The Opposition New Democrats have been unrelenting in their criticism of the Liberal government for its refusal to reverse course on the tax, and they've publicly supported a petition campaign that collected signatures from more than half a million voters opposed to the HST.
But the party also acknowledges even a change in government would do little to change the position the provinces is in: a five-year agreement with Ottawa that could come with stiff financial penalties if B.C. tries to walk away early.
I haven't really followed all the B.C. shenanigans over harmonization. Seeing Van Der Zalm on the tube gives me too many 70s flashbacks. But Left Coasters can take note of Tim Hudak's "dodging and darting" over the issue back in Ontario. If you think tossing out the Campbell government is step one towards an eventual repeal, think again.
Speaking with my dear parents, it sounds as though the BC Libs have problems that go far beyond the new tax. Also, I am told, when harmonization was introduced out here Gord Campbell eschewed the various exemptions McGuinty has put in place to quell the whining from various special interests. So there is probably room for the NDP to take a "mend it, don't end it" approach. But, again--sorry West Coast kiddies, get used to your new harmonized sales tax. It ain't going away, EVAH.
7 comments:
When Carol James & the NDP/BC Fed horde make snookey with Vandervalm you can bet they are up to a desperate no-good.
Gordo has to go, he knows it.
He'll wait for a bit - he faces a secret ballot Leadership vote at the party conference in November and he'll poll like made to see if he can win it. If he can't, he'll resign before the vote and then they'll use the hoopla of a leadership race to change the channel on the HST fiasco.
Then they have time to ride the economic recovery wave and challenge the NDP to tell voters what they would do . . . and become a target in the process.
BC'ers haven't forgotten the economic debris left after the Glen Clarke NDP government.
Van Der Zalm - whenever I've seen him on the news, he looks like he's more interested in his 15 minutes of fame and attention = wearing the expensive suits and sunglasses, pouring champagne like he was a movie star or something.
I don't know BC politics, but there's something about Van Der Zalm that makes me queazy - would you buy a used car from him.
I think you are mistaking the government of BC for Liberals. They are actually remnants of the SocCreds, and neocons.
I got an email from my MLA this morning that assures me the NDP plan is to get rid of the tax "sooner rather than later".
Fred should check his sources too, the economy under the NDP was stable and well run. Go read the Gazeteer or Northern Insights or BC Mary if you want real information about Campbell and Co. Inc.
"Van Der Zalm"?
You've obviously been in Ontario a long time.
"the economy under the NDP was stable and well run. "
Ya . . those fast ferries were a brilliant economic activity and the policy driven collapse of the mining industry was another brilliant piece of socialist policy.
http://www.votesmartbc.com/issues_badfortheeconomy
Fred, interesting website you've got there. How come it doesn't post who they are? Who's the membership? Pavco? The Independant Contractors Ass.? Talk about bullshit propaganda! Why don't you just come out and say that you are all for privatization of public assets and a nice temporary immigrant workforce. Shame on you! On Labour Day! Maybe you should call yourself "Bob from Burnaby" PAB.
Well actually most people here in BC understand that this repeal of the HST will take a long time if ever.
Most people are more pissed due to the fact that the BC Liberals out and out lied.Indeed Liberal machinations on HST were so blatant and in your face that it was pretty much a forgone conclusion that the HST petition would have little problem collecting enough signatures.
As for your "NDP meets reality" title it makes no sense,your partisan-slip is showing, yet again.
That said I suppose it could be said that if anybody got a wake up call it was the electorate,i.e the wish's of voters count for very little. The game is rigged,recall etc are structured in such a way as to make them meaningless.
Perception and reality being two very different things. But then Liberals know this indeed they are experts at playing the perception versus reality game.Although this time around the Lib's miscalculated their abilities to hoodwink voters.They will be made to pay a price for their dishonesty(a trademark of the BC Liberals) no matter what happens to the HST.HST was just the last straw for many voters here in BC,the anger crosses all party lines.
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