I suppose that ignoring the fact that the HST was a FEDERAL initiative several years ago, and that the FEDERAL government has been keen to get provinces on board ever since the HST's introduction might allow for the comments made, but to say that the FEDERAL government is not involved at all is nonsense.

Now may be it was the Liberals who actually introduced it (I can't recall) but certainly the Harper Conservatives appear to have pushed the HST in the case of BC. That makes them a fair target during an election. It is called democracy.

There are no known active plans or efforts by any party in Ottawa to scrap or undo the HST in any or all of the provinces which already have it in place. Boone is barking up the wrong tree and she is counting on voter confusion as to where the pressure needs to be applied.

Harper wants to convert as many provinces as possible to the HST system. The NDP doesn't have the numbers in Ottawa to mount any real opposition against it and the BCNDP if elected doesn't want to scrap it either in B.C.

Perhaps she should have left the HST issue out of her campaign plans and simply hope that the present wide spread anger of voters everywhere could somehow be beneficial to her.

Boone is simply using an old political trick that has been around as long as elections.
Focus on a hot topic and side with the majority,either yes or no, depending which side is stronger, in hopes of scooping some support and votes.
She doesn't have a hope of doing anything about the HST and she knows it.
Nothing more than political spin and rhetoric, with no substance.

Bye bye Grant!

I'm not a fan of Lois Boone ever since the last round of school closures. I went to several of the public information sessions and I was astounded by her arrogance.

Re HST...
OK so now i have done some research on this question because it has been all over the board on these blogs...so here are the facts of the story, which you're welcome to check.

1. The federal Liberals introduced the HST provisions in the late mid 90's in response to requests from some of the provinces who wanted a one number combines tax. The provinces had rationale that it would be better for business and tax administration costs (theirs) would be far less.

2. The Federal Liberals responded to the provinces request and brought in the HST legislation and because the Liberals had a majority, it passed easily.

3. Included in the legislation was provision of a "transitional" payment to the provinces to assist them in the implementation.

4. Some of the provinces immediately notified the Federal Liberals that they indeed wanted to "opt in" to the new HST plan....and they did.

5. It must be noted here that the owness was on the provinces to request to "opt in" which they did and the Feds responded.

6. It also must be noted here that under our Constitution, the federal government must not treat one or more provinces differently that any others. Because to do so would violate the Constitution and the Feds would find themselves in court on a Constitutional challenge, which they would lose.

7. Fast forward to 2010 when Ontario and BC made request to the Federal government (now the Conservatives) that they too wanted to "opt in" to the HST legislation, which they were entirely within their right to do...remember the Constitution?

8. The Feds of course, under the legislation were bound to comply with the provinces request, which they did, or again...risk a Constitutional challenge that they would lose.

9. As mentioned, in the legislation there is a transition payment formula and for BC it worked out to some $1.6 Billion, which the Feds have paid to the province.

10. We now are in an HST tax regime in the province of BC and that is how it all happened.

11. Insofar as the Feds involvement, there is now way that the Feds can tell the provinces that they have to "opt in" to anything much less the HST.

12. As near as I can gather it appears that the only "pressure" that the NDP talk about was because of the Federal budget timetables, when the province asked to "opt in", they were told that of course they can under the legislation, but they only had a 2 month window to make the request formal or they would have to wait for 2 years before the Feds could deal with the implementation.

13. So all of you out there that want to check all this out, feel free to. I am sure you will find that it is exactly as I have written (so if you have a bunch of hours...go for it).

14. Now to the claims that the Federal government either Liberal or Conservative were able, and did exert pressure on the provinces to "opt in", wel thats just plain BS.

15. Finally...I am not surprised that Lois and the dippers are blaming the Feds...afterall this is politics, and the facts,truth,or political opportunity never got in the way of an NDP lie.

Amen

Thanks for this timetable of events!

Indeed, if HST discussions were ongoing with the Feds on a low priority technical basis by both Ontario and B.C. (and possibly other provinces) it is entirely possible that Ontario made up its mind all of a sudden to ask for an as early as possible implementation - leaving B.C. in a sort of predicament if it had to get on board by a certain deadline if it did not want to suffer reduced investment, job losses and capital flight for a couple of years.

I have yet to see anyone suggest that there would have been NO popular opposition to the HST if it had applied existing PST exemptions to the GST taxes, then combined the two. It was that application of the new tax to areas previously exempt (i.e. meals at seniors' centres, restaurant meals, etc.) that has caused the opposition.
Campbell says he can't escape the HST as it is facilitated by federal legislation. The federal Conservatives say they are helpless as it was a provincial initiative.
Is no level of government responsible? Are all helpless?

In short, Gordon Campbell sold us down the drain for a ONE-TIME payment of $ 1.6 billion to help cover-up his mis-management of our economy, while the Feds stand to gain at least that much, or more, ANNUALLY through increased Income Tax take from BC corporations.

Remember, the HST removes from their expenses ALL the money they previously paid in PST, improving their pre-tax (Income Tax)net earnings by that much.

That's money that would have all stayed in BC under the PST, but now flows eastwards to Ottawa's coffers. From which it will be dispensed to "where the votes are" by the Party in power. Which ain't here.

"From which it will be dispensed to "where the votes are" by the Party in power. Which ain't here."

Dick Harris and Jay Hill (ret.) would disagree! Here we have two practically unassailable Conservative ridings representing us who kept/keep re-electing them!

Did the other provinces who opted for an HST system also sell themselves down the drain?

Nobody noticed and nobody raised a ruckus?
Strange, to put it mildly!