HST Costs

What's the cost of the new HST on consumers? $2000 on a new home, $1600 on a $20,000 renovation, $10 on your monthly cable bill, $5 a month on your bare basics phone, $1.40 more on a $20 haircut, about 90 cents more on a $12 movie ticket.

Just about everything you buy will go up by 7% in BC and 8% in Ontario.

See this CBC video report from the National.

"Yet our province's Conservative MPs have run for the hills on the HST, saying it wasn't their idea. The local Liberal MP has become suddenly opposed after having supported the budget, and after Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff committed to keeping the HST if he wins the next election." - Denise Savoie op-ed inTimes Colonist

Harper will be bringing in legislation to allow the harmonization of the GST and PST sometime this fall or before March 2010. Liberal leader, Ignatieff has stated he would keep the tax change if he becomes Prime Minister. Layton, the federal NDP leader has stated he will vote against the new tax.

Check here for resources opposed to the new Tax.

h/t to Accidental Deliberations for Savoie link

HST Fight back info

If you oppose the HST in BC here are the email addresses for all BC MLA's. Send them an email telling them you don't want this new tax and join the No BC HST site on facebook.

Where to get information on the HST Fight:
No BC HST
Fight HST
Bill Tieleman

Online petitions opposed to the HST in BC
Sign them all!

BC NDP online petition against the HST

Stop the HST

BC ANTI HST Petition

BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association petition

Prince George-based petition started by City Councilor Brian Skakun

MLA Email Address List
Abbotsford-Mission	HAWES, Hon. Randy
Abbotsford South	van DONGEN, John
Abbotsford West	de JONG, Hon. Michael
Alberni-Pacific Rim	FRASER, Scott
Boundary-Similkameen	SLATER, John
Burnaby-Deer Lake	CORRIGAN, Kathy
Burnaby-Edmonds	CHOUHAN, Raj
Burnaby-Lougheed	BLOY, Harry
Burnaby North	LEE, Richard T.
Cariboo-Chilcotin	BARNETT, Donna
Cariboo North	SIMPSON, Bob
Chilliwack	LES, John
Chilliwack-Hope	PENNER, Hon. Barry
Columbia River-Revelstoke	MACDONALD, Norm
Comox Valley	McRAE, Don
Coquitlam-Burke Mountain	HORNE, Douglas
Coquitlam-Maillardville	THORNE, Diane
Cowichan Valley	ROUTLEY, Bill
Delta North	GENTNER, Guy
Delta South	HUNTINGTON, Vicki
Esquimalt-Royal Roads	KARAGIANIS, Maurine
Fort Langley-Aldergrove	COLEMAN, Hon. Rich
Fraser-Nicola	LALI, Harry
Juan de Fuca	HORGAN, John
Kamloops-North Thompson	LAKE, Dr. Terry
Kamloops-South Thompson	KRUEGER, Hon. Kevin
Kelowna-Lake Country	LETNICK, Norm
Kelowna-Mission	THOMSON, Hon. Steve
Kootenay East	BENNETT, Hon. Bill
Kootenay West	CONROY, Katrine
Langley	POLAK, Hon. Mary
Maple Ridge-Mission	DALTON, Marc
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows	SATHER, Michael
Nanaimo	KROG, Leonard
Nanaimo-North Cowichan	ROUTLEY, Doug
Nechako Lakes	RUSTAD, John
Nelson-Creston	MUNGALL, Michelle
New Westminster	BLACK, Dawn
North Coast	COONS, Gary
North Island	TREVENA, Claire
North Vancouver-Lonsdale	YAMAMOTO, Hon. Naomi
North Vancouver-Seymour	THORNTHWAITE, Jane
Oak Bay-Gordon Head	CHONG, Hon. Ida
Parksville-Qualicum	CANTELON, Ron
Peace River North	PIMM, Pat
Peace River South	LEKSTROM, Hon. Blair
Penticton	BARISOFF, Hon. Bill
Port Coquitlam	FARNWORTH, Mike
Port Moody-Coquitlam	BLACK, Hon. Iain
Powell River-Sunshine Coast	SIMONS, Nicholas
Prince George-Mackenzie	BELL, Hon. Pat
Prince George-Valemount	BOND, Hon. Shirley
Richmond Centre	HOWARD, Rob
Richmond East	REID, Linda
Richmond-Steveston	YAP, Hon. John
Saanich North and the Islands	COELL, Hon. Murray
Saanich South	POPHAM, Lana
Shuswap	ABBOTT, Hon. George
Skeena	AUSTIN, Robin
Stikine	DONALDSON, Doug
Surrey-Cloverdale	FALCON, Hon. Kevin
Surrey-Fleetwood	BRAR, Jagrup
Surrey-Green Timbers	HAMMELL, Sue
Surrey-Newton	BAINS, Harry
Surrey-Panorama	CADIEUX, Stephanie
Surrey-Tynehead	HAYER, Dave S.
Surrey-Whalley	RALSTON, Bruce
Surrey-White Rock	HOGG, Gordon
Vancouver-Fairview	MacDIARMID, Hon. Dr. Margaret
Vancouver-False Creek	McNEIL, Hon. Mary
Vancouver-Fraserview	HEED, Hon. Kash
Vancouver-Hastings	SIMPSON, Shane
Vancouver-Kensington	ELMORE, Mable
Vancouver-Kingsway	DIX, Adrian
Vancouver-Langara	STILWELL, Hon. Dr. Moira
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant	KWAN, Jenny
Vancouver-Point Grey	CAMPBELL, Hon. Gordon
Vancouver-Quilchena	HANSEN, Hon. Colin
Vancouver-West End	HERBERT, Spencer
Vernon-Monashee	FOSTER, Eric
Victoria-Beacon Hill	JAMES, Carole
Victoria-Swan Lake	FLEMING, Rob
West Vancouver-Capilano	SULTAN, Ralph
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky	McINTYRE, Joan
Westside-Kelowna	STEWART, Hon. Ben

42% would recall Premier Campbell

A total of 42 percent said they would sign a petition recalling the Premier, including one-quarter of those who cast a vote for the BC Liberals in the last election. That's the news from a poll done exclusively within the boundaries of Premier Campbell's provincial constituency, Vancouver Point Grey.

The news is startling given the "tony" make up of the riding. People feel the Liberals and the Premier should have told them before the election they planned to implement the new 12% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). In fact it would appear the Premier would be in the fight of his life if an election were held today. We know he would lose the province if there was a vote today, and its my bet he would go down big time in his own riding.

The poll was conducted for the BC Federation of Labour by Environics Research Group Ltd. See the full poll and questions asked here.

They're selectively picking things - Vander Zalm

BC Liberals desperate to turn the discussion from HST have decided its best to attack their opponents, not on the merits of their arguement against the HST but other things.

The Liberals put out a press release on Friday, Public Eye has it on their website, that goes on as to what a "bad" Premier Bill VanderZalm was.

As Vander Zalm told Public Eye, "I guess when you can't win the argument (that) the HST is the wrong-way to go, that it's a bad thing you begin attacking and marginalizing and discrediting. And that's what they're trying to do. And, obviously, they're selectively picking things."

Its a common tactic used by those in indefensible positions, try to turn the discussion to grounds you can win on, or discredit the messenger(s). The BC Liberals must have known how much opposition they would face with this decision. That is clearly why they did not announce this in the run up to the last election. Clearly they have decided to hunker down and ride this storm out, hoping to see the storm through.

So when you have nothing to use to protect yourself, you try to discredit those speaking against your position.

Look at this line, usually used to attack those reckless freespending socialists...

As Premier, Vander Zalm introduced or increased over a dozen taxes in nearly every budget that punished families and small businesses - including introducing the Property Transfer Tax and increasing the Small Business Tax to the highest level ever. - BC Liberal Press Release Friday, September 18, 2009 (from Public Eye)

I can't recall another time when Gordon Campbell or any of the current BC Liberals have ever attributed anyone other than the NDP with having raised taxes higher than you can reach! Carole James and the NDP better tuck that quote away for use later on.

Surely the signs of a worried Liberal government. If you live in the South Cariboo, election day squeaker, Donna Barnett says she will listen to constituents, however she supports the new HST. You might ask why she would be so fast off the mark.

I suspect it could have something to do with who benefits if the HST becomes law. The Forest and Mining sectors look to reap 140 million and 80 million respectively. Needless to say these industries support the HST and contributed a great deal to Barnett's election campaign in May of this year.

From Elections BC, Barnett's Donation list

$4,648.71 - West Fraser Timber, Imperial Metals - $1,500, Taseko Mines - $2,000. In fact Barnett received $41,758.71 from corporate donors.

Barnett's campaign donations list several key individual donations that come from those working for or are owners of forest companies. With that kind of investment in Donna Barnett, I dare say they will see a big return should Barnett support the HST in the Legislature.

BC HST should scare Campbell

The HST issue is dead in Ontario but something of a different story in BC. Read the link below for a good description of the lay of the land...

"I have two words for Gordon Campbell and Colin Hansen: Be afraid.

That’s right. You read that right.

Be very afraid men, because in my opinion, the prospect of the HST is the proverbial straw that broke the camels back, and as everyone knows… camels have loooong memories – as do the people of British Columbia.You have both earned the contempt of a good majority in this province, and among them are the very people who voted you in last fall -who, in my experience yesterday, are not afraid to loudly voice their disappointment. I personally spoke to hundreds of people prior to the rally and each one had the same things to say: NO HST and Enough of Gordon Campbell." - laila yuile's blog

Biggest BC Deficit EVER

The BC Budget is out and its a shocker, the largest in BC histroy. The Liberals now have the three largest deficit budgets in BC history. Not bad for people that promised during the election that they really really could keep to the $495 million deficit set in February 2009.

More in the days ahead... Check out the link below for the latest!

From NBC Dipper

My overall first impression: it seems as this budget is the fulfillment of the idea that one doesn’t waste a crisis in order to make changes. This is a budget that is going to hurt the middle class of BC by slapping on new taxes for them, while rewarding those that tend to vote BC Liberal by reducing taxes for them. Considering that cuts are supposedly supposed to be made, what these cuts are actually going to be is very unspecific, making me rather nervous as to the future.

gg

Don't want no HST

I can't get the audio for this, its on facebook, right here!

Don't want no HST

by Ravi Patel

2:25

Don't want the HST

Don't want no HST.
Now look at that Gordo. Man, he really blew it.
He made us bitter from the HST.
This ain't working. Campbell can go screw it.
Money they're sucking from both you and me.
Now what's he smoking? HST is stupid.
Let me tell you, us guys ain't dumb.
People wave at Campbell with their middle finger.
Telling him he can stick it in his bum.
It's 12 per cent to fix a broken old oven.
They're taxing pizza deliveries.
You're paying more for your medication.
It doesn't sound like harmony.
"Let's tax them." (Campbell)
What did you just say?
"Let's tax them." (Campbell)
I should have learned to be a politician.
I need a drink of Gordo's rum.
Look at that Campbell?
He's still smiling for the cameras, man.
Has he gone mad, son?
Who's up there? What's that?
It's freakin' Colin Hansen.
He's Campbell's organ grinder and his chimpanzee.
Oh. that's just perfect.
And that's the way they do us,
Stuffing their pockets with the HST.
Don't want no.
Don't want no.
Don't want no HST.
Easy, easy money for nothing.
A bunch of dicks to me.
We're all hurting.

BC headed to 3 billion plus deficit!

BC headed to 3 billion plus deficit!

Originally published at Queerthoughts

Yeppers, you read that right. Colin Hansen, BC's Robber Minister went into an election knowing the Province's projected deficit of $495 million was way out to lunch, yet he repeatedly said that the number was good.

Seems the deficit number was good for one thing only, the re-election of Gordon Campbell and his team of con artists. We don't have all the numbers yet but it won't be long before we do. A new budget is coming down in a few weeks.

We know now that Hansen must have known the budget target was not going to be met because Welfare numbers were soaring. In fact welfare numbers were going so high, the public relations Bureau (read govt PR hacks) told Social Services it could not post welfare numbers until after the election. That's bad news on two fronts. First the province is paying out more money and second the province is not getting any tax revenue from the people it is paying welfare too.

Next we have The Robber Minister telling the media today that income tax revenue is down a billion and royalties and stumpage are down another billion give or take a couple 100 million. Add to that the 400 million spent on Forest fires and we easily have a 3 billion plus deficit.

Then there are the Olympic costs that we haven't seen yet. Surely they will come in way over budget. The Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre expansion has come in at double the original cost estimates. All I can say is that its a good thing these Liberals can mange money so well. Imagine what it would be like if they were worse at it than they tell us they are?

Now the fun stuff. It seems Robber Minister got a call from the big Robber Minister in Ottawa right after the election. The Ottawa Robber Minister had the BC Robber Minister over the barrel. See, Ottawa knew BC was in big financial doo-doo. So according to Gordon Campbell Ottawa said, "Hey BC, here is 1.5 billion buckaroos (that's what Harper calls dollars), bet you can use that right now." Harper was right of course and the deal was so easy, all BC had to do was sign onto a new tax.

You know most of the story after that. The HST is coming as a result of either a quick urgent decision that would not allow for public consultations and or the result of outright lying during the election. The BC Campbell Libcons in their effort to "Keep BC Strong" brought in a big new tax on the spur of the moment or they negotiated it for some time and felt voters didn't need to bother with it until after they voted.

BC, guess what?
You have been
Hoodwinked, Sucker-punched and Tattooed.

see also...

NO BC HST

Raphael Alexander: The dog ate my reason for introducing the HST

One Way We Can Say 'No!' to the HST

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Biggest Tax Shift in BC History: Why Did Campbell Do It?

HST opponents launch campaign to stop the tax

Critic says Tourism BC's closure a matter of control

Campbell, giant among free spenders

Campbell, giant among free spenders

At least he is a free spender with your money...

"It's estimated that the Canada line is over 1 billion over budget, the convention centre was 500 million over budget, the Golden Ears Bridge was 300 million over budget, the Sea to Sky was over budget by 200 million $$$.... Would you call that a good job managing, how much would those revenues of helped the present state of the books?" - The Straight Goods, Powell River BC

That's one of the questions being put to the media to ask the Gordon Campbell Liberal government in Victoria. Why the heck are they getting a free ride as the good financial managers of our money.

BC Politics is always interesting, but often what is most interesting, is never reported. What is most important is rarely discussed.

So instead of taking on the Campbell government on HST and their lack of prudent financial management, the media is asking Carole James if she would scrape the HST if elected in four years. That's a helpful question. How about trying to make the guy who has the job accountable.

BC is headed for a deficit this year bigger than any the NDP ever had. The Liberals as this blogger here points out have posted the three largest deficits in BC history. They are suppose to be the money managers. Heck the over spending on the Canada line is four times the over estimate on fast ferries, The over spending on the convention centre is two times more than fast ferries, the over spending on Golden Ears bridge is 50 % more than fast ferries. In fact the Liberals have over spent by two billion dollars on projected costs and that doesn't include the Olympics.

Don't you feel better now that the recovering drunk driver is steering the ship while using ferries made in Poland or was that Germany instead of those whiny NDPer's. Don't cry too hard, the BC government spent almost a million dollars for four artists in Germany to design a big rain drop. Then they had it built in Alberta and transported it to BC, likely using Alberta truckers. (you can find this big drop, not in a bucket, but at the new way, way over-budget Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre.) Don't you think the BC government could have at least built the damn thing in BC.

It's not really a rain drop, its a tear drop.

Man its good to have our affairs conducted like a giant ponzi scheme.