The British Columbia government is committed to acting on the result of a province-wide vote on repealing the HST, finance minister Colin Hansen said today.
The Recall and Initiative Act says the measure needs the support of 50 percent of registered voters—everyone on the voters list, not just those who vote—plus a majority of registered voters in two-thirds of the province's 85 constituencies.
Premier Gordon Cambpell said yesterday that his personal view is the government should repeal the HST if that's the will of a simple majority of the people who turn out to vote. The vote will be held on Sept. 24, 2011.
“This is a commitment by the government,” said Hansen, responding to questions after presenting the province's fiscal update for the first quarter. “It is a commitment the premier has made on behalf of government.”
Hansen said he supports the decision. “I think this is one of those areas where we need to respect the wishes of the public.”
The government will, however, develop an advertising strategy to try and make the case for the HST so people can vote based on clear information, he said.
Nor is the government likely to pass the HST Extinguishment Act, with its promise of refunds to people who've been paying the tax, as an initiative petition fronted by former premier Bill Vander Zalm demands, Hansen said.
“In my opinion it would not be responsible for any government or any legislature to pass the HST Extinguishment Act as it's currently written,” he said.
Breaking the HST agreement will mean returning $1.6 billion in transition payments to the federal government.
As it happens, thanks mainly to corporate revenues that were underestimated in last February's budget for 2010-2011, the quarterly update said there is an unallocated $2.1 billion available over the next three years that could also be applied to new spending, putting money back in British Columbian's pockets or reducing the deficit.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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Skywalker
1 year ago
A little sucking up?
First they don't let the HST be debated in the legislature. Then they try to send out a late leaflet suggesting all the voters are too dumb to know what the HST is all about. Then they get rid of the person in BC Elections who thwarted their advertising campaign. Then they have their appointed puppets on the committee send it to referendum instead of to the legislature. (Can't force all of them puppets to actually vote on it, can we?) Now this. Now we are all for letting the public have a vote. A year from now. Now "we need to respect the wishes of the people". Yeah right. What a bunch of maroons.
DPL
1 year ago
Who would believe Hansen. He
Who would believe Hansen. He spins stories and usually ends up making himself look like an idiot. Come to think of it, he is an idiot
Jim Van Rassel
1 year ago
Answer the Questions
First question to Gordon Campbell, When the referendum is successful "when" will the HST be repealed? Second Question when reintroducing the PST legislation will it be as it was when it was repealed?
offended
1 year ago
Hold the referendum next month.
There is not one good reason to delay it.
I don't consider trying to save Campbell a good reason.
jim1966
1 year ago
Hansen Will Do Or Say Anything...
Mr Hansen should not say anything else about this as Gordo already spoke for his government. As for any refunds etc regarding any outcome, Hansen will bloody well do what he is told to do and nothing more. Whatever the issue. It is after all the PEOPLE'S Money is it not?
Ed Seedhouse
1 year ago
I think it is clear that if
I think it is clear that if the Liberals thought they could keep their majority onside they would recall the house and defeat the referendum motion.
The fact that they were afraid to do so shows their weakness.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Agree Ed.
With one addition that they get another year to help their friends and the members can claim they let the public decided even though it may be much too late. Either way there has never been an admission that they (All liberal MLA'a lied or were part of a lie) and they are hoping that the enough of the public will say lying is O.K. if it gets our friends elected.
G West
1 year ago
The big problem with the year delay
The big problem with the year delay is that it's going to be hell for small business - especially in the construction industry.
You think anyone's going to make minor changes, renovations or upgrades now?
As long as the roof ain't leaking wait a year and get it done after the HST is history.
If Campbell and Hansen really cared about the economy this little referendum would be held before the next 30 days have elapsed.
This is just another concrete example of why these guys have to go - NOW.
offended
1 year ago
I agree
This creates much more uncertainty in the economy.
North of Hope
1 year ago
jim1966 says
" Whatever the issue. It is after all the PEOPLE'S Money is it not?"
yes it is and the $ 1.6 billion bribe from the federal govt to implement the HST is also the PEOPLE'S Money. So why should we have to pay it back?
jim1966
1 year ago
North Of Hope Asks
yes it is and the $ 1.6 billion bribe from the federal govt to implement the HST is also the PEOPLE'S Money. So why should we have to pay it back?, A good question. I think that the answer is within the Harper government. They after all also take the People's money as well. It was both Harper and pre Harper that got the HST scheme working across Canada. Problem is most other provincial governments revealed the HST plan to the voters. Campbell and Co are reaching a choice, one way is to dump the leader and get a new one, or face demolition in a recall campaign.
DJT
1 year ago
“It is a commitment the
“It is a commitment the premier has made on behalf of government.”
So since when does anything that comes out of this guys mouth mean an effin thing?
pianosaurus rex
1 year ago
pianosaurus rex
ICBC is holding approximately 3.5 billion in reserves at the present time. ICBC is only required to have 1.5 billion to pay out future claims.
Contrary to what this government will claim, the 1.6 billion could be paid back with no cuts or problems with emptying government coffers.....
What this further reveals is that ICBC has been over-charging us for years on car insurance.
The feds dropped the GST from 7% to 5%.
This got rid of the best revenue stream the feds had. Now they are broke.
So they come up with this idea of giving us our GST money in return for collecting our HST money.....you know if 90% of British Columbians were actually awake they would see this fact.......in the prairies they told the feds to go to hell......
Nothing changed in the Maritimes with the new tax....and they have had it for a long period of time.....
I believe the HST will NEVER get to a referendum. Recall will take care of most of this government in the immediate future.........
Cut off the head and the tail will die.
Without Campbell what you have left is a bunch of marshmallows who do not know how to stand up and be counted unless instructed on how and when to do so.....
warbler
1 year ago
It's politics, folks
And as far as politics go, Campbell's move is tactical brilliance. I guarantee, were this an NDP premier making this play, it would be lauded by most of you as a great moment in BC politics. Step aside from your partisan predispositions for a moment and consider what's just happened in the last 48 hours. By pledging to honour the referendum result as binding and allowing a simple majority, the Premier has effectively re-directed all debate from the odious circumstances under which the tax was brought in, to when the referendum should take place and whether rebates should be paid back. Just hours after the premier's pledge, we saw Delaney on national news TV like a deer caught in the headlights, begrudgingly welcoming the premier's move, hinting that no recalls would be needed. The same morning, I was listening (on CKNW) to Tieleman's NDP partner in crime, David Schreck, refer to Campbell's power play as a "brilliant" move. Even Vander Zalm went from calling the the Liberal initiatives committee a "scam" made up of "liars" to mellowing his tone considerably and turning his focus to the referendum.
Are the Campbell Liberals corrupt, morally bankrupted? Yes. But anyone who thinks the Campbell Liberals are stupid and/or strategically incompetent are setting the stage for a 4th victory in 2013.
I'm thinking that if Campbell wanted to put the recall issue to bed and secure a 4th term for his party, he would introduce legislation this fall to guarantee his referendum changes, change the vote date to spring, and then step down as leader at the November convention.