Bill Vander Zalm & Bill Tieleman at launch of Fight HST citizens Iniative campaign April 6, 2010 at Kitsilano High School. - Cassandra photoWhat It Would Take to Recall BC Liberals over refusal to listen to public and eliminate the HST
Odds of recalling MLAs over HST will grow as tax hits and public feels ignored
Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column
Tuesday June 29, 2010
By Bill Tieleman
"Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government."
- Former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
On June 30, the Fight HST citizens initiative petition signed by over 700,000 British Columbia voters demanding the Harmonized Sales Tax be killed will be delivered to Elections B.C. in Victoria.
And on July 1 -- Canada Day -- the B.C. Liberal government will ignore that unprecedented and historic exercise in direct democracy, imposing the new 12 per cent HST that will shift $2 billion in taxes onto consumers from big businesses.
Premier Gordon Campbell, Finance Minister Colin Hansen and B.C. Liberal MLAs will show contempt not only for the initiative process that obtained almost as many signed petitions as their party got votes in the 2009 provincial election --751,791 -- but for poll after poll showing overwhelming opposition to the HST.
Instead of listening to the will of the people, this bad government will push ahead with a tax that will dramatically and negatively hurt B.C. consumers, with a Statistics Canada study estimateing the average household will pay an extra $521 more in HST every year.
Rather than respecting public opinion, this autocratic government will push an extra seven per cent tax down British Columbians' throats on everything from restaurant food to domestic airline tickets to home repairs, cleaning and renovation to realtor and accounting fees to concert and sports tickets to gym memberships to dry cleaning to massage therapy to funeral services to investment counselling fees to new homes over $525,000 right down to postage stamps.
There is now only one answer to such an autocratic, undemocratic government -- to recall its elected members.
Ignoring the message
I proposed recall in this column Aug. 11, 2009, arguing that: "The appropriate response to abuse of power is to remove power."
The citizens initiative petition led by Fight HST leader and former B.C. premier Bill Vander Zalm that I support has given the B.C. Liberals a clear indication of just how angry British Columbians are with the HST -- a tax that party denied they would impose before the May 15, 2009 election.
And the citizens initiative provided Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen an opportunity to reverse their serious mistake by cancelling the HST.
Despite this, the B.C. Liberal government has rejected every single indication from the people that the HST is despised. They even ignored one of their own cabinet ministers -- Blair Lekstrom -- who resigned from the B.C. Liberal caucus over imposing the HST.
The initiative process has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams from when I first proposed it here on Aug. 18, 2009. The NO BC HST Facebook protest group I started last July after the HST was announced has also had a fantastic response -- today it has over 136,000 members.
But the initiative -- as powerful an expression of public will as it is -- cannot stop or reverse the HST. Its main purpose has been to unmistakably demonstrate widespread voter anger and give the B.C. Liberals a chance to repent.
Whether the initiative results in a non-binding vote in September 2011 or the introduction of the initiative's HST Extinguishment Act in the B.C. Legislature, the government is under no obligation to kill the HST.
So now is the time for even more dramatic action against a government that simply will not listen to reason -- make them listen to the recall of their own MLAs who voted to impose the HST.
Recalls face a high bar
Recall is a very tough test -- to remove an MLA from office requires obtaining the signatures of 40 per cent of those voters registered in the riding at the time of the 2009 election within 60 days.
But just like the extremely challenging initiative rules -- obtaining 10 per cent of all registered voters in every one of B.C.'s 85 ridings in 90 days -- it definitely can be done.
There are now at least 11 ridings where the B.C. Liberal MLA got fewer votes than the number of voters who signed the citizens initiative petition.
And Fight HST has released a "hit" list of 24 B.C. Liberal MLAs who could be targets for recall campaigns when they are officially permitted, starting November 15.
Canada Day marks HST era
I predict a firestorm of anger will erupt starting on Canada Day as British Columbians who have not been following the HST controversy wake up to discover that hundreds of goods and services they buy are now seven per cent more expensive.
And then there's the one cent a litre carbon tax increase at the pumps, also effective July 1, literally throwing gas on the HST fire.
Life in B.C. is getting a lot more expensive -- and Gordon Campbell and his MLAs will pay a high price for imposing the HST.
31 comments:
No comment on the business coalition launching a judicial review of the petition? I figured yesterday with Dear Leader's comments in the globe that he had his business minions lined up to challenge the anti-HST petition. And what a surprise with the timing.
WHat about the NDP MLAs? They should be recalled too if they don't publicily endorse the idea that an NDP government would get rid of the HST.
there goes the every-four-year-provincial-election-cycle
Get your collective asses in gear and get in the face of your NDP MLA and tell him or her that if he or she does not endorse in public NOW repealing the HST within 6 months of re-election, you'll do what you need to do to have him or her lose their JOB.
GET THE NDP TO ENSURE THEY REPEAL THE HST IF THEY BECOME GOVERNMENT!!
NOW!!!
MOVE IT!
"No comment on the business coalition launching a judicial review of the petition? I figured yesterday with Dear Leader's comments in the globe that he had his business minions lined up to challenge the anti-HST petition. And what a surprise with the timing."
So this poser somehow knows Korean and heard Kim Jong Il talk about B.C.'s HST.
Amazing talent.
Even more amazing how this poster was able to exit North Korea without getting shot.
Could be material for a Passionate Eye documentary.
Vancouver Sun Alert - "A collection of business associations have filed for judicial review of an anti-HST petition organized by former premier Bill Vander Zalm. This challenge will require a judge to determine whether Vander Zalm's draft bill is constitutionally valid and suitable for introduction to the legislature."
If its not valid, does that mean that Elections BC dropped the ball when they said YES?
If the Judge rules against the Anti-HST forces, do you think twice as many people will sign on the dotted line AND then go after the MLAs....... you be the Judge.
9:45 pm is a Campbell apologist. The courts and big business cannot stop Fight HST. We will recall every Liberal MLA and overturn the government and then the NDP can get rid of this stupid HST.
"If its not valid, does that mean that Elections BC dropped the ball when they said YES?"
The petition drive and the results
are indeed valid.
"If the Judge rules against the Anti-HST forces, do you think twice as many people will sign on the dotted line AND then go after the MLAs....... you be the Judge."
Okay I will. The premise is on the convulted proposed legislation by VanderZalm,not the actual petition drive itself.
THe outcome of the petition drive will most likely be the government would in its decision go for setting a referendum, not going ahead with the legislation proosed.
"We will recall every Liberal MLA and overturn the government and then the NDP can get rid of this stupid HST."
The NDP has not clearly and distinctly said it would get rid of the HST.
James needs to state within the next week or so that the NDP WILL
repeal the HST, and that MLAs in her caucus WILL support getting rid of the HST within 6 months of the NDP becoming government.
No government including the NDP will repeal the HST. It's the correct tax system. Consumption tax is the perfect system.
Most interesting that the Fraser Institute and the usual collection of BC rape & pillage the world businesses are now forming a pro-HST fighting group.
Simple logic here, if the Fraser Institute supports something you know it is "bad for the universe"
Society, democracy and law should be on the other side of any issue the Burrard plutocrats generate.
note to: BILL, BILL & CHRIS, on your trip to Elections BC today . . . keep your bathroom door locked when you take a shower at the Victoria Bates Motel, since the thought of Premier Gordon Bates on the other side of your shower curtain with a long knife could be pretty frightning.
The GREAT SATAN
p.s. see you on the ferry
All this posturing and threats make for great fodder for the overseas media. I would think thatby now, most have heard of how corrupt Gordon Campbell and his government it - along with Campbells pre-occupation with his "manly image of being a great leader".
Wow, that usre makes for a real laugh if it wasn't so tragic - BC being led by an untrustworthy liar, who has no credibility or integrity, het frets about his public image. What a sorry sack of sh*t Campbell has turned out to be.
No doubt they will end up crying fowl after the petitions are handed over to Elections BC.
Thanks
@ANON 12:32
Consumption tax is the perfect system.
What the fuck are you smoking?
Taxation to be fair and equitable must be based on ability to pay - not necessity.
Were you born in the 16th century?
Guess you haven't much problem with the divine right of kings either.
The Tyee reports:
BC Conservatives VP Mischa Popoff resigns over HST
Fighting to cancel the HST was a way to finally stem the tide of over-spending and I have been greatly encouraged by the growing constituency of British Columbians who want to end the madness of over-taxation. But I now see that tax-and-spend madness has infected my own party.
If you dig through the morass of BC-Conservative Policy you'll eventually find a single clear promise to cancel the HST. We all know political policy is subject to change at a moment's notice, so let me tell you what's really going on behind the scenes.
Wayne McGrath, the President of the BC Conservatives has done everything he can to suppress internal debate on the HST. He and current Conservative MP John Cummins successfully deferred the passing of a clear anti-HST policy at the party's last convention, and since then have held countless secret meetings with select party members, along with other members of the federal Conservative Party, in order to water-down our party's opposition to the HST.
This is not what conservative British Columbians want and this is not what's implied on the front page of the BC Conservative Party's website where visitors are asked "Do you want B.C.'s economy to be more like Alberta's with no PST, or more like Nova Scotia's with an HST?" As such, this is something I can no longer be a part of.
BC TAXPAYERS WANT LESS SERVICES AND LESS TAXES. LESS SERVICES MEANS WE CAN LAYOFF GOVERNMENT AND UNION WORKERS OR ROLLBACK THEIR WAGES BY 10-15%. NO ONE HAS ANSWERED THE QUESTION HOW DO WE PAY FOR SERVICES WHICH THE TAXPAYERS CAN'T AFFORD. IT'S OBVIOUS NO ONE WANTS TO PAY TAXES SO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT. LESS SERVICES.
Change comes from the bottom up not from the top down.
Want to really get rid of the GST FAST?
Publish a list on every blog possible of all the businesses that belong to the Chamber of Commerce and encourage every consumer to boycott them.
When they start to hurt in their ass pocket you can bet they will be lining up to throw gordo and the HST under the bus.
CGHZD
The HST is a taxation system put in place by a very corrupt Liberal government to help a very corrupt corporate and private sector.
Hopeless Harper and his CRAC party(cons,reform alliance,coalition) started the ball rolling by giving his oil company friends 15 billion dollars,then put Canada in debt to the tune of 57 billion dollars. 55 billion will go to the corporates and their shareholders, so that should leave 2 billion for the general public. Numnut Campbell seems to be spaced out quite often
and not too bright,so it had to be Hopeless that told numnut to go ahead and bilk the general public in BC and call it HST. Numnut said duh OK. Oh yes these security people are some of the best paid non union people in Canada. will they be called in to make sure everything is going according to Numnuts HST plan? How would you like to be paid double time(traveling time) to go from BC to your your job in Taranta?
NO government municipal,provincial or federal makes money ,they have to get their money from your taxes.
We would hope the people who signed the no HST petition would let the businesses know they plan on spending less money .We have already let two restaurants know we are not supporting them till they come on board with 700,000ripped off people.
!!! BC taxpayers want less services and less taxes!!!
No no youv'e got that all wrong. We want more services and less taxes We could go on all night but one good example are the people involved with the health care system in BC. On the island we have VIHA.They couldn't care less about helping seniors. They are closing perfectly good seniors homes and forcing them to go to new buildings that were built by their friends.that feed the Liberal party. The ceo costs the health care system 1 million bucks. He gave himself a raise of over 100,000 dollars All of these positions used to be handled by volunteers. This BC health care group are filling their pockets with money that should be going to the public health care system. This group is basically more interested in helping their friends in the real estate business. This phony health care group in BC are costing our health care billions of dollars Basically they are Campbells support team
I agree with CGHZD, and I will be boycotting any business or service that displays the Chamber of Commerce plaque.
I will also not buy anything that has the HST newly applied to it (i.e. I will not buy anything that did not have the PST but will have the HST as of July 1, 2010.
Boycott the HST and the Chamber of Commerce!
"I will also not buy anything that has the HST newly applied to it (i.e. I will not buy anything that did not have the PST but will have the HST as of July 1, 2010."
Guess that means your hair will be very long and you'll need a bath (soap may be HST taxed).
Smell ya later.
"Want to really get rid of the GST FAST?"
Um, dude..
It's HST, not GST.
pay attention when we're writin to ya.
GST is gone. We're fightin' the BC Liberals to get them to get rid of the HST.
Do you read us, son.
Damb contributers get worked up and can't get nothin' of sense out.
No wonder our NDP is screwed. We're lettin' this VanderZalm fellow take our idea over.
Obviously the seniors don't get it. WE WANT LESS SERVICES, LESS TAXES. If no one wants to pay taxes and wants to scam the system, so be it. Just cut services. Let those who can afford it get services faster. Sounds great to me.
Funny thing pensioners and those who despise corporations. Your pensions, especially those of the "defined benefit" type pensions, if public companies stock tank, so those your pension amount. So you are actually hurting yourself. This included many superannuations, CPP, OAS, etc.
Enjoy HST while I'm in a the Caymen's. Tax-free and loving it. By the way, I only stay in BC 178 days a year. Don't want to soujourn for tax purposes.
Anonymous said at 9:40 PM PDT, " Guess that means your hair will be very long and you'll need a bath (soap may be HST taxed).
Smell ya later."
I guess you don't have anything meaningful to add to the discussion, so you resort to uninformed, silly comments. You do not even know if soap will be HST taxed - it is ALREADY PST taxed.
I travel a lot, and will make a point of getting haircuts outside of BC - so my current barber will lose a regular client and very generous tips.
I guess you don't have anything meaningful to add to the discussion, so you resort to uninformed, silly comments. You do not even know if soap will be HST taxed - it is ALREADY PST taxed.
PST doesn't exist anymore. As for silly comments, there are hundreds in many blogs including this one.
I travel a lot, and will make a point of getting haircuts outside of BC - so my current barber will lose a regular client and very generous tips.
Well congraulations.
Smell ya later.
Anonymous at 7:12 AM PDT.
Do you try to make yourself look stupid, or does it just come naturally to you?
If soap had PST on as of June 30, 2010, it has HST on it as of July 1, 2010. The 12% tax on soap does not change under the HST, only the name is changed from, PST and GST, to HST.
Can you figure that out? If you think really, really hard for a really, really long time and you just may get it.
If soap had PST on as of June 30, 2010, it has HST on it as of July 1, 2010. The 12% tax on soap does not change under the HST, only the name is changed from, PST and GST, to HST.
Can you figure that out? If you think really, really hard for a really, really long time and you just may get it.:
If you thought really really hard,
you wouldn't pay much attention to what is written in blogs.
Try not to be so serious.
But if you insist on being serious then get busy and get to the NDP MLA nearest you and ask:
(a) Are you going to repeal the HST
once the NDP becomes government?
(b) If you do repeal it, in what
products and services would the PST
apply to (same as before the HST or
something different?)
(c) if no PST as a replacement, how would provincial revenue be made? Increase health care fees?
What's comical about all this is that the NDP hasn't done much of anything on this subject, they've left Bill VanderZalm to carry the workload, and all the NDP has to do is just sit back and let Delaney split the vote, and we in the NDP don't have to do anything to prepare for the next provincial election when it comes to policy.
We jsut let the Conservatives and Tieleman do th work for us, and we get the benifits without much effort.
"If soap had PST on as of June 30, 2010, it has HST on it as of July 1, 2010. The 12% tax on soap does not change under the HST, only the name is changed from, PST and GST, to HST."
No kidding. So if there is no tax increase in soap, why squeal about it? (there's no change in the taxation scheme, jsut shown as HST)
As a previous poster correctly said:
"Smell ya later"
Some people are getting into a lather over nothing.
Enjoy the summer and be cool.
Anonymous 9:13 PM PDT
Your lather about the PST and HST make you look silly - chill out, and stop being so ridiculous, and making a fool out of yourself.
Anonymous at 9:06 PM PDT - do you realize how incompetent and stupid you make yourself look? Do you know how to spell check?
The "options" you outline are silly, and are obviously NOT the only possibilities - except for boot-licking Gordo boys. You know, the uninformed losers who will vote for Gordo and his band of lying crooks regardless of how corrupt demonstrate they are.
You just keep on LICKING Gordo's boots, Anonymous at 9:06 PM PDT. Lick them boots, lick 'em long and hard. Gordo will appreciate it.
The "options" you outline are silly, and are obviously NOT the only possibilities - except for boot-licking Gordo boys. You know, the uninformed losers who will vote for Gordo and his band of lying crooks regardless of how corrupt demonstrate they are. "
Far from it.
Consider:
- The BC Liberals will NOT repeal the HST.
- It will be up to the NDP to repeal the HST, and they have NOT said anything in relationship that they will do so.
- If the HST is removed, it will mean legislation for the PST to be re-instated since the PST was eliminated by legislation during the last session of the Legislature.
- If the PST is to be returned by an NDP goverment, what exactly does it apply to? Does it be re-applied exactly as before, or is there additional goods and services that the PST was not previously applied to that it might be within an NDP government??
- If the HST is repealed by the NDP government, and NO PST is re-established, where exactly does the
revenueb generated by the HST and previously PST come from? It has to come from somewhere otherwise the government is losing $ 1 billion or more in lost revenue.
and no it cannot come from corporation taxes or business tax increases.
Try learn a few basics and if the left wing is critical of the right, well then try to learn to take critical comment yourselves.
It is amazing the left wing can bevery critical of the right, but they certainly don't like critical comment aimed at the left.
It will be interesting to see where the BC Conservatives go, and it may be that the BC Conservatives could dump off more or more NDP candidates.
Would be fun to see..
a BC Conservative majority government led by Chris Delaney, with both the BC Liberals and the NDP as opposition.
BC Conservatives repeal the HST,
and return the PST to apply to the same things that the HST did.
Then what would happen?
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