B.C. premier Gordon Campbell’s resignation kills HST, prof says
Simon Fraser University public-policy professor Doug McArthur says Gordon Campbell’s decision to step down as B.C. premier has set the stage for the rescinding of the harmonized sales tax in the province.
“I think the next thing we’re going to see—it won’t happen immediately—is a climb-down on the HST,” McArthur, a former deputy minster to New Democrat B.C. premiers, told the Straight by phone from London, England. “Probably it will take the leadership contest itself to get that going.
“This is the next-to-the-final step along the way to seeing the HST be reversed,” he added.
During a November 3 news conference in Vancouver, Campbell announced that he is asking the B.C. Liberal Party executive to hold a leadership convention as soon as possible to select his replacement.
“This decision is what I believe is in the best interest of British Columbia, our government, our party, and the people who live here,” Campbell said. “At a time like this, everyone’s attention should be focused on helping our economy rebound from the global recession and moving forward with an agenda that families can see is in their long-term interests.”
McArthur said he expects Campbell’s resignation to give a boost to the B.C. Liberals’ polling numbers, but he emphasized that the fate of the 12-percent HST remains a key issue for them to deal with.
“I would guess there’s going to be a huge kind of pressure politically for these candidates for the leadership to declare that they’re going to reverse the HST, maybe even before any referendum is held,” he said. “That’s a tricky calculation, but that’s probably going to be the first necessary step to try to get some recovery going in the Liberal numbers.”
McArthur also stated that he wasn’t surprised by Campbell’s decision to resign.
“I’ve been saying for quite some time that he was going to have to go. It was a question of whether he waited till the new year or whether he got out of the way now,” McArthur said.
“I think he would have liked to have waited till the new year, but pressure’s been on. His TV speech failed. Caucus have been really stirring things up, and there’s a lot of dissatisfaction in the party. I think he just decided that it was too much pain and suffering involved here, and he knew he was finished. He’s known that for quite a while.”
Comments
26 Comments
James Green
Nov 3, 2010 at 3:36pm
I don't disagree with this story, but the reporter should mention that Doug McArthur is a former NDP deputy minister and the author of the NDP's draft economic policy.
the dude
Nov 3, 2010 at 3:51pm
YAY
marilyn
Nov 3, 2010 at 3:54pm
Now, if only McGuinty would take hede!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stephen Thomson
Nov 3, 2010 at 5:13pm
James Green,
Thank you for the feedback. The online version of the story has been updated to mention Doug McArthur's past role as deputy minister to the premier when the NDP were in power in B.C.
Petey J
Nov 3, 2010 at 6:15pm
his friends should put a Gordo statue on bc place so the birds can keep crapping on him. that's what his legacy to bc will be anyway.
Now Bill Z can shut his yap too
See you in the Vancouver club
William Edward Donnelly
Nov 3, 2010 at 6:24pm
There is no doubt Gordon Campbell's leadership has had a beneficial impact on BC. With some exceptions the province is a strong competitor on the global market. The Liberals with their leader struggled through some difficult situations and through wit and wisdom were able to resolve them. It's to bad they didn't use that same logic before introducing the hst. Rescinding this tax should be the first consideration of the new premier. It is the virus within the Liberal Party that has the potential to wipe them off the BC landscape. Surely the well being of this great province is more important than the monetary windfall. May logic prevail.
cherylb
Nov 3, 2010 at 7:26pm
@ James - "McArthur, a former deputy minster to New Democrat B.C. premiers, told the Straight by phone from London, England". I think the story did.
steveleenow
Nov 3, 2010 at 10:21pm
With Ontario signing onto the HST we have to have it to stay competitive. Business should like it cause they can get HST back on any inputs they use to make money. If one percent is about 800 million, and the income tax cut was 600 million, they should have just found 200 mil and cut 1% off the HST with a promise to cut another 1% sometime down the road when the economy is performing stronger. If Harper could find away to axe 2% off the GST then BC should be able to do the same. Heck, remove the red tape of exemptions and drop it by 3%!
blaffergassted
Nov 3, 2010 at 11:05pm
Ah yes, the old poison pill political play.
Repeal the unpopular HST before the provincial election, and saddle the new government with an enormous budget deficit.
The geniusity of these guys never ceases to amaze!
Morty
Nov 3, 2010 at 11:26pm
This is wishful thinking. The HST is going nowhere, unless our next leader wants to pay back Ottawa the $1.6 billion that they gave us to sweeten the pot. Deal with it.
(Of course, it's also sound policy and has been from the start. But why let fact get in the way of anti-tax ranting? Campbell should have stepped down for a whole lot of things—BC Rail, education cuts, housing—but this is the one thing his government got right.)