Login / RegisterDocuments show B.C. Liberal government examined HST before election: reports
Documents obtained by several B.C. media outlets reveal provincial government officials were looking into the harmonized sales tax in the months before the Liberals’ May 2009 re-election.
The documents, released under provincial freedom of information legislation, show B.C. government officials had been in contact with federal officials regarding the tax, according to reports today (September 1) from the CBC, CKNW, and the Globe and Mail.
Provincial officials were also aware the economic benefits of introducing the tax might take years to materialize, according to the documents.
The HST was announced in July 2009 to widespread opposition that eventually fuelled a successful petition campaign that gathered more than 550,000 valid signatures across B.C.
Premier Gordon Campbell told reporters in August 2009 that the 12-percent tax “was not anywhere on our radar” during the election.
Finance Minister Colin Hansen affirms he was not aware of the HST discussions until the provincial election was over.
“At no time did anybody at the political level in our government ask ministry of finance officials to put any information together or do any work on the HST prior to the third week of May last year,” Hansen told the Globe in an interview yesterday.
Right-wingers are all that are heard in mainstream media and who-big corporations that is- benefit the most from Gordo and Harpo and their motherfucking followers.There is something wrong when so many households have to need double wage earners. Whatever happened to our nice little country-it's turned into an Amerika wannabe; mean, ignorant and mercenary.
The 'renewal' of this contract was extinguished (writ period) subsequent general election 2009. These two individuals - Campbell/Hansen retained the good in their possession through false statements made prior to the election (budget) and no mention of the HST - which false statements were made in waves afterward.
To wit: the voter was never properly given the opportunity to reallocate this 'good' to the custody of another in a new contract (ie New Democrats) - who lost by 2%+ only.
The Writ period signifies essentially that no-one controls the 'good' until the the election results are determined by Elections BC.
The political wrong(s) are obvious - however because the argument can also be made that the actions of both the premier and finance minister prior to the Writ period and during the Writ period (over $$ matters) - the argument can further be made that neither of these two had any intention of permitting the 'good' to be re-allocated by the owner of the good - the voter-to the custody of the entity (party) of their choice pursuant to the Elections Act including another - namely the NDP
The politics of guilt are beyond argument, I believe the criminality of their actions needs to be explored.
Mssrs Campbell and Hansen cannot keep doing this -- its bringing government into serious disrepute.
Given the direction these two nuisances (see VP) are going - I still say the soonest we know the legislature isn't opening - we head to Victoria and take it over --
no police - and no security doors open - peaceful takeover by non-elected public (Notice from gpr).
that or the civil servants involved should be fired with cause.
Having said that I also agree with Glen that we, the people of BC should take over the legislature. I'm sure we can do a much better job of running the government that this bunch.