HST opponents raise threat of MLA recalls

Premier Gordon Campbell is being warned that he could face a recall effort if his Liberal government ignores public opposition to B.C.’s impending harmonized sales tax.

Former premier Bill Vander Zalm is leading a provincewide citizen initiative campaign to repeal the 12-percent tax, which is scheduled to go into full effect on July 1.

Vander Zalm's goal is to get at least 10 percent of the registered voters in each of the province’s 85 electoral districts to sign a petition. A successful result could lead to a vote in the legislature on repealing the HST.

In a May 2 media release, Vander Zalm cautions Liberals—who hold a 13-vote majority in the legislature—that if the petition is successful and they still vote to keep the tax, opponents of the HST will push for MLA recalls.

He adds that Campbell’s recall alone may be enough to get the B.C. government to end the agreement with Ottawa to merge the seven-percent provincial sales tax with the five-percent federal GST.

In the release, Vander Zalm also challenges the idea that the HST is a done deal, arguing that the B.C. government can legally back out of its arrangement with the federal government.

Comments

13 Comments

ds

May 3, 2010 at 4:34pm

Recall him anyway just on what he's done to the province and the people.
When Bill Vander Zalm was in power we were all treated fairly and everyone who wanted to work had a job.

tim

May 3, 2010 at 4:56pm

mwahahahaha... reinstalling democracy back into our province.

"keep bc strong" ;)

gap

May 3, 2010 at 6:05pm

I thought democracy was to represent the people? What people were consulted on this decision. I guess we are going back to medievil times where the nobility makes the decisons and has all the power and we are the ones who work.

AWP

May 3, 2010 at 6:29pm

to DS
"When Vander Zalm was in Power? " we had Faye Leung giving him money . he had to resign because of criminal charges and he destroyed the SC party. This is your messiah of truth and honour. Forward the Lemmings the Zalm is back. Charisma yes but honesty? give me a break,

seth

May 3, 2010 at 9:36pm

You are comparing 25K in a paper bag which was found to be entirely legal, to $65B in legalized graft to pirate power producers?

The list of Gordo's legalized crimes makes Maurice Duplessis look like Mother Teresa.

Where have you been in the last ten years?
seth

The GREAT SATAN

May 4, 2010 at 8:33am

MLA recall sounds fine but it will take far too long to produce the needed results.
What is needed are long-term mass boycotts of businesses that support the Campbell "liberal" regime, coupled with large scale protests in downtown Vancouver (right in from of PacPress and Campbell's executive bunker) which the Campbell controlled media cannot ignore.
Send a message to BILL BAD and PAMMY BOTOX . . . it is not business as usual!

glen p robbins

May 4, 2010 at 2:05pm

Politico's -- business people -- outside the province -- look at BC and see a complete lack of credibility. They are stunned that the people are so calm about it. Imagine if BC had had a leader with courage who said -- 'I can't bring in the HST -- I never consulted the people--AND who said -- {during the election} --- 'I cannot tell you that we will balance the budget -- this has been a difficult recession -- our deficit may reach $3 billion dollars -- we will work hard to keep BC in a balanced situation.

Imagine what kind of person -- it would take to knowingly deceive voters, particularly those BC Liberal voters who put their trust in him. To my mind, this deceit -- driven by the Premier of the province and his finance minister--and supported by his party -- represents the lowest that provincial politics has ever stooped to.

Carole Walker

May 4, 2010 at 3:13pm

It's too bad that we have to wait 6 months before recalls of MLS's can begin. However, I hope that everything will be in place so that come that magical day, depositions will be presented in court to get rid of a government that promotes dishonesty and deceit and just plain arrogance..

trw

May 4, 2010 at 3:26pm

Can anyone explain what is wrong with the HST. Seriously, I don't understand what the problem is or why so many people are so adamantly opposed to it.

Tom H

May 4, 2010 at 3:52pm

i like the sound of the 1st paragraph. i read it many times over