“It takes guts and integrity of motive to fight the good fight. It takes a passionate interest in life itself. It’s easy to stand on the sidelines, shaking your head and commenting on how tragic things are. But if you really care, you are going to be in the ring, trying to make the world a better place. And only from that position will your words and your thoughts and your insights have weight. When you live an engaged life, your sense of self gains depth and power and authority, and your philosophy is no longer abstract. You become a person who can really make a difference, because you are actively participating, you are digging deep, and you are pushing up against the edge of your own potential.
…And in order to fight the good fight, we have to engage, we have to get into the ring, not just stand outside it and be philosophers.”
~Andrew Cohen
- Democracy comes in small packages
This is a photo of Aart Looye standing with Sybil Rowe -a woman who has clearly decided what she believes in and had the courage to stand alone and be counted. She’s a proud 75 years old and stands a diminutive 4′ 10″, but don’t let that fool you.
Last week Sybil was confronted by a bylaw officer while planting anti HST signs along 32nd avenue here in Surrey. He told her they were in violation of the cities bylaws, that she would have to cease her illegal activities, and the signs would be confiscated and destroyed if not removed or placed on private property only.
Sybil was both heartbroken and appalled, and while this incident, and the ensuing flurry of calls to city hall and anti-HST organizers was underway, I had my confrontation with a city of Surrey employee…
Walking to pick my son up from school, I came across a fellow tossing an HST sign into the blackberry brambles of an empty lot, quite beyond reasonable reach without suffering mortal thorn wounds! I asked him who he was and for some identification, since he was driving a city of Surrey car, and he refused. I asked him if he was allowed to toss the signs and he said they were illegally placed – which they were not. Of course, I had to continue on my way to school to get my son in time, but did manage to have the sign retrieved later on by a very brave soul whose legs still bear the evidence. I called and spoke with anti HST organizers and thus found out about Sybil and others experiences as well.
In the end, the city of Surrey relented and the bylaw department was ordered to give back all the signs they had removed -a victory for not only the Fight Hst team, since several other municipalities are refusing to allow the signs to be posted anywhere except for private property – but a victory also for democratic process.
The government has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on high priced ad campaigns being featured on television during the Stanley Cup, and yet has given the Fight HST team only $250,000 to present their side. To have cities ban or otherwise impede a legal, democratic process is a disgrace and a mockery of citizens rights, and while the city of Surrey has recognized this, other mayors need to stand in support of the process itself and allow the signs to be posted as per guidelines.
Fight HST has by and far, relied on the power of the people of BC to get their message out, and it has been a phenomenal effort by all to this point, by organizers and volunteers alike. I commend them all for their tireless and sometimes unseen work!
I agree with those behind the Fight HST group, and wholeheartedly believe that in the upcoming referendum, British Columbians needs to Vote Yes to get rid of the HST. That is why I am hosting a rally in Surrey – to help get the message out and give the people an opportunity to stand up for what they believe in.
I believe, that getting rid of the HST, is a step in taking back our B.C. !
Anti HST Rally – Thursday June 16th, 4pm – 5:30 pm, Surrey- Panorama Ridge riding ( exact location to be posted soon- email below for details now)
Transit accessible and parking available.
Bring your signs and posters, Vote Yes to say No to the HST, signs downloadable from the FightHST site
Email lailayuile@live.com to RSVP and for more details
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 
Hope you can track down the city employee, throwing the sign away as he did should also put him and his employer liable for a charge of lettering. You can be certain if they caught you doing a similar thing they would gleefully charge you with littering.
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Best of luck to you Laila! Great idea. The link below is to polls conducted by Robbins research over the last few days. Clearly the people of BC are not falling for the multi million dollar add campain. Thanks again for all your hard work Laila. I’m voting YES to extinguishing the HST
http://www.robbinssceresearch.com/british_columbia_polls.html
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Welcome back Laila. Thank you for all of your hard work towards social justice in BC. Municipal Governments have overstepped their bounds in endorsing the Liberal agenda here in BC. I am convinced that this is the layer of government that we can reach to effect democratic change in this Province.
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Does anyone believe a bunch of accountants (or are they just actors?) on TV promoting the ‘benefits’ of the HST? According to the phony “independent” panel (picked by the BC Liberals) this will cost us only $350 per family per year or about $2 each per week. Total BS!! We all know by looking at our daily receipts what this tax is costing us. This is all part of the worldwide corporate agenda to impoverish the middle-class; everyone should be furious.
Show this group of privileged thieves that we are not buying their lies – VOTE YES when you get your ballot.
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On my most recent grocery store bill from Superstore, I paid $19 and change for the HST. It adds up, when you buy your toiletries, cleaning supplies, pet products….all necessary household items!!
It is interesting to note that although businesses can get the entire HST back on business supplies, there is no savings passed onto the consumer for that, so where the savings comes from that we are allegedly getting,
Kim, I am so glad to be back! Not being able to blog was.. .well… a little harder to take than I thought, and not being able to access email was downright unbearable.
Thank you Brian, I hope it all works out! Good poll and right on target I think, No one can believe a darn thing the Liberals say and regardless of what legislation has been amended it means nothing to be since its never meant anything to them in the past!
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Your report is heart breaking ! All the best for the ANTI HST RALLY on June 16, 2011.
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You are absolutely correct Laila!
It is imperative to vote YES to reject the HST. The Provincial Government, with their Stick-it to-the-Citizens cartoons, should be charged with false advertising. The portrayal of the Yes or the No options being neutral is totally deceitful. The Province did not listen to the electorate, and they did not drop the HST from 12% to 10%. Will they reduce it by 2014? Based on their past behavior, it is highly unlikely.
Although business now have reduced administrative costs and large corporations have substantial gains, John Q Public is paying the freight and will not receive any of the benefits. Any proposed employment gains will be negligible.
It is important to vote YES to reject the HST. If the NO vote is successful, it will grant the BC Liberals and Corporate Elite a licence to download other nefarious deeds to the rest of us
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Next time take the employee’s photo. That way there is no confusion as to their identification. I’m thinking that employees don’t want to get caught up in this HST thing and are just doing as they are told from above.
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That is what is so ironic- I never leave home without my trusty NikonD40x , however I was running behind and never tossed my bag into the stroller when I left the garage… : ( I reached for the bag to do just that… and it wasnt there!
Rmaharg: my point exactly- this government has ZERO track record on honesty, transparency and accountability. I don’t believe it until I actually see it.
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We all know poor Christy is over worked:) Maybe we should assist her by writing a news release to explain why the HST can not be dropped to 10%
Thought I would start it out with “Due to unforeseen financial consideration provincially and the most recent world economic crisis the HST can not be reduced and it will have to be raised to 15% immediately”
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As I read the HST Referendum Regulation pursuant to the Referendum Act, the provincial government would be in contravention of section 255 (1) (b) and (c) if it advertises the changes it is proposing to the HST in order to induce anyone to vote for retention.
And anyone who votes to retain the HST, and then accepts the reduced rate if it is retained and reduced, is contravening section 255 (2) (b) and (c).
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I got my ballot in the mail today. I will be marking “YES” to extinguish the HST.
It is so good of you Laila, to host this rally. I am too far away to attend, but, I will cheer everyone on.
How Christy can say family’s first, with a smile on her face, as she sticks a dagger into family’s back, blows me away. She knows the carbon tax will be raised July 1st. She knows gasoline has been priced gouged. And food costs, are up 15%.
I buy the big tub of Becel. I was astonished to find the tub, was only three quarters full for the same price, as previous. I then learned, many grocery items are skimped, but the price remains the same. Loaves of bread, have less slices. We have to watch our backs, for the sneaky underhanded methods, forever being used against the consumer. The food banks say, even working people with children, have to rely on them.
Christy’s family’s first is totally phony and a blatant lie.
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Bingo Julie!!! That is happening to a vast majority of products – the other thing to look for are same brand products where different flavours have different amounts – all in the same size packages, for the same price. If you look carefully, you can purchase a larger volume product – up to 200 grams more in some cases I have seen.
Wish you could be here Julie,I encourage everyone to bring their cameras and send the photos into me and others to post!!!
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Thanks for doing this and everything that you do, Laila…..the Surrey and White Rock signs are not being removed. Progress!!
See you there!
Best, Jean
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Way to go Laila fighting the good fight. We all need to band together and end this B.S. Pleas e let me know where the rally is I am bringing my sons and mother to help help put down The HST/Liberals/Stephen Harper. They are all peas in the same pod.
Cheers
Chris
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Christine, information sent- sorry for the delay, I’ve been all over town today via transit and home for about 10 minutes until now!
Glen, your link is no longer working in this comment, I will see what I can do- my stats are down from not being able to access my blog for over a week, so when I get back up to speed you should see even more! ( and thank you for the kind words, I think there are far better than me out there, but I am very happy to be working in the company of such fine bloggers in BC! )
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Thank you Lailla – I am (really) amazed and gratified at the traffic to our public opinion site from your blog. I refer again to my earlier position of some years back – and reiterate here – I believe you are best writer/blogger in this province (and possibly the others as well).
Glen P. Robbins
ROBBINS Sce Research (1998)
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Lieberal motto:
If you can’t win, cheat.
Christy, call the election.
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[…] Back in the saddle…and gunning for the good fight : Vote Yes to Say No HST rally in Surrey Thursda… […]
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The City of Surrey may have honestly believed the signs were illegal, but throwing them into bushes would not be the correct response in that instance. Retrieving the signs and taking them away would be. Too bad no camera.
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The person who wrote this article I a whiny bitch. You can’t win against the city.
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Been called worse than that some guy, now take your rogers wireless device and go play on craigslist some more with all the other freaks. This site is for the educated among us.
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