Five winners in the HST vote

by Charlie Smith on August 26th, 2011 at 11:41 AM

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Who came out on top in the B.C. electorate's decision to vote down the HST?

1. Adrian Dix: The NDP leader took a risk by getting out in front of the campaign to vote "yes". Had the public supported the HST—which was a possible outcome, given the government's multimillion-dollar ad campaign—Dix would have been seriously damaged. But he pursued a "yes" vote with the same dogged determination that he showed in winning the NDP leadership earlier this year. In his constituency, the "yes" vote was one of the highest in the province. He's the biggest winner, politically.

2. Bill Vander Zalm: The former Socred premier reinvented himself as a political force and salvaged himself in the history books with a stunning effort. Previously, nobody thought that B.C.'s initiative legislation would ever produce a result because of the high threshold for success. The Zalm proved them wrong.

3. Bill Tieleman: The NDP activist and political commentator helped spearhead the campaign to defeat the HST, along with B.C. First cofounder Chris Delaney. Tieleman is a true B.C. maverick with sharp political instincts. He took up the fight against the HST at a time when most New Democrats were prepared to accept it as a fait accompli. He has gained greater respect as a result. He's also in a good position to obtain the NDP nomination in Vancouver—Point Grey should he decide to enter electoral politics.

4. Gabriel Yiu: The Chinese-language media commentator and former NDP candidate rallied new Canadians against the HST. He's now seeking the NDP nomination in Vancouver-Fraserview. If the party deprives him of a chance to run again in this constituency, he's going to become a martyr in the Chinese-language media. This won't help the NDP in the next election, especially given Yiu's leadership role in killing the HST. It's conceivable that the HST referendum won him the nomination and could propel him into the B.C. legislature.

5. Peter Julian: The NDP MP for Burnaby–New Westminster is the most likely federal politician from B.C. to run for his party's leadership. B.C. voters' decision to kill harmonization—thanks to the efforts of New Democrats from across the province—could give his campaign a boost. Ontario New Democrats were unable to roll back harmonization in their province. In effect, this has transferred more taxes from big businesses to people. The NDP says it's against that. Julian, who has a record of seeking corporate accountability, can rightly say that he stood up to the big-business tax avoiders in B.C.—and he's the right man to do it for the party at the federal level. It could resonate with more left-of-centre New Democrats.

Comments

19 Comments

rick_from_vic

Aug 26, 2011 at 12:41pm

Surrey-Green Timbers (Linda Hammell's riding) had the highest percentage to kill the tax - over 75% - not Adrian's riding...

TM Poo

Aug 26, 2011 at 12:46pm

Very much in support of Tieleman taking a run at provincial politics and if Julian were to run for leadership of the NDP I would send him a contribution for that effort. A very smart, hardworking and honest man, bilingual too.

Morty

Aug 26, 2011 at 12:55pm

I find it entirely appropriate that "the taxpayer" is _not_ included among the winners. Yes, this may have damaged the Liberals—but it's damaged the province more.

NoNeoConRightWingNuts

Aug 26, 2011 at 12:56pm

A big Fuck You to the Neo-COn Lie-berals :)

Jes

Aug 26, 2011 at 1:14pm

Sue Hammell, not Linda

Fred Flintsone

Aug 26, 2011 at 2:18pm

Good Job British Columbians.....now, all you overpaid underworked civil servants can go fuck yourselves and take all the zeroes coming your way in your impending contract negotiations....Hahahahahaha

Bobbi Menard

Aug 26, 2011 at 2:59pm

How about five losers? 1. Every guy with a hammer in hand working on a new home build. Uncertainty just killed the new home market until the new rules are in place. 2. Every new car sales guy/gal with a family to feed 3. Any one man trucking operation who needs to replace his rig in the next 18 months. 4. Any small oilfield natural gas operator in the NE of BC who sends out crews to install heavy equipment - how do they handle the tax uncertainty 5. Tourism - care to spend your money in province when you start watching your neighbors face real implications of this vote?

Ooh those are groups of real people, too bad the total is so much higher than 5.

Sheep

Aug 26, 2011 at 3:45pm

@Bobbi Menard...Reality Check...

[1] Uncertainty has just been removed to certainty, that is we are shifting back to the PST, by the way how did Contractors & the Housing market survive and indeed flourish under the PST? Yup just at it will under the PST again.

[2] The Car companies can now "harmonize" that is charge us the same LOW Rates as in the US for all makes and stop Gouging us 20%++ vs the US Auto Prices, time for them to finally get competitive I guess :)

[3] Same for Commercial Vehicles or go to the US and buy a near new Truck for like 50% less than a new one here :), yup as a Business Owner you need to be efficient and source from where you save money, :)

[4] Again there is now ZERO UNCERTAINTY we are for CERTAIN transitioning to the PST in 2013, business as USUAL with the HST until then, got it?

[5] What? Our Neighbor's who have been visiting us less over the last 10+ years could not care less what we do here, further they will pay wait for it...

- LESS with the PST from 2013 on like in Restaurants etc, and we don't charge PST or HST in the States they buy in their State and pay whatever Sales Tax they have there for their Vacation anywhere.

How do you think BC functioned fine under the PST with higher employment and Budget Surplus of $2 Billion, before the massive Deficits in the Billions by the Neo-Con Lie-Berals and that Drunk Driver?

So Reality Check and the world as we know it won't end.

Brenda H

Aug 26, 2011 at 4:06pm

Can the government keep charging HST now that we the people, majority have spoken. Christy is saying no change back until 2013. If a store etc charges me tomorrow, can they legally do so all you lawyers out there?