HST PANEL REQUESTS SUBMISSIONS ON REFERENDUM OPTIONS

Posted on by Laila

From the BC government website, this press release:

HST PANEL REQUESTS SUBMISSIONS ON REFERENDUM OPTIONS

 VICTORIA – The independent panel reviewing and reporting publicly on the pros and cons of the HST and returning the PST/GST system wants to review relevant research from interested parties.

 Until March 4, 2011, interested parties can provide fact-based submissions related to the panel terms of reference:

  • The consumer impacts to individuals/families of each option.
  • The expected impact of each option to B.C. businesses and B.C. economic competitiveness.
  • The fiscal implications of each option to the provincial budget in both the short and long term.
  • Relevant information and analyses from other jurisdictions.

 Submissions can be sent electronically to submissions@bchstinfo.ca, or faxed to
604 775-0727.

 Submissions within the panel terms of reference will be reviewed and provided publicly as part of the panel reporting process. Duplicate submissions will be noted and provided once in the reporting process. For more information on the independent panel and its terms of reference, visit www.hstinbc.ca.

**** I posted this to Chris Delaney via facebook, and this was his response. Worthy of posting here, with his permission:

“This panel is totally rigged.

 First Campbell tried a province-wide tour – that failed.

Then Hansen tried to sell it on the airwaves – that failed.

 Then they sent out their brochures – those failed as everyone threw them in the garbage.

 Then… they set up the HST Propaganda Office with John Les – that failed.

Now this group of shills for the Liberals will “take submissions” – and do what with them? Tell everyone it turns out the HST is no good afterall? Right. Its pretty rich having a former Alberta Finance Minister where they have no PST tell everyone in BC we need a bigger one! I’d laugh if it wasn’t such a serious problem for so many people.”

17 thoughts on “HST PANEL REQUESTS SUBMISSIONS ON REFERENDUM OPTIONS”

  1. This is a waste of time. The review is being conducted by individuals who already are on record supporting HST. If the BC Liberals wanted an independent examination, they would have a review conducted by independent, unbiased people or at least had consumer representatives. This will be no different than the report sold to them by the Calgary hired gun Jack Mintz who simply repackaged material he prepared for the Ontario government to use when they tried to sell the tax to taxpayers.

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    1. Agreed, but isn’t it funny how even this is done on the down low on a friday? I facebooked it too. Give the people more credit than this insult. The people deserve to access due process without this kind of stacking.

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  2. I am so glad they provided the little quiz/poll on where I stand on th HST. I really had no inkling that I was so opposed to it in so many ways.
    I think they should substitute ‘Liberal Party’ for HST in their next ‘do you know where you stand?’ quiz.
    I couldn’t find a ‘submit’ or ‘enter’ space, so I guess they don’t really care ‘where’ I stand.

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  3. Pretty funny, Hansen setting up a rigged HST panel. He, Campbell and Harper, rigged the HST in the first place. Do we really think, the Alberta panel member, will vote against the HST? Of course he won’t. BC people spend billions shopping in Alberta and the U.S.A. They love BC’s HST. You would have to be a dunce, not to see the terrible damage, the HST has done to this province. All the HST provinces have failed. BC is at the very bottom, of all the western provinces. Where are the “GOOD” paying jobs, Campbell and Hansen said the HST would create? BC has recently lost, nearly 50.000 more jobs. Campbell and Hansen promised, we would save untold dollars by the HST. The cost of living in BC, has gone into orbit. All the HST has done, is drive costs up. As if we need a idiotic rigged panel. We BC people, are living the nightmare of the HST. Good grief. How much more ridiculous, is Hansen going to get? BC citizens, are fed up with his lying and dirty tactics.

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  4. Political theatre,
    It is one of many ways that our rulers soothe us with the illusion of democracy.

    Media will play along and report on this dog and pony show as if it was for real.
    Much like the NDP provide fake opposition to the Liberals, the game is rigged.
    These leadership races and the election are just as fake in terms of allowing people to play act in the democratic process.
    Anyone following closely knows that the many scandals reported on at this blog require many players to pull them off. Media and both BC political parties serve corporate power and keep the people in the dark.

    This independent HST panel is a bright shiny distraction, and will do nothing to change the tax. The NDP will not commit to repealing the tax. I find the waffling and dodgy answers on HST from Carol James to be every bit as offensive as the Liberal BS.

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  5. This pro HST panel, will be the joke of the decade. The HST was designed for big business, and big business only. BC is a province of natural resources. There is not one lick of good, the BC citizens will gain by the HST. The HST, Campbell has stolen from the BC people, went directly to Harper. We now know, Campbell, Hansen and Harper, colluded on the HST scam, before the BC election. The HST papers, were sitting on Hansen’s desk in March. The election was in May. Campbell and Hansen, lied, deceived and cheated to win, Campbell’s re-election. So, I say, your word means nothing to us, Mr. Hansen.

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  7. The BC Liberals just don’t want to know.

    Let’s face it – both Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals lied to get elected and have continued to lie ever since. Listen to how the gaggle of clowns are lying in the BC Liberal leadership campaign – each one trying to out do the others ! A decade of dihonesty, deception and deceit and more will follow.

    The BC Liberals don’t want to know what the people of British Columbia want or expect – they are both too arrogant and too conceited – they are totally out of touch with reality.

    The only answer is to kick them out of office – maybe a general strike and stoppage will get the message across. It appears that the longshormen are preparing to strike so we shall see just how the land lies very soon.

    Thanks

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  8. Hi Laila,

    long time reader, first time responder.

    I agree, just another set-up to get the answer they want. Apart from the group that looked at fish farms, I can’t think of a time when they had a committee or board on the “arms length” corporations, commissions or crowns which didn’t give them the answer they wanted.

    To quote “workforfun”
    “The only answer is to kick them out of office – maybe a general strike and stoppage will get the message across. It appears that the longshormen are preparing to strike so we shall see just how the land lies very soon.”
    Phil Hochstein was appointed to the Port Authority board, Coincincidental or another example of stacking yet another board to get the results required.?

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  9. Hi Laila.

    Carol James leads the way on HST triangulation, bullshit and evasive language.
    Bruce Ralston goes furthest and says it cannot be undone.
    Mike Farnworth has been enabling Liberal privatization for the past several years. He is also waffling on HST. Even his speech announcing his candidacy used unclear language and left him an out, on the HST.
    The official NDP website has ZERO reference to any policy on reversing the HST.
    Adrian Dix is the only one I can see who is offering any clarity on this………he will not be permitted to win the leadership race as party brass will not allow it.
    John Horgan is the most clear and only commits to a study and a commission….like the one you mention in this article.
    I am sure you didn’t need me to inform you of any of this Laila. I truly wish there was democracy in BC and a viable party of the people.

    Democrats in the USA promised that Obama would be the tonic to undo all of the evil Bush crimes……….and he has escalated every single one of them from war to torture to corporate bailouts.
    The NDP and Liberals in BC are the same as Democrats and Republicans in the US. One is the obvious party of fascism and darkness, while the other pretends to be a party of the people. Their legislative deeds show them to be playing for the same team despite the rhetoric.
    You demonstrate a strong understanding of many issues in BC politics Laila. You cut through the BS and dig for the facts. You have written many articles that rightly expose both BC parties in the privatization scandals. The facts have a bias against fascist politicians in red or orange. Choosing the less toxic of the two is a choice I reject.

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  10. Since the major corporations in BC will receive most of the $2 billion of the tax gift (known as the HST) each year from the ‘little people’ of the BC, they should send us each a personalized thank-you card, preferably with a picture of Gordon Campbell & the BC liberal caucus to remind us who we can thank for this ugly bit of power politics.

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  11. Hello Laila, I am a reader of your blog and I have also noted your comments on several other websites and blogs. I must say always informative and spirited at the least. We here in Maple Ridge are starting our recall of Marc Dalton and we would like to link our website http://www.downwithdalton.com with yours and others as well. If you would be so kind enough you can send your link to our site and we of course will appreciate it if you would include our link to your site.

    Thanks in advance.

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  12. Don, kudo’s to you for your efforts! The liberals feel confidant the HST will remain – it is up to all of us to ensure they don’t forget who elects them.

    worforfun, I have been hearing a lot about this possibility for some time. Hochstein’s appointment was certainly was a strategic move for the liberals, anti-union as he is. I believe Hochstein will also be crucial for the Liberals to push through more of the port improvements and expansion they are looking at for Deltaport, as aggressive as he is known to be in business.

    Keith, lovely to see a first time commenter, and thank you! I hope now you have broken the ice, you will join the conversations frequently! Setting up ‘independent’ anythings are the Liberals forte. How else would anything get accomplished if they were truly independent?

    Mike

    Horgan has not committed to removing the HST- he is going to vote against it in the referendum, and he has committed a fair tax commission but has stopped short of saying he would definately repeal it.

    Farnworth said in his launch speech he was committed to removing the HST – pretty clear to me in the transcript of the speech. Same for Dix.

    The relationship between the two parties is certainly interesting. I think people are really examing the role of the NDP as an effective opposition based on the last few years of Liberal damage. As Rafe Mair pointed out in one of his recent columns, there have rarely been times when a third party would or could work in BC and he thinks right now is a time when it will. He also goes onto some thoughts about BC First,who more and more people are taking a look at as a serious beginning to a strong third party. Certainly, the NDP fail in some areas because of lack of resources and cohesiveness in strategy- something the liberals excel at. The Liberal machine is a well oiled one for the most part, because they have the cash to back researchers,communications etc. and in these days and times, that is largely the name of game in getting stories out, PR out, policies spread around for news.

    Hi Ron, because I have only so much space, I have chosen to link up the main fight hst site to which I hope people can access individual sites like yours – I hope they have your site listed! Of course you are free to leave your link here and in other comment sections, which I think will still give you a lot of access to those google-ing hst recall . I wish you the best of luck over there!! Keep holding those feet to the fire!

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  13. Hi again Laila.

    There are parallels between the Obama machine running on nothing but a (well justified) hatred of W Bush and empty slogans……….and our provincial NDP running on nothing but (well justified) a hatred of the Liberals, also offering cheap talk.
    The fact that Obama has escalated torture war and corporatism is important.
    The last time I was fooled by a fake liberal was when Clinton beat old Poppy Bush and did at least as much reich wing damage in his two terms as Reagan did in his.
    Ditto for Federal Libs and Cons in Canada. They both serve corporatism and fascism while they offer different lies to the people.

    People can spend all day bashing the BC liberals as they are a crime gang and easy to criticize. None of that should have any impact on how we view the BC NDP. The BC NDP has its own record, its own list of done deeds. They are not the answer to BC’s troubles any more than Obama is the answer to the USA’s.
    Clearly the NDP wish to run and win on nothing but rage against the Libs. They may do it, and this site will help them greatly.
    But as you have noted in many of your past articles, both parties have played roles in the privatization scandals and other crimes.

    Voting for the lesser of two evils is their game, the choice of two pre approved corporatist parties is not a game free people.

    Mike Farnworth:
    “Well, after we win this race and the next election, there will be a full, public inquiry into the sale of BC Rail. And then there’s the HST.
    Apparently, bringing in the HST and raising the costs of almost everything for you and your family…well that’s an expense the BC Liberals think we can afford.
    The Liberals promised in the election that they wouldn’t introduce it. Then they did, without consultation. Despite the public being against it, they passed it. And now their leadership candidates are tripping over themselves trying to figure out how to deal with it.
    Let me be absolutely clear: I will take my direction from the people of this province. And if they vote to do so, we will end the HST. ”

    Clarity? He has an out with his last line. A minority government will not necessarily kill the GST as many NDP members will side with Liberals again. If the people don’t give him a majority he has his out. Weasel words from all politicians need to be examined closely.

    In seems to me that you are on board with NDP, and view them as a viable alternative.
    My cup is half full. Your investigative journalism is first rate, and I thank you for enlightening me about the Sea to Sky debacle. I blame both parties and see no point in voting NDP. I am old, I have seen this lesser of two evils movie to many times.
    Good luck to you!

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    1. Mike, where did you get that I am on board with the NDP in that last comment? I stated what I saw from the NDP candidates in reference to how each would handle the HST. To be sure, the HST issue is a conundrum for each party. and I also went onto state that many people are examing the role of the NDP as an effective opposition. If you take something from that to indicate I am on board with the NDP, or think they are a viable alternative, please let me know how you got from A to B. If they enter into a power role in this province, you can be sure I will be taking just as hard of a look at their work than I have with the liberals.

      I am not a member of any political party, and the only people I am on board with are those indivuduals that truly have the best for the province at heart. BC first were the only party besides the BC conservatives to address the shadow toll revelations I broke, the NDP remained silent, the Liberals lied through their PR reps and that speaks volumes to me. That was a clear case of where an effective opposition could have jumped all over that, but nothing. Nada. Zip. The issue remains a provocative one, since these payments may lead to complete privatization down the road, as has happened in Ontario and other countries.

      I personally would love to see more independents getting on board, and I would love to see a third party other than the BC conservatives and Greens offer the NDP a run for their money. I agreed wholeheartedly that in many cases, they are as much to blame for remaining silent on many issues, than the Liberals. Which is why it remains to be seen how the party can govern effectively with a new leader – will anything change? That being said, it isn’t as simple and straigtforward as putting your vote somewhere else, on a large scale.

      All those voters who, like you and I, want the Liberals out before they can do much more destruction wll be faced with a personal choice of who else to vote for, or not to vote at all – which is a ridiculous move if you ask me.

      I always urge people to vote for who represents their community best, regardless of party. I cant tell someone who to vote for! I will choose the person I feel best represents my constituency, based on actual facts and past performance elsewhere. All of this can easily split the disenchanted NDP vote to a point where the Liberals could win power again,a scenario I think you would not want to see either, correct? Something to consider when placing a vote.

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