Vaughn Palmer's column in the April 9 Citizen makes some interesting points, however for those people who are opposed to the HST, his points are of little or novalue.
The determination as to whether or not this tax can be rescinded will be decidedby the "court ofpublic opinion."
For people who are opposed to this tax our job is not so complicated. We only need to get sufficient votes to force this petition to the B.C. legislature.
The Liberal government will then have probably three options.
1. Put the legislation to a vote and defeat it.
2. Table the legislation and hope it fades away.
3. Return the petition to Elections B.C. for a referendum.
This is all the taxpayers of British Columbia need to concern themselves with at this time. To throw up our arms and say we cannot do anything about it is exactly what got us into this situation in thefirst place.
The problem is not what we can or cannot do with this petition, it is what the Liberal government is going to do with it.
B.C. taxpayers are sick and tired of the three levels of government constantly coming up with devious ways to tax us.
Enough is enough.
If the LIberals do not deal with this HST in a matter that is acceptable to the taxpayers of British Columbia, then I suggest that they have a huge political problem ontheir hands.
If the Conservative government isapproached by the Liberal government of B.C. to make the HST null and void, and they refuse to do so, then they too will have a serious political problem on their hands.
Both these parties will need all the help they can get in the next election.
Conservative premier ofSaskatchewan, Grant Devine, harmonized sales taxes in 1991 in what critics called a $200-million tax grab. Devine was defeated in the next election by the New Democrats, who split the taxes up again.
Vaughn Palmer didn't make mention of the Saskatchewan experience in his column.
I think it was former president Andrew Jackson who said that "governments yield to pressure, and it is up to the people to apply the pressure."
This is what is happening here.We are pressuring the governments of the day, to back off with their bloody taxes, and if they don't, then the issue will be decided for them at the next election.
Eric Allen
Prince George
