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HST Is Not Going Away

By Ben Meisner

Monday, August 24, 2009 03:45 AM

The reason for the provincial government hoping to introduce the HST may be buried in the financial picture of the province.

During the election we were told that the deficit would be no larger than $400 million dollars. That was a pipe dream then as it is now. We are more likely to have a deficit of between 2 and 3 billion dollars.

So what is the province doing to try and shine a better light on their predictions? Well the Federal government will contribute $1.6 Billion towards making those figures look better if the province signs on. Reason enough to take the plunge? Of course it is.

That combined with more than three years to go to the next provincial election and a history that the voter’s memories are far shorter two years much less three, gives them ample reason.

There are other reasons of course; Gordon Campbell will not fight the next provincial election. Following the 2010 Olympics (and before the hangover by way of further deficits arrives) he will quit the post.

When you seek re election as he did, you don’t say that you won’t run in another election, that paints you as a lame duck Premier, and he wasn’t doing that.

So what have we?  Well we have the HST, the province needs the money.  Is it revenue neutral?   No way.  Will the savings that large companies make as a result of the method of applying the tax be passed onto the average BC resident?  Not likely , but we will have more to say about that in a later comment.

Someone in the Liberal Cabinet will be called upon to pick up the pieces in the next provincial election. The speculation will begin shortly and no one wants to be first out of the gate.

In the meantime, buckle up, you will be paying more for your goods and services under the HST, that is a given.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.  


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Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Comment Posted by: Denaljo on August 24 2009 5:35 AM
Vee haff waze uff making yuh pay! Und yuh vill like itt! A tax tax tax tax tax...
Comment Posted by: Eagleone on August 24 2009 5:38 AM
I noticed Pat Bell last night on TV was saying something along the lines of everyone should have know about HST because the major forest companies and Chamber of Commerce had been calling for it for years (so we know Pat Bell is a big HST supporter)... I guess thats what the forest company CEO letter to the voters instructing a liberal vote just days before the election was really all about... in Pat Bells words the forest companies will make $140 million a year under the new HST rules where taxation is reimbursed for corporations and made up for by the average Joe consumer....
Comment Posted by: Palopu on August 24 2009 7:58 AM
As long as we cave in to these tax increases without putting up a fight, we of course lose.

The HST is not a given yet. The number one priorty is to have it kicked the hell out before it gets in.

Vanderzalm has the right idea. Set up Captians in every riding, and then get volunteers to go door to door to get signatures, and if you can get 10% of the voters in each riding to sign, then he can force this issue to a referendum. He has ninety days to get the signatures once the precess starts. It should start sometime in mid September.

Once people have a vote on this issue, it is dead in the water, and the powers to be will have to live with the taxes that are presently in place.

As usual the Politicians (Liberals) run around like chicken little complaining about how bad the PST is, expecting us to forget that is was GOVERNMENTS that implemented the PST, and you can rest assured that when they did, they told us that it was a great tax, and was really needed. These guys are all bogus blowhards.

Be sure to sign the Vanderzalm petition, and get a referendum.

I would say that it is a little early to be calling this issue a done deal.
Comment Posted by: CaringSoul on August 24 2009 8:11 AM
The GST is againts the constitution and againts the law. The federal government is not suppose to tax the people directly. Combining these two taxes therefor in my oppinion is againts our rights. All you have to do is look up our constituion sections 91 and 92 and you have your answer. The federal government paid BC 1.6 billion dollars to do this, that in itself is very suspicious.
Comment Posted by: gus on August 24 2009 8:49 AM
"All you have to do is look up our constituion sections 91 and 92 and you have your answer."

I did. Here is what it says ....

Powers of the Parliament
91. ...... the exclusive Legislative Authority of the Parliament of Canada extends to all Matters coming within the Classes of Subjects next hereinafter enumerated; that is to say, —
91.3. The raising of Money by any Mode or System of Taxation.

Exclusive Powers of Provincial Legislatures
92. In each Province the Legislature may exclusively make Laws in relation to Matters coming within the Classes of Subjects next hereinafter enumerated; that is to say, —
92.2. Direct Taxation within the Province in order to the raising of a Revenue for Provincial Purposes.

As I understand it, the portion of the HST attributable to the province is collected through a single agency and returned to the province, much the same way as the provincial portion of the income tax is collected by Canada. There is plenty of precedent of how this works.
Comment Posted by: RUEZ on August 24 2009 8:54 AM
Gordon Campbell is a deceitful liar, and should be kicked out of office as fast as humanly possible.
Comment Posted by: redneck on August 24 2009 9:02 AM
Absolutely