HST referendum in BC on June 24th

[PoliticalNick]

So it looks like the date is set on June 24th for the referendum on the HST in BC. Now Libs and Cons alike are calling for repayment of the $1.6 billion given to implement the harmonization. The NDP position seems to be that since the HST was actually instituted and the money was spent on implementing it that even if it is repealed by referendum that the payment was used for the intended purpose and the Feds should not try to get it back.

Wher does eveyone from CC stand on this?

 

[In Between Man]

Wher does eveyone from CC stand on this?

This household is voting to keep the HST!

It's only fair since we've already spent the money the feds gave us!

Plus, it will cost money to go back to the old system!

Further, the cost to you the consumer is minimal! You already pay PST and GST on most items. Anything that was GST exempt before is still exempt today!

 

[PoliticalNick]

This household is voting to keep the HST!

It's only fair since we've already spent the money the feds gave us!

Plus, it will cost money to go back to the old system!

Further, the cost to you the consumer is minimal! You already pay PST and GST on most items. Anything that was GST exempt before is still exempt today!

Got you fooled don't they. It is not the change to the application of the GST but the change to the application of the PST that has made a huge difference in the cost of many things including services, labour and gas.

 

[In Between Man]

Got you fooled don't they. It is not the change to the application of the GST but the change to the application of the PST that has made a huge difference in the cost of many things including services, labour and gas.

Suits me fine. Money is not an object to me or my household. I'm happy to receive money for infrastructure in my community from the feds.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Suits me fine. Money is not an object to me or my household. I'm happy to receive money for infrastructure in my community from the feds.

The $1.6 billion tranfer payment was only for the implementation of the HST. None of it was spent on infrastructure in your community or any other community.

 

[In Between Man]

The $1.6 billion tranfer payment was only for the implementation of the HST. None of it was spent on infrastructure in your community or any other community.

Not yet. Even if the government wastes it, why vote to pay the money back to the feds?

 

[damngrumpy]

This entire family is voting against the HST. I do benefit from it in my small business however
I don't think my customers should be paying my share of the tax load in this country. It is a
2 billion dollar tax holiday for those who can afford to pay. I suggest the system go back and
take off the taxes on things that were not included before. It should be reflected in the cover up
of the Provincial Government deficit. We did not have a 1.7 billion dollar short fall in fact we had
a 3.3 billion dollar deficit and they used the money to pay it down so it didn't look so bad.
Once again it points out how wasteful the coalition government in BC has been and they didn't
have the moral integrity to tell people the truth. Instead they worked with the Federal government
to cover it up, by instituting the HST and now they want to bribe us into accepting a lower rate.
If they can afford to reduce it, they have been ripping us off then and now.
By the way, I have separated out what the increased amount I have had refunded to me as a
business. If they do go back to the old system, I will have the money to pay the taxes.
I think it could likely pass though in the end, however the people of BC will take it out on the present
government. Wednesday will demonstrate something, if the Liberals win by a narrow margin they
have a problem and if they were to lose it would signal the Provincial Conservatives to become
more active. I would love to see the Liberals, Conservatives and the NDP in a Provincial election.
It is very likely regardless, that the NDP will come back to power in this Province after a vote.
The HST I think was the last straw. The present Liberal Party is somewhere near where the NDP
was in 2001. For the Liberals, the honeymoon period is just about over

 

[PoliticalNick]

Not yet. Even if the government wastes it, why vote to pay the money back to the feds?

Well that seems to be the big question. Can the feds demand it back when it was used for the intended purpose already?

 

[In Between Man]

Well that seems to be the big question. Can the feds demand it back when it was used for the intended purpose already?

Is it RIGHT for us to keep the money AND reject the HST!

Of course not!

If we reject the HST, we should pay back the money because that's the right thing to do!

 

[damngrumpy]

Yes we probably can because if the Feds demand the money back after the people
reject the HST, it would be the death Nell for the right of center in the Province in the
Provincial Election this fall. There is still a good chance it will fail and Christy Clark
will pay the price for that

 

[Cliffy]

Is it RIGHT for us to keep the money AND reject the HST!

Of course not!

If we reject the HST, we should pay back the money because that's the right thing to do!

The people didn't vote for it, way should they pay for it? Let the Socred/BCReform/Liberals pay for shoving it down our throats.

 

[damngrumpy]

Cliffy the fact is when asked about it by the media Campbell said it wasn't even
on his radar. They tried to say it was done after the election and that turned out
to be another lie, it was negotiated long before. We did not support it and the
people have voiced their opinion by petition. I think both sides should be quiet
and ask only one question do you approve implementation of the HST. If not
scrap it. Perhaps when parties in power do things like this in a deceitful way the
party should pay for the mess out of its own funds. Of course that would not
apply here but in future it would make the party in power think about being
responsible for their actions.

 

[In Between Man]

The people didn't vote for it, way should they pay for it? Let the Socred/BCReform/Liberals pay for shoving it down our throats.

Since when do we vote on every single new tax government implements?!

 

[taxslave]

The poor will be the real losers if the HST is rejected. Right now they get refunds that are probably higher than the amount of HST they pay unless they eat at rotten ronnies every day. The only real bad thing with the HST is that it is applied to health services when before only GST was and even that is wrong.

 

[damngrumpy]

The people could have voted on the issue because it came up during the last
Provincial Election and the media was told by Mr Campbell it wasn't even on
the governments radar. What if he would have told the truth and said they were
negotiating with the Feds on a plan to bring it in? The Liberals would have gone
down to defeat. There was a chance for the government to be forth right about
this and they kept the ace up the sleeve. I think Christi is going to pay for this
and some of the other things they did. Ordinary citizens can see right through
this whole thing and if that holds we will find out what happens when people
say no. I think the mail in will be alright because there are enough people who
will send in a resounding NO.

 

[shadowshiv]

It would be nice if this actually would have an effect on the HST here in Ontario. Unfortunately, it's here to stay for us.

 

[Kreskin]

I'll vote against it.

 

[damngrumpy]

The people of Ontario would now vote conservative for revenge not thinking it was the
Federal Conservative Government that persuaded the Ontario Liberals to go for it by
bribing them with money just like in BC. The Liberals never learn do they? Using the
pocket book to sell unpopular programs, works every time.
Most probably don't realize, the bagpipes were given to the Scots by the Irish as a
joke and the Scots never caught on, they just keep playing them.
Same for the Liberals Provincially the Feds just keep playing them.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Since when do we vote on every single new tax government implements?!

We don't vote directly, we vote in the elections based on the platform presented. Gordo's platform was there would be no HST and he has paid and his party will pay even more in the fall.

Of course I like the idea of a referendum on every tax increase, the pols would then have to lay out the plan completely including what it was needed for. It is our money and we should have more say in how much we give and what it is spent on.

 

[In Between Man]

We don't vote directly, we vote in the elections based on the platform presented. Gordo's platform was there would be no HST and he has paid and his party will pay even more in the fall.

A politician lied! Big shocker!

What do you expect from a person who's willing to drink and then get behind the wheel?

Besides, they just got rid of all parking fees in provincial parks. You win some, you lose some.

Of course I like the idea of a referendum on every tax increase, the pols would then have to lay out the plan completely including what it was needed for. It is our money and we should have more say in how much we give and what it is spent on.

I'd rather not waste millions on referendums. Let them have their tax increase, it's not like it's a very large one.