Well W Laurier

I'm not bought and paid for and I and the other 5000 volunteers are going to kick ass during the next 90 days!

Suggestion

The NoHST canvassers should get as many signatures for the initiative as they possibly can in the 10 ridings that the Liberals won by the least number of votes. Don't stop collecting signatures until you get enough, or more than enough, to be able to run a successful recall campaign in their riding should the initiative fail to get the wanted outcome.

The NDP is trying to derail the HST by attempting to get 7 Liberal MLAs to vote against the pending legislation, which will likely fail on its own. However, if more than 7 Liberal held ridings are faced with an overwhelming condemnation of their support of the HST, not only will the candidates be feeling the heat but so will the Liberal riding associations. That is a pressure that they may be more willing to grow some backbone and oppose Gordo and Co.

Too too too funny

First off - I don't want the HST. But my reasons aren't political like Tielemans. Mine are just selfish, who likes to pay more tax?
But I had a huge laugh when I checked out his Fight HST link in the article and read the glowing history on the Zalm. Talk about rehabilitation. No mention of his trying to stuff his religious beliefs down our throats, such as cutting off abortion funding.
Paper bags stuffed full of cash under the table?
Well maybe, but the criminal charges didn't stick so whats the problem. Details, details.
No, now he's really just a man of the people, maybe even the best premier we ever had! Hounded out of office by a strident MSM bent on bringing a good man down. Poor guy.
But hes back! And thats FAAAAN-TASTIC!
Just think....seeing as how the Zalm is now hanging out with such influential NDP insiders like Tieleman and Caroles nowhere in sight....can we say future NDP party leader? How would you like that folks.
Lillian could wear an orange headband....

Let's Make it Happen!

Time to reclaim the ol' democracy, folks!

Everyone, including Colin Hansen, is threatening a double dip recession resulting from continuing global economic uncertainty. Interest rates are going up earlier than anyone predicted, and costs for everything are higher than they've ever been, with wages stagnant for the last fifteen years. Would you like a lifetime of slavery with that $650,000 home? Let's not forget further carbon taxing, transit costs, and rising hydro rates to pay for overpriced private power.

So we've been getting reamed hard, and now these parasite politicians and their foul astro-turfing organs want to tell us that this tax, this tax on our bloody haircuts and infrequent restaurant meals, among other things, is a "done deal" and that this petition won't do anything. The nerve, stealing from us, then daring to continue force-feeding us bullshit! We're not that stupid!

Enough! Here is why you must sign the petition, and volunteer for the campaign:

1.) We must show our employees the politicians what we want in legal form, on record, so that if they want to screw us, they'll have to do it in the open for once, no more bullshit! Let's make it official and give them the ultimatum for once: with us or against us.

2.) If our employees the politicians ignore our demand to pull the tax, they will be renegades, and we will proceed to recall their most vulnerable members, for a start. How, you ask? With the fine people we've met on the HST campaign, of course, along with our freshly insulted fellow BCers who have just witnessed the government officially spit on the petition they just signed!

3.) With the economy still rickety, we all need to take renewed responsibility for our democracy, in order to protect our individual interests, and those of our families. The politicians are not our masters, we are theirs. It's time they got with the program, or got the hell out of government!

And I know it's popular to NDP bait here, but let's keep it real: if we, the people - who largely find the left-right, Liberal-NDP-Green debate repulsive and false - can use the laws of the land to articulate our interests and visit consequences on the ruling party outside of election time, then we can do it to the NDP, the Greens, independents, and any other pretender who plans to squander our taxes and give us the shaft.

Let's make it so!

Make sure you are registered to vote, and volunteer: www.fighthst.com

Answer me this Bill:

Will the NDP rescind the HST or is it even possible to rescind the HST after it's been made law?

The Zalm - Parte Deux

Gordo's list of crimes and outrages makes the Zalmer look like a saint.

The Zalmer is at least a charmer. One little old lady told me he could park his shoes under her bed any old time he wanted.

On the other hand the NDP is lead by a relatively honest individual with the brain of nat, a speaking voice and style which makes folks rather jump off a cliff than listen, and the inability to lead a girl scout troop.

The charming rogue or the village idiot. You pick.

Tieleman of course. aided by the addled James, successfully convinced BC voters to reject the STV the one thing that would prevent future HST's from happening. If he can convince the folks to a do a stupid thing perhaps the silver tongued devil can persuade them to go some good.

Waffling On Some Facts...

Hmmmmm... that's not necessarily the case from just a few days ago:

http://www.kelowna.com/

More interesting, Nova Scotia's NDP government will also announce today an increase in their HST from 13% to 15%, the highest in Canada! Very progressive taxation policy for the New Democrats, the BC NDP's brethren in arms.

(Aside from today's other NS NDP announcement of a 10% permanent reduction in their civil service.)

And the BC NDP? They have the same option but will NOT rescind the HST. Go figure! So much for principal - more like hypocrisy.

And that's after calling the Federal HST transfer of $1.6 billion to BC a bribe. Well then, if it's a bribe, return the bribe, which will automatically lead to the rescission of the HST. But the BC NDP won't and that's bad politics in the end game.

Perhaps Tieleman will do something revolutionary and become the communications director for the BC Conservatives in 2013 since they are the only provincial party that has committed to rescind the HST. The next logical step in Teileman's "NO BC HST"campaign. ;)

Curious

I am curious of the reasons why Ottawa wants us to adopt the HST? Normally things that are good for Ottawa are not good for people in BC. Are they collecting a lot more tax money from us to repay the billion they are giving us? Just curious.

I would love to see Harper and Campbell run elections of the people who gave you the HST.

Have at 'er

I say to the NDPers, get out there and get your signatures. That is much better than their usual smoke blowing. It will not lead to anything. The government will govern, the NDP will continue to support the HST despite all all their smoke blowing and Bill will still be on their payroll.

Plus de change.

The real problem

With the HST and all Sales Taxes is that they attempt to substitute 'efficiency' for fairness and equity.

Sales taxes impose far greater burdens on the poor and the middle class; unlike a decent and progressive system of tax on income (however earned).

As for waffling, it is interesting that dot Luke, luke skywalker, is fine with heaping opprobrium on his usual targets without ever actually 'debating' the issues.

Not much changes around here - the usual suspects are simply here to throw mud and spin - unwilling, as always to contend with the source and the fundamental nature of this provine's real problems.

...plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose

bluerev

You remember, I'm sure, that old story about gold. How did it go?

Oh Yeah - it was in reference to the gold standard.

I think the punch line said that he who controls the gold, sets the standards.

Of course Pee Wee is interested in centralizing taxing control and management in Ottawa; then, when jaded and stupid Canadians give him his coveted majority, he'll have the ability to force provinces to toe his line.

Crisis in the PAB....

...Alert! Alert! everyone log onto the boards and start spinning the party line. Ramp up the ad hominems on the Zalm while you're at it.....

Good luck coming up with 5000 bodies to chase around and argue with those pesky petitioners. ;-)

Agreed, Garth

The usual suspects are here. And the NDP, as usual, blows smoke and would not repeal the HST by their own admission. I don't see any of the Faithful, yourself included, saying anything critical of the NDP for supporting the HST.

The BC Liberals Don't Care

As my intro line suggests the BC Liberals just don't care, I tend to agree with some of the other comments posted here. I have a question Bill, please explain why if we all sign the hst petition then after all that it is not binding on the government? Will the BC Liberals even notice or even care?, Somehow Bill I doubt it. The NDP will not remove this tax after implementation mostly because they would have to return the 1.6 B Ottawa gave over. I do agree with the fact that given the circumstances recall should proceed over this issue (and other issues as well). By signing this petition will the electorate have an opportunity to stop the lesgistaltion or temper the hst implementation?, For myself this government lied about this whole mess and can no longer be trusted. The BC Liberals have become disconnected with the electorate and they know it.

Cheers

jim1966

Interesting

As a rather interesting aside, the Nova Scotia NDP has just raised their HST rate 2%. I wonder what BC NDPers have to say about this?

Looking forward to the day

when all my income is used for taxes and srevice fees!

Or just maybe many will return to cooking at home' playing monopoly and volunteering. No government revenue in that though!

Bill Tieleman answers questions

Wilf - you're an awfully nervous little feller, aren't you? And no, I don't ever stop.

I worked for a short period with Premier Glen Clark and left by July 1996, just because you are so interested. I went back to work at the BC Federation of Labour for 2 years and then formed my own company, which is celebrating 12 years in business next month. I don't work for the NDP.

Hughes - yes, the provincial government can rescind the HST - no doubt the Conservatives would expect to get their $1.6 billion "grant" back in exchange. Saskatchewan cancelled it after the 1991 election as noted.

Luke - you're spinning on Saskatchewan - the Finance Minister said he welcomed debate on the HST - but clarified that they were not going to proceed, as did the Premier.

- I think the Nova Scotia NDP decision to hike the HST 2% points to 15% is a very bad and politically damaging move for them. The HST is a regressive tax, period. But it should encourage all who oppose the HST in BC to help stop it dead now - because Nova Scotia shows it could go up even more if not!

- the BC NDP are putting up an excellent fight against the HST. They should, in my view, give BC voters a binding referendum to decide the fate of the HST if they are elected in 2013.

- I don't anticipate joining the BC Conservatives in 2013 but I strongly appreciate their position opposing the HST, along with the Refederation Party.

Only the BC Liberals support it and the Green Party - well, when you figure out their position let me know - incomprehensible and irrelevant is what I'd call it.

Two parts to the question

Bill,
Thanks for the reply to the second part of the quesion Bill, but would you care to answer the first part: Would the NDP rescind the HST if elected?

Bill Tieleman...

Again, the BC NDP is vehemently opposed to the HST as well as the $1.6 billion HST bribe from Ottawa. For opportunistic political reasons - obviously. Your referendum route would be silly from the public's perspective.

The BC NDP was also vehemently opposed to the carbon tax - again for opportunistic political reasons.

And during the 2009 provincial election campaign, the BC NDP made the elimination of the carbon tax one of their main party planks. It logically follows that the NDP should make HST rescission as a major party plank for 2013. But they won't!

After July 1, 2010, the BC NDP is either fer the HST or agin. Voters are not that gullible. :D

Of course, the federal Liberals in the 1993 election promised to eliminate the GST, which wiped out the Mulroney PC's.

Ontario went heavily Liberal and BC went heavily right-wing Reform with the NDP almost wiped out at 2 seats. Anti-tax folk naturally move right on taxation issues esp. here in the West.

What will BC'ers think when they learn that another NDP administration in Nova Scotia today increased their HST to 15%, the highest in Canada?

And yes, I also think that the carbon tax and the HST suck big time.

Tieleman seems incapable of nuance

Bill, this is just like the carbon tax. Instead of asking the government to fix a poor implementation of a good idea, you find it easier to go on a populist rampage. With Vander Zalm, the Conservatives and the Refed no less! Good luck herding all the lunatic fringers. Do you have a slogan yet? How about "Axe the tax??"

It's crazy that we have separate sales taxes with separate rules and separate long lists of exemptions. I never know when to expect tax.

The HST, as planned, is bad. It's a huge transfer from citizens to wealthy individuals, businesses and corporations. But you don't need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

C'mon Mr. "Communication". Put a little nuance in your message. You're up for it. Right?

"Liberal" values

In Quebec the Liberal government not only has a PST almost double BC's, they're also on the road to dismantling universal healthcare.

I wonder how many Liberal voters here would agree with them if they knew?

manioba did a study and said NO

I am told there is a study done by Manitoba and they decided the hst would not only harm the people but would do nothing solid to help the province either
If they could figure that out where are the brains of this government??

Hydro Que. Sale Cancelled by NB Premier

Some Premiers actually listen when enough backlash.
It looked like Hydro Quebec purchase of NB Power was a done deal after months of negotiations by NB Liberals. Just recently Premier Shawn Graham announced that the4 deal has been canceled. Would these lying MORONS in Victoria have the balls to listen to the people who pay the bills in this Province. Of course not, Ethics and accountability are not words that have any meaning for them.
Lets recall them all. The SHEEP in Burnaby, Like Bloy of Lee would not have the guts to vote against it.

If it makes our tax system simpler, it is worth it.

Canada must have the world's most complex tax system ever invented. It is unbefknlievable.

As I see it

Politics in BC as well as nationally has hit a new low. No one seems willing to debate the merits or shortcomings of any proposed government initiatives. Instead the comments degenerate to the socalled right versus left argument. The red herrings created by this left-right crap take over the majority of the comments while the topic gets ignored.

The current topic is centered around the HST and its impacts to BC. The majority of the comments seem to centre around whether the BCNDP or the BC Liberals should be in government. The name calling and personal slags belong in the local sandbox. They add nothing of value and just muddy the waters.

The bottom line is that those provinces that have had the HST in place for a number of years have fared no better than those that have resisted it. They are having to raise their rates of taxation for the simple fact that the HST did not deliver as promised. No doubt Ontario and BC will suffer the same fate.

What it will accomplish is to transfer a lot of money from those that have little to those that have a lot. That's the bottom line.

Silence is golden

Crankypants hit the nail on the head, a number of forums are narrowed down to name calling about your left, right and centre position regarding politics. That is disturbing as it takes away the focus of the topic being debated. I suppose some would rather disorganize the debate and take away the focus. Mmmmm, I wonder if that itself is a strategy or just acting mindless, maybe both?

Without focus we are just a bunch of headless chickens ready for processing.

From what I see, those that have are not content with their spoils.

Right Ramona - some pretty good info on HST right here...

http://www.gov.bc.ca/hst/faq.html

There are probably many reasons why don't we manufacture anything in Canada any more, but one would be our shoot-ourselves-in-the-foot taxation system.

HST is an attempt to straighten that out.

Blue Camas

Nope, the reason is that the Right got rid of things like the Foreign Investment Review Agency which prevented Canadian companies from being taken over when not in the national interest.

The Right has been against anything remotely smelling of Canadians working at Canadian-owned companies since even before the Avro Arrow.

The attitude has been why build anything here when we can buy the military hardware from the USA or the ferries from Germany or the lettuce from California.

The HST is simply a tax on regular folk to help business, much of it foreign owned.

No Integrity

I am one of the canvassers for the campaign in Ida Chong's Riding (Oak Bay-Gordon Head).
I have been down for the count with stage 4 cancer for a few years now, and currently experiencing a bit of a miraculous recovery. HHmm, strange? serendipitous?
Nope. Seems the opportunity to expose Gordon Campbell for the ill willed, deceitful and completely void of integrity politician that he is, set my immune system into high gear!
High on my bucket list is ousting him from office, and celebrating when the HST is rescinded.
Let's roll BC voters!

Alive & Frank

Alive you are right on, I worked in manufacturing for over 30 years and it aint changed from day one in Canada whhether locally owned or foriegn owned.

Frank when our dollar was way down like 62 cents, we had a number of off shore companies come in and setup shop. When they could not get a hand out from our provincial or federal governments off they went.

Sorry guys we need a drastic change in direction for manufacturing indutries going forward or we won't have it or be able to even spell the word.

Governments are applying regressive tax structures to make ends meet. So much for a savings plan.

I don't plan on retiring until I am 100 years old.

If the G can keep us all working at macDonalds, zellers. home depot and walmart they got it made eh.

confused

I am still cofused about this HST.
I do know that bikes, electric or regular should not be taxed.
It just seems to me that rather than tax more the higher waged people and the corporate profiteers they are trying to get money from eveyone else.

carfreecity

It's not only bikes that will be hit by the HST. The list of what will be taxed by the HST that wasn't taxed by the PST is so long that you would be crosseyed by the time you finished reading it. The other smoke and mirrors tactic that the government has employed is to insinuate that there are many layers of PST imbedded in many products that we currently buy. The reality is that most of these companies have a PST exemption for a myriad of things now, and therefore are not passing on costs that they don't incur. You can go to the BC government website and see how extensive these lists of exemptions are. Then you will know who is zooming who.