What we really need is an option on the ballot to vote for people that support the working middle class and meaningful democracy with checks and balances that protect and promote the free enterprise economy. Until we have that, we will have more of the same us-verse-them politics of the extremists wings on the political spectrum and alienation of the middle class citizens (viewed as tax payers).

Time will tell....

What we really need is an option on the ballot to vote for people that support the working middle class and meaningful democracy with checks and balances that protect and promote the free enterprise economy. Until we have that, we will have more of the same us-verse-them politics of the extremists wings on the political spectrum and alienation of the middle class citizens (viewed as tax payers).

Time will tell....

NO! What we need are people to stand up and fight for what is right. Government needs to know once and for all that we are not going to let them continue "FREE REIGN! Get off of your couches and HELP! PLEASE. I was at the meeting and they also added that they have consulted with a lawyer and his opinion was that the HST was illegal under the constitution. There was also a paid liberal supporter who has volunteered to be a canvasser because she believes the people should have had a say. We need to fight this for the elderly, sick and single mothers if not for ourselves. It is time for big corperations to pay their fair share. Enough now!

If the unlikely happens and the campaign is successful, I believe the government has two options: a) referendum b) a vote in the legislature.

My guess is that they would go for option b). And guess how they vould vote?

Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong?

Recall in the fall,18 months after the election we can recall 8 BC Liberals and remove these corporate sell outs!

Especially when they roll out con-men like Jack Mintz.

http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2010/03/hst-shell-game-continues.html

What ever happened to the idea of taxing where the money is? I am willing to pay more if I think it will go to the welfare of Canada and not to pay for someone else's war.

long live the HST ! just what the doctor ordered.

Summersoul, that is just the problem. The money is in big business and it is being dumped on you and I. We don't have any more money. You already know your hydro is going up by 33%, now add the HST, another 7%. And look at the lead story here in Opinion 250. Terasen takes another jump.

If the Petition is successful, and option (b.), a vote in the Legislature, is chosen, it may not produce the result you're so sure it would, Mr. PG.

The first rule those we elect seem to follow on attaining office is that of 'self-preservation' in retaining office.

If the Petition is successful, and exceeds the number of names needed for success by a very substantial number, enough Liberal MLAs may begin to fear something in their future career prospects far worse than voting against the wishes of "fearless Leader." An irate public. One that'll well remember that they voted for a tax that their Constituents, of whom they're supposed 'Represent', clearly do not want.

We've already witnessed what happened over the proposed sale of the Coquihalla Hwy., following close on the sale of BC Rail, (which we were previously promised would not be sold), when the BC public balked and some of the Liberal caucus got a bit edgey over their future chances as MLAs if that deal went through.

Even the Speaker of the House, Claude Richmond at that time, took the somewhat unprecedented step of cautioning Campbell against selling that highway. He had clearly received the message from his constituents that Campbell's policy was not acceptable to them, and if it went ahead, he, and the Liberal Party were finished in the Kamloops riding. Other BC Liberal MLAs also had to find their voices, and advise against its sale.

And the same thing could happen with the HST. A determined Premier who acted against the clearly expressed wishes of more than enough British Columbians, especially ones expressed not in some un-official 'poll', but in a legally constituted electoral process, would certainly run the risk of at least some in his Party deserting him.

"If the Petition is successful, and option (b.), a vote in the Legislature, is chosen, it may not produce the result you're so sure it would, Mr. PG. "

Time will tell, socredible. I'd gladly bet you a coffee that the majority of the MLA's would toe the party line.

The Liberals already know that the HST is not supported by the vast majority of people in the Province, they don't need a petition to tell them that. Yet even with knowing that, they don't care. They've basically said as much and plan on forging ahead with the HST regardless. At the end of the day, they will do what is best for big business, plain and simple.

This doesn't mean that the efforts underway aren't worthwhile if you believe in the cause, because quite frankly, that's what democracy is all about.

Personally, I have no faith whatsoever that the Liberals will change their mind. If there was any backbone amongst the MLA's, they would've shown it by now.

That may be, Mr. PG, and NMG, but then again it may not. I'd say it depends on the number of signatures that are actually collected on the upcoming Petition. Lets make it large, and see.

As President Roosevelt once remarked about his role in the political process, "It's my job to yield to pressure." That applies to all our politicians here, too.

And it's OUR job, if we're truly tired of continually paying "more" in taxes, yet still getting ever the "less" for them afterwards, to apply that pressure.

You can rest assured that the pressure that has already been applied on Campbell and Co. to HAVE the HST has come from large, exporting businesses and the big Banks.

They will be the only real 'financial' beneficiaries from its enactment. And while they might contribute the most to the BC Liberal Party's campaign funds, neither one has the VOTE. That rests with us. We, the people, as the line goes.

Socredible has it right. The Liberals know that they have opened a can of worms with this HST, and if we keep the pressure up and get the necessary signatures, then they will have to make some changes. I suspect that they will not have the balls to vote it down in the legislature, and they probably will not want it to go to a referendum.

Very soon now, as the number of signatures increases, as canvassers go door, to door, and people continue to write letters to the news media expressing their displeasure with this tax, the Liberals will have to take some action.

To do nothing and allow this legislation to get to the floor of the house, or to go to referendum is not an option. They will try to do something that will give them some momentum, and then deal with the petition.

I wonder what it will be. Reduce the HST to 10% so that business still gets the benefits, but taxpayers dont get the shaft. Problem with that scenario is they will not be able to get any additional money from the HST. In any event at the end of the day this may very well be their only out.

The alternative to not dealing with this issue in an honest and upfront manner will be to lose the next election pure and simple.

Dont forget that in addition to the HST these goonies will increase hydro by 33%, and have basically stolen $780 Million from ICBC. God know what else they have up their sleeves, however I can gaurantee you that anything less than full and honest Government from this point onward will cost them the next election.

Think about all of the government bailouts that recently happened in the US. The public was overwhelmingly against government bailouts, probably 100 to 1 opposed, but they went ahead and did it anyway.

Interesting times ahead.

Yes, they did, Mr. PG. But the US bailouts only *temporarally* averted a larger impending disaster that is going to return with a vengence at some point in the future. That's what the US public sensed, and the US public is right. The bailouts didn't fix the underlying problem. Sure, they precipated a change of elected 'Administration'. But so far, at least, not any change in 'Policy'.

This is where we have a unique opportunity before us with the upcoming Petition process. We don't have to change the elected'Administration'. Even though more than a few would also relish that prospect.

We don't have to put in Ms. James to do essentially the same thing in the area of "Finance" we threw out Mr. Campbell for doing.

We can address one single issue here ~ what we do not find acceptable as a means of dealing with it ~ the HST, DIRECTLY.

We don't want the HST as it is presently constituted.

Beyond that, it will eventually have to be made clear to ALL our politicos , that any plethora of new taxes like the HST, Carbon Tax, any unnecessary B C Hydro rate increases that only increase the government's take, any government raids on ICBC surpluses, and any pretenses that the 'bribe' the Feds offered to adopt the HST is anything other than 'our' money, are NOT ever going to solve the problem here.

These are no more than 'band-aid' solutions. All of them.

Only what the 'band-aid' is trying to cover up is not a simple abrasion that needs protection and time to heal, but more in the nature of a cancer or flesh-eating disease. We can hide it, but it's still active under the 'band-aid', and as it grows, it kills the patient.

Our taxes and other government 'takings' do NOT *directly* fund the services that are provided through government. They service LOANS the government has incurred to provide these services.

There would be little problem with this IF the entire economy were financially fully "self-liquidating". In other words, if what had been issued as LOANS in "costs", (what has been paid out in the WHOLE economy to actually provide goods and services to the public, BOTH through the private sector and through government), could always be FULLY RECOVERED from the public in "prices" and/or "taxes".

Unfortunately, under the current arrangements of finance, it can't be. This is the issue that needs to be rectified. And soon. Not finding new ways to tax away from us 'money' that is already collectively insufficient in its totality to do the job it is supposed to be able to do.