and expect to reach our targets in both the North and South Peace within a couple of weeks here,’ said Stedel.
Vander Zalm says the kick off meeting in Point Grey was also a huge success. There, over 475 people signed the petition for the premier’s home riding, and joined hundreds more to pack the Auditorium of Kitsilano High School to hear speeches on how the Citizen Initiative petition strategy will work to defeat the HST.
“We were able to gather 10% of the required signatures for Point Grey in just one day! Once our troops get their petitions distributed to them and begin knocking on doors, we will increase that number dramatically in the next 89 days of the petition period,” Vander Zalm explained.
Vander Zalm says similar results will happen in other areas of the province once canvassers receive their petitions and are able to begin knocking on doors and taking signatures.
“Point Grey and Fort St. John are just the tip of the ice berg. These ridings, as far apart geographically and demographically as you can find in BC, prove that the desire on the part of all British Columbians to get rid of this hated sales tax is both wide and deep,” Vander Zalm concluded.
The Citizen Initiative to repeal the HST requires the signatures of 10% of registered voters in all 85 electoral districts in BC to be successful. Fight HST is targeting 15% or better in each riding to ensure a safe margin of victory. Signature gathering by canvassers will take place mostly on evenings and weekends, with some central location sign-ups planned for each region.
58 comments:
Oh what fun! All this momentum hopefully will lead us all to no HST and then, recall in the fall campaign. This is the first time I have felt any sort of hope for our future here in BC. It really is hard to get rid of gangrene eh?
I'm loving this!! Democracy in action. Go Fighthst!
I support your efforts but I think in the end HST passes based on the dictatorship of the parliamentry system and the tyranny of the party organization and leader.
The weak spot is the "party", the BC Liberals are not a real political party as much as a collection of opportunists and extremists held together by a local tin-pot dictator with personal issues.
Change will only happen when the glue that holds these predators together . . . GREED . . . is broken.
So forget the town hall meetings, take it to the streets, put 10,000 plus citizens in front of PacPress on Granville or the CTV bunker on Robson and Burrard and dare BILL BAD & PAMMY BOTOX to ignore you then.
After that, boycott all the businesses that bankroll Campbell and his Evil Empire.
Once you hit their wallets then the Greed factor is compromised and the Campbellite Empire will crumble.
The GREAT SATAN
Only 600 out of M4.4?
If it be inevitable the qestion still remains,
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO WAKE UP THE PEOPLE...
Yeah well good luck in that happening. Not enough volunteers to obtain signatures of 15% of the total number of registered voters in each and every riding. If that doesn't happen even in one riding, the whole provincial effort is finished.
Interesting media show. A disgraced Premier and NDPer teaming up, representives of two
parties that formerly went to political civil war againt each other.
Even if the signature drive succeeds, the referendum is not binding on the government, and exactly how is the "repay" of the accumulative HST going to work? Divide the total amount collected by the total number of citizens?
The only momentum that's happening is that caused by a heavy vehicle going down hill with a curve at the bottom with no brakes. Sort of like what happened to VanderZalm starting in 1988.
600 Bill?? I was there. Wasn't 600. Who taught you how to count??
Anon 12:49
Can we assume you are using the initiatives figure of 15%. Because all that is needed is 10% in every riding and from what I've seen and read, in proper newspapers, is that this thing will go through.
As far as your didding people who are trying to help the voting public, well I submit that sucks. Don't you have anything else to use than attacking a person whose misgivings are almost non existent compared to what your illustrious leader is doing. And by the way, doing it with a smile on his face. Well my friend, we are here to wipe his silly grin off his face.
And if the drive succeeds and this government doesn't do anything about a referendum he will literally be committing political suicide not only for himself but his whole party. Man what a legacy that would be.
And I might add that at the bottom of the hill just waiting to be wiped out in a crash is your grinning liberal party. Watch the grin change to a look of horror.
I guess anon 1249 fails to notice that around 85 percent of folks in this province do not support the HST. Gordo didn't support the idea either as he was working to get elected and then after the eelction he suddenly saw great need for it. He blew the bank on the circus and is not trying to pass the costs long to the tax payers.
My counting is better than an Anonymous poster who may or may not have actually been there!
I said "nearly 600" - Kits auditorium holds 650 and we obtained over 475 signatures on Initiative petitions for the Vancouver ridings. There were well over that number of people there in total.
So what happens if the NDP wins government in 2013? Are they going to repeal the HST, or take it down to a miniscule 2%?
You should tell your NDP friends to
get off their bums and actually take a real stand. They've been absymal as an Opposition so far.
There has been nothing from the NDP
on the issue other than Ralson wasting taxpayer time coming up with titles to the legislation.
Who is the real opposition here?
VanderZalm/Tieleman or Carole James/Dix?
Maybe VanderZalm should run for the NDP. Why not? No other party will take him.
hey tieleman, why don't you tell your readers everything about the recall process? It's called super majority vote requirement. Zero chance that you will get 50% of ALL REGISTERED VOTERS and in 2/3 of the ridings. Most people haven't heard of this.
Under the law, even if Vander Zalm collects enough signatures in every riding, and even if enough of those signatures are verified by Elections B.C., then the government would only be required to "introduce" an HST-repeal bill in the legislature. There's nothing in the law to compel the government to actually call the bill for a vote! (And even if they did, Campbell's Liberals could use their majority to simply vote it down.) If the government failed to introduce the HST-repeal bill, that would trigger an anti-HST referendum in 2011. For that referendum to succeed, it would need a "super majority" of voters to support it: more than 50-per-cent of all registered voters in the province (not just 50-per-cent of those who show up to vote), plus more than 50 per cent of all registered voters in at least two-thirds of all ridings
If you actually read this blog or my column in 24 hours or The Tyee you'd know I started off talking about Recall as the answer, then went on to press for an Initiative first.
Recall will still be a good option if the BC Liberals continue to drink the HST Kool-Aid.
recall still won't stop HST. HST is 100% guarantee. This campaign has no chance. AND THE NDP WILL NOT REPEAL ANYTHING IF IN POWER.
"Recall will still be a good option if the BC Liberals continue to drink the HST Kool-Aid."
Would recall be an option if the NDP wins government and they don't repeal the HST or reduce it to 2% or less and continue drinking lemon-aid?
Seriously. The NDP needs to take a solid stance against the HST and they haven't.
Why not?
All they seem to do is to put on a show on the TV news for Carol James.
Poor DPL. Not too bright. Polls mean nothing since you can interpret it anyway you want. 100% of us don't want to die but it will happen. If you cling to your 85% strongly against HST or be like Tieleman and hangon to his facebook claim, where is this overwelming support in rallys and meetings???? 600 is pathetic. Strong means hundreds of thousands on the street protesting. Instead nothing. You can spin it all you want but the majority still cares little about your cause since they won't even get off the couch. Remember a referendum or the next election, you need voters. If too few people vote, anything can happen. NOTHING WILL WAKE UP THE PEOPLE
PAB patrol is sure busy!
just what I was thinking, a lot of PAB comments (lmao)
The "Fight HST" is a good grass roots movement, and it will be VERY interesting to see how it plays out in the swing ridings (heh heh)
Can you sense it Bill T..Can you sense the BC Liberal fear.
You can smell the fear on their posts!
I am registered and have well over 100 hundred signatures waiting,I`m waiting for my petition.
I called elections BC today..
The charming lady stated they are swamped,they have never seen anything like this,hundreds of people registering to canvass everyday,they brought in extra staff!
Hundreds waiting for elections BC to verify their information..
5000+ canvassers, 3 months to collect signatures, 6 signatures per day X 90 days = 1,000,000...1 million signatures...Cut that down to 3 signatures per day and it is still 500,000 signatures,...200,000 more than required.
This sucker is cooking...
Cheers from your friendly neighborhood Powell River Persuader
Nicely put Grant - and that's why the Perfectly Abysmal Boys are busy here!
Vaughn Palmer's analysis of the nuts-N-bolts of repealing the HST in BC -- Local initiative can't overturn federal law Only the courts have the power to decide if the harmonized sales tax is unconstitutional -- 8April10.
The PABsmears are in fine voice! They still lie, cheat, and drink to much. Sort of like their leader, gordo the impaler. LOL, they are a joke like him. Onward to the castle, armed with information about the scoudrels over in Victoria. I also suggest that the MSM clan grow some balls and start to tell the truth about gordo. His political agenda, his lies, and his mental state. Off with his head!
and that's why the Perfectly Abysmal Boys are busy here!
That's a little harsh of you Bill. Not sure if these trolls are quite stupid enough to actually be PABists, but nevertheless, you should really feel sorry for the plight of those poor PAB proletariat out there. Can you imagine how difficult and impossible their job is? Like when Campbell announces a Soylent Green solution to the child poverty problem or something, how the hell are you supposed spin that? (A: The NDP are against it because it will create jobs). And can you imagine having to work for a tyrant like Campbell? I mean, the guy probably goes berserk and lashes out on them all the time because he's about as popular as chlamydia, but it's not like it's their fault. Incidentally, Mr. Gordon 20% Approval Campbell is obviously far more disgraced and hated in this Province than Vander Zalm. Not even close. But it is kind of PAB to offer some friendly advice on how to help the anti-HST campaign, i.e. by not teaming up with Vander Zalm. I disagree, we teamed up with Joseph Stalin in WWII to beat the Nazis, and it was smart politics. A Popular Front including bourgeois forces like Uncle Zalm is clearly working.
I am disappointed by, and frankly disbeleiving in, the number of pessimistic posts here. Lib Party Shills, perhaps?? We are exercising our rights as voters in a democracy by organizing against the HST, and we all need to be on the same side to accomplish this. Im looking for the designated place to sign up in my area. This government needs to be put in its place.
not that smart eh Grant. per elections BC http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/init/IP-2010-002-Approved-Canvasser-Listing.pdf There are only 1,956 approved canvassers out there. Not even close with your 5000 plus. Anything obtained by non-approved canvassers can hurt your cause.
Unlike anon 6:29 I actually use some initials for my postings. I don't support the HST for a couple of reasons, biggest being the way Gordo( maybe he's your boss)misled the voters claiming , after being asked by some association if he was considering it.Not going to hapen folks. Post election it was suddenly going to resolve all BC's problems. The man can't be trusted and has shown us, who actually think before voting that he is a nasty fellow. Come on anom, provide some name or initials when posting. Mine are my initials, you could do the same, but as anon you can take both sides of an issue. Pathetic person with not enough moxy to figure out a name for her or himself.
@ ANON 9:57 AM....
Don`t mince words with me,my application is in,as is 5 other people on the Sunshinecoast, there are well over 5000 registered canvassers...
Has elections BC approved them yet?
No they haven`t,but they will,like I said,elections BC is swamped..
And no,I haven`t taken one signature YET..But they are lined up,they have agreed to sign my petition(when I get it)...Everyone I have asked has said yes,not one person has said no to me.
July 5/2010...I can get 500 signatures in month easy...I have permission to set up in our local mall....
So Mr.Anon..Don`t put words into my mouth,call elections BC yourself and see how swamped they are!
I will take my voters list and I guarantee I will sign up 70% of registered voters in my area.
And you can take that to the bank!
grantg the fool. tha's funny that you can guarantee 5000 plus canvassers. it's okay if you want to spend your own time since you are probably already unemployed and collecting benefits. Us folks who work and pay taxes think a little different. Do you even understand the initiative, recall or repeal process. You don't. You can get 100% to sign and the government still won't do anything. That's the funny part.
Yes read Vaughn Palmer's article http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Local+initiative+overturn+federal/2776760/story.html Zero chance to win means zero chance.
Michael Smyth's unwinnable repeal rules article.
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Vander+Zalm+unwinnable+repeal+rules/2525346/story.html
Mr. Rooney..I don`t give a rats ass what Vaughn Palmer writes,he has his marching orders,in fact I am not sure where Vaughn Palmer borrowed this story from...There seems to be a lot of article borrowing from the real media,the bloggers!
Campbell can ignore the initiative,but he can`t ignore "Recall in the Fall"
500 volunteers ready to go into Point Grey and get Campbell removed...
And to tell you the truth,I hope Campbell does ignore the will of the people...I sense a BC Liberal party that will be wiped off the map forever.
Wayne Rooney,my oh my, busy working are you? But you have time to read Vaughn Palmer,time to visit me,time to visit Bill T,time to visit everyone on line, I suppose you have 7 minutes of time for porn sites too!
It appears rather than "Working" you spend your times "pecking away" at the keyboard and god knows what else!
Standing room only in Kitsalano,Campbell`s neighbors.
Bye Bye BC Liberals,bye bye corrupt Government.
See ya Wayne at the other hundred sites you visit all while "Working so hard"
Budda Bing Budda BOOM!
Got my application faxed in this morning. As soon as I get the paperwork, I'll be rockin' the hood. As for Wayne and his PAB friends, go nuts with the personal attacks on people who actually care about this province, you boys just keep reading Palmer, Vaughn, Baldry and Lane. We'll look after democracy, since you don't have the brains.
wayne rooney sounds a lot like a bitter agt,blogger with no clause?
hey grant g. LOL Of course election bc hasn't process over 3,000 canvassers application forms (sarcasm) and you are one of them. Nice try with 5,000 plus canvasser. Why didn't you pick gagillion bagillion. 100% signatures still will be futile. That's the point made by columnists Vaughn Palmer and Michael Smyth wrote. Even Tieleman thinks recall is a better option and still probably unwinnable (a big reach with the lawsuit as another option). May 1 businesses will start using the HST legislation and getting ready for July 1 (such as software, cash registers). HST is a reality.
So recall may topple the government but HST still happens. No one can guarantee a NDP victory. Maybe a new right center party emerges and the NDP loses again. The reality, HST has a guarantee 5 year life line and no party will repeal it. Also, get ready to face less services and higher personal taxes across the board.
Up here in my little town north of Kamloops I had to wait in line for 10min to sign the petition.
I had to wait in line for 10 min to sign the petition today in Clearwater.
Sorry about double post, didn't see it go thru first time.
You don`t get it do you Danen Paterson..Software is cheap,new software,old software,who cares..
I don`t care about the HST,I will be buying south of the border and online so my friend your cash register......
Won`t be going kaching kaching no matter what software..
Under the table,no bill,no tax..Those are the facts....
This initiative,protest,"Recall in the Fall"
You don`t understand,this is the line in the sand,BC Liberals are going down for the hundreds of lies and corruption they foisted on us.....They will be punished and it will be a lesson to all..
As for the HST for 5 years...Government can add exemptions,add taxes to teck Comenco/Ecana gas and slash taxes to a struggling forestry industry.
But you are that smart are you?
Do you have any business friends near the Alberta border,this tax kills their business...How about business near the US border,Canadian dollar is zooming.
You seem to think this is about a tax,it isn`t,it`s about a fraudulent election,an Habitual liar named Gordon Campbell and Colin Hansen,this is about a BC economy in full collapse,the HST will cost jobs,cost tax revenue and spawn a massive underground economy.
The petition is about democracy,about the people`s voice.
Gordon Campbell might be able to save his party by cancelling the HST...I hope he pushes forward..
No more Falcon/Coleman/Mc diarmid,no more Chong,Coell,Richard Lee....Say goodbye to at least 25 Liberal ridings!
As for your super complicated multi million dollar cash register software.......
May I recommend a $4.99 solar powered calculator,Wallmart has lots of them(PST not included,or batteries)!
Cheers
So sad, so angry grant g. You're not doubt a white guy, can't take care of himself or is family. Angry at everyone, especially the government. You probably been laid off, not much job skill or education, middle aged and has been replaced. Underground economy or shopping outside the province are some of your answers. WOW. You are a great example of being part of the problem, not the solution. Lucky for myself, I'm happy and life is good. And you can't tax that. Service cuts are coming. Hope you get your medical needs in the US or Alberta. Karma.
Well said Janice. So many people simply complain, name calling, etc but offers no solutions. If HST is repealed, there will be a huge shortfall in tax revenues. I bet grant g will say something like tax the rich. I bet 2% raise in PST and service cuts. It's all going to hurt.
Oh Janice Smith...You are right,I am sad,and embarrassed..BC leading child poverty in Canada for 8straight years..The lowest minimum wage in Canada..
Campbell fired 9000 woman HEU workers in 2002,the largest mass firing in canadian history..A premier who lied and sold BC Rail,people dying in dirty hospitals,gaming grant cuts to special olympics,funding cuts to autistic children.
A drunken premier who breaks the law,a premier who has lied his face off,no deficit laws,break the law,rewrites the law.
Education funding slashed,yet $350 million in subsidies this year and next to profitable banks..
A premier who is hell bent on destroying wild salmon,Enbridge pipeline to bring dirty crude oil and super tankers to BC,selling our rivers,scandal after scandal...Yes I am sad,sad for you Janice.
Very sad indeed,you roll over and let Gordon Campbell`s policies rape you of money and pride,you lay down and accept Gordon Campbell assaulting your parents financially.
Indeed Janice, you are the sad one,as for my intelligence,well dear,as a member of MENSA I will let the numbers speak for themselves.
Perhaps you haven`t read my blog,I fight for Salmon,for seniors,for children,for justice.
Perhaps you are unaware that (according to many reliable sources,and Bill T,to keep you out of trouble) IN MY OPINION,according to everything I have read...
Gordon Campbell had a child with Laura Dauphnee,he cheated on his wife Nancy,they are now divorced.
The man has no morals,yet you Janice roll over and take it..Circa 1933,how do you think that all got started.
But what the heck Janice,go roll the dice down at the new casino,have a good look at the $600 million dollar retractable roof,.....
Next time you try being a shrink,you might want to remove the shrinkwrap from your skull!
Cheers-Eyes Wide Open
Oh Janice,excuse me Fred Ulrich(whoever)
You PAB are too much..First off,according to Colin Hansen and Vaughn Palmer(check his archives)The HST is a tax shift,big business will pay none and their tax load gets shifted to the consumer...
Also,according to Vaughn Palmer and Colin Hansen the HST will bring in roughly $260 million less dollars to the Provincial treasury..
So the HST will mean less services not more..
You need more,Quebec has had the HST since 1991...How is Quebec doing,well,Quebec has the highest Provincial debt of any province(63% of GDP)...
Ontario no HST,Quebec HST,how many big businesses and head offices moved to Quebec?
The Atlantic Provinces have had the HST since 1996...And how are they doing?
Well,Quebec is the number 1 debtor,a have not provinces,the Atlantic provinces come in at 2..3..4 in debt to GDP ratio,all have not provinces..
So how is that HST working for them,need more?...Quebec is raising their PST part of their HST to 8.5% this year,and next year their PST part of their HST is being raised to 9.5%..Bringing their HST to 14.5%...
Nova Scotia is adding 2 points to their PST part of their HST..bringing their HST to 15%...
Yet Alberta,our neighbor,no PST/NO HST..Our neighbors south of us,no HST.....Oh Fred,and you seem to think the HST will bring the BC government more money,well,perhaps you should talk to Colin Hansen..
Because friends,the PST will have to be raised in BC to make up for the HST tax shortfall.
Budda bing budda boom...
Send out your A Team to challenge me,you hacks,no facts,no data,man Bill T...
You got Government crawlies all over your site,and the stupid ones to boot!
Cheers
Jebus Bill quit pissing off the BCLiberals! You should be more sensitive to Campbell's cronies.
Yes read Vaughn Palmer's article http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Local+initiative+overturn+federal/2776760/story.html Zero chance to win means zero chance.
Fortunately it looks like opponents of the Initiative are encouragingly making some pretty serious strategic blunders on the communications front, in my opinion at least, i.e. obsessing over Vander Zalm, or stuff like Comrade Palmer's silly strawman here:
But the anti-HST organizers shouldn't play the same misleading game, pretending the tax will vanish -- "poof" -- simply because enough people sign a petition.
To the contrary, it's Mr. Palmer who is clearly playing the "misleading game" here by "pretending" that organizers are claiming that the Initiative will immediately make the HST "vanish." Vander Zalm and others have been very clear and forthcoming about how the Initiative law is very weak, that this is an uphill battle, and that the petition is not binding even if enough signatures are collected. So Palmer's article here is pretty much worthless, without even needing to go into the wonkish and moot details of it. The media is desperately trying to pooh-pooh the Initiative by pretending that anything short of it immediately eliminating the HST makes the campaign an abject failure. The truth is though, if enough signatures are collected, you end up winning even if you lose. This significantly organizes and galvanizes opposition to the BC Liberals and increases the political price that they have to pay for brazenly shoving this down our throats (especially if the Libs simply balk at the petition), it incontrovertibly helps build momentum for targeted recall campaigns down the road, and if this is even somewhat successful it helps add enormous pressure on both the NDP and Liberals to repeal the tax in the future, as CITCA allows (and we would even get to keep the transition money if we zero-rated the HST in 2012 and then formally eliminated it in 2015), etc.. etc..
Er, zero-rate may not be the right term here I suppose. But, in my understanding at least, the Comprehensive Integrated Tax Coordination Agreement does allow for changes in 2012. You could theoretically just zero-rate the tax on things that the PST didn't apply to before, and make exemptions and such, effectively reversing the tax increase on consumers, and then formally annul it in 2015 and keep all the transition money.
"hey tieleman, why don't you tell your readers everything about the recall process? It's called super majority vote requirement. Zero chance that you will get 50% of ALL REGISTERED VOTERS and in 2/3 of the ridings. Most people haven't heard of this.'
Actually NO ONE has heard of this because you are conflating approximately three different things and getting exactly NONE of them correct. If you had said 60% then you would be describing the STV vote criteria that got defeated in the recent pretend election.
Recall is a riding by riding exercise. Unless I am mistaken, any riding that can assemble valid signatures from 40% of the voter's list for THAT riding is in IMMEDIATE need of a bye-election - similar to the situation if the MLA had died in real life, not just politically! Any riding where this requirement can be met, means that more people hate their MLA than probably voted in the last election for all candidates so that MLA may as well move to Burma or somewhere else where the Campbell idea of democracy is more fashionable - it would be a waste of time, if not dangerous, for that out of work scoundrel to even consider contesting the REQUIRED bye election.
Dear Wayne Rooney
If you need another "new one" (the one grant having given you may not be adquate) I'd be happy to tear you one! With all the waste you seem to have jammed up needing to come out, you may truly need more than two or three!
Oh yeah, you're busy working, what's the deal - the Public Affairs Bureau won't pay for time off for medical procedures?
Bit strange. Tieleman does not show on the list of canvassers, (as of today) and yet Delaney's family does as does VanderZalm.
Bill should get registered and then next weekend get his rear in gear and get those signatures,
clipboard and forms in hand.
kootkoot, If the application is approved, a petition is issued to the applicant (called a proponent) 60 days later. The proponent then has 90 days to collect signatures of 10% of the registered voters in each electoral district. The proponent may be helped by volunteers when canvassing for signatures.
When all the signed petition sheets are submitted, the Chief Electoral Officer has 42 days to verify that enough valid signatures have been collected. If the verification process shows that sufficient signatures have been collected and the financing requirements have been met by the proponent, the Chief Electoral Officer sends a copy of the petition and draft Bill to a Select Standing Committee of the Legislature.
The Select Standing Committee on Legislative Initiatives must meet within 30 days of receipt of the initiative petition and draft Bill. The Select Standing Committee has 90 days to consider the legislative proposal. The Committee must either table a report recommending introduction of the draft Bill or refer the initiative petition and draft Bill to the Chief Electoral Officer for an initiative vote.
If an initiative vote is required, a vote will be held on September 24, 2011, and on the last Saturday of September in every third year after that date. If more than 50% of the total number of registered voters in the province vote in favour of an initiative, and more than 50% of the total number of registered voters in each of at least 2/3 of the electoral districts in the province vote in favour of an initiative, the Chief Electoral Officer must declare the initiative vote to be successful and the government must introduce the Bill at the earliest practicable opportunity.
After a Bill is introduced into the legislature, the requirements of the Recall and Initiative Act have been satisfied, and any subsequent reading, amendment, or passage of the Bill will proceed as with any other Bill, with no guarantee of passage.
it's right on the election bc website. Vaughn Palmer is correct where Adrain and idiot patrol has no clue.
Austin
Go Fock yourself,you spineless saps,you see the writing on the wall.
Austin,you have shit breath,have you been kissing Crusty?Go ahead,attack Bill Teileman,attack Grant G,you people are jealous of heroes,fighters.
I find it hilarious that you PAB IDIOTS,or Anons would go out of your way from your JOBS,to come to a HST protest/initiative site to tell the heroes,volunteers,canvassers etc etc that it will fail,don`t you have a yes HST site you can visit,a site where you can sniff each other`s butt?
What is your motivation?Desperate shit breath,no info,no input,just hatred towards the democratic system.
Failed computer hackers,dummies that couldn`t entertain a dog on their blog,no balls,no jam,only green eggs and spam.
Austin,like Janice,Rooney and puny,and spooney,mooney,buffoony,and krusty shit breath,get a life!
Just estimating. From electionBC, there were 2,950,453 registered voters in the 2009 election. So you need 1,475,227 plus to vote in favour of the initiative. Only 1,640,452 voted. That's one steep hill to climb!!!! AND IT'S STILL NOT BINDING WHICH IS THE CRUEL PART. THAT'S THE COLD HARD FACTS. And to the self-proclaiming mensa guy. Next your gonna tell us your good looking, full set of hair and hung to the knees. Whatever.
11:23am post. quality post tieleman. not
Three points - one - please have a more civil conversation, debate or argument here! This is a free speech blog but I've been tested with some of the insulting comments people are firing at each other but allowed them so far.
Second - I am in the process of registering as a canvasser but as part of the core Fight HST team I've also been rather busy with media and events - but I appreciate your concern Anonymous 10:32 and rest assured that since I'm in Premier Campbell's Point Grey riding I will definitely be collecting signatures shortly.
Third - regarding my friend Vaughn Palmer's column yesterday on the HST - I've always made clear that the Initiative is non-binding on the government and I believe Fight HST has done the same.
But if the BC government - now or in the future - tells the federal government it wants out of the HST that will happen - period. The idea that there is absolutely nothing British Columbians can do if we don't like it is absurd.
Liberals won't be listening. It's all or bust. I'm betting Liberals don't mind political suicide. A new right wing centered party will emerge. History may repeat itself. We will be stuck with HST and Carole James still might not be premier.
Well Campbells three gas bags on cknw this morning were trying to tell the whole world that the hst is federal law and the province can't go back. Makes me wonder if any of my taxes end up in Baldry's or Smiths or Palmer's bank accounts.
@ Austin,you really are thick aren`t you.
First off,lets round off the figure to 3 million registered voters,the HST initiative requires 10% of the registered voters.
10% of 3 million is.....Drum roll please..
300,000 signatures
Divide 300,000 by even 3000 canvassers and those canvassers need 100 signatures each,and they have 3 months to collect those signatures..
And perhaps you missed this little tidbit...The HST signature collectors in the Peace river area..BC Liberal friendly territory ...They managed to collect 1800 signatures in their first day of canvassing.
Now once we have 5000 canvassers if each Canvasser collects 100 signatures(in 3 months)...That makes 500,000 signatures, almost double the required amount for the HST initiative.
Let me be perfectly clear,my sources tell me Campbell is freaking out over the massive campaign,3 MLAs want to resign, the whole caucas on masse want the HST stopped.
Everyone in the BC Liberal party are aware that Campbell is resigning after the spring session,he won`t risk being tossed out through BINDING "RECALL in the FALL"
So you PAB can huff and puff all you like,it won`t change any facts.
In our local community center,thursday is bingo night,I went there last night and everyone of the group has agreed to sign my petition,but I haven`t received it yet,but soon...
So,I have roughly 200 signatures ready to sign the petition,and I haven`t even knocked on one door yet!
Our man in Roberts Creek area of our riding has collected over 300 signatures since tuesday...
As for the personal attacks launched at me(first)...I get a little testy,I lost my cool,but why are you people here? You can`t stop the success of the HST petition.
Mr. Austin,how did you know I was good looking?
As for my hair,well,grass doesn`t grow on a busy street,but every year I shave my head bald,smooth and shiny,I look like the rattlesnake from WWF (steve Austin)
As for that other thing you mentioned,you will have to ask my smiling girlfriend,when she wakes up!
But that`s OK Autin,they don`t shoot dead ducks.
Cheers from your friendly neighborhood persuader
Interesting. Busy with the media and events, the fun stuff.Not the real important not seen publicly stuff.
Good for Bill, but not the way I would have done it. Would have gotten that form in to Elections BC first, then fiddle around keeping my self-motivated media presence up.
In fact, would have registered quite early so I could sign up
petitioners the next evening after being the entertainment at the Bill
and Will show.
Time is running on these things and
delaying means having to catch up.
Rather than 10 houses a night, should do 25 to catch up.
Doesn't look good when the third of three doesn't show on the canvasser list.
grant denial, a river that doesn't flow. the signatures accumulated only gets you a draft bill. If the draft bill is okayed, an initiative vote can then take place. That's where you need 50% plus for the ENTIRE REGISTERED VOTERS, which is almost 3 million registed voters in BC. So good luck getting over 1.5 million to vote, let alone vote your way grant g. Those are the facts menso. The collection of 10% signatures isn't even the hard part. And at the end, it's not binding. I think even Tieleman can agree with that. And Wow, bingo. That's a pretty advance game for a mensa member. Must take all your skill.
That's exactly right Bill. Funny how Palmer and pundits of his ilk can't actually quote anyone from the campaign suggesting that the petition is binding, meaning that all this commentary out there pretending that anyone claims that the Initiative will legally force the Liberals to rescind the tax is completely disingenuous and misleading. Although, I have to give credit where credit is due to Palmer, he's the most brilliant corporatist reactionary in British Columbia's entire State-Corporate propaganda system. And I've got my fingers crossed that he's getting into one of his take-down-Premier moods, as he's been hinting.
Would have gotten that form in to Elections BC first, then fiddle around keeping my self-motivated media presence up.
You know I thought that Tieleman was more of the Svengali in this campaign, you know, the man behind the curtain. It's Vander Zalm facing those klieg lights. And with all these breathless, excited crowds he's drawing out, and supporters he's enlisting--especially with the usually apathetic youth--we can truly call it "Zalmania." I'm sure that I'm not the only one out there praying that this all translates into the formation of a new, populist small-c conservative party committed to small government and tax cuts such as abolishing the HST and Gas tax, led by a fresh, young leader at the helm. I believe The Zalm is available. In my mind, there's always plenty of room in BC for more right-wing parties.
Everyone join my new Facebook group: "1,000,000 Strong For Premier Billy Zalm In 2013 With His New BC Tea Party!!!!"
Quote: "But if the BC government - now or in the future - tells the federal government it wants out of the HST that will happen - period. The idea that there is absolutely nothing British Columbians can do if we don't like it is absurd."
Didn't know you had a background in law Tieleman. What law school did you attend? Osgoode. UT. Queens?
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