Opinion

Fighting a Good Fight, Against the Odds

Vander Zalm and colleagues should be proud of taking the fight against the HST into the public sphere.

By Rafe Mair, 12 Apr 2010, TheTyee.ca

hst-protest2.jpg

It will take a 'Herculean effort' to kill this tax.

Text size:

Rate this:

Login/Register

Related

I say three cheers for Bill Vander Zalm and his fight against the HST! He and his colleagues have a Herculean task before them in trying to get the HST removed, but they have my support. It's said that Vander Zalm ought to retire from the public scene. People who say that sort of thing are mad at the message and want to shoot the messenger.

Bill and I served in Bill Bennett's cabinet for five years, and know each other well. It was not Vander Zalm the minister that caused me any heartburn but Vander Zalm the premier.

Vander Zalm, class act

I was on air during Bill's term as premier and I gave him a hell of a hard time. Those were in the days where the media believed that it was their job to hold governments accountable -- those days, alas, are behind us. In any event, Bill had every reason to hold a grudge of considerable proportions, yet he came to a "roast" for me and was a speaker. Not only was there no bitterness, but he wrote and sang a very amusing version of "On Top Of Old Smoky"; it was the hit of the evening. Whatever you might think of Bill's political career, he's a class act. Instead of being pissed off at what Bill's doing we should be happy that he's back in the arena of public opinion and fighting a battle that needs to be fought. It's also worth remembering that Bill fought, unsuccessfully, against the privatization of BC Rail.

This hideous tax -- which hits the poor much harder than well-off people -- is what makes it fascinating that Mr. Vander Zalm and Chris Delaney, who are leading this fight, are both from the "right." That in itself should make us listen to them and think. 

'Trickle down' a tired notion

The HST, the government alleges, is going to save businesses millions, which will, we're told, be passed onto the consumer. We're supposed to believe that crud!? It reminds me of Charles Wilson, onetime chair of General Motors who, as U.S. defense secretary said, "What's good for General Motors is good for the nation."

The notion that putting money into the hands of the wealthy because it will trickle down to ordinary folks reminds me of what John Kenneth Galbraith said about this "trickle down" notion: "If you feed enough oats to the horse, some will pass through to feed the sparrows."

Anyone who thinks that the chair of a corporation will say. "Thank God for the HST... we will pass our savings on to the public with lower prices and heaven forbid that we might give ourselves fat bonuses," needs to look at some property in Florida I have for sale.

The politics of the Campbell government is strange. The rule of thumb in our political system is twofold: first, do your bad stuff in the early days and pour out the goodies to voters nearer the election, and never do bad things that the electorate won't forget.

What are the baddies that will get dredged up in 2013?

Flawed Liberal logic?

Start with BC Rail, which still lingers and smolders. Campbell's post-election sale of one of the jewels in the provincial crown is a constant reminder of this government's difficulty telling the truth. And this is what will really hurt the Liberals, as falsehoods continue to pile up.

Campbell, in the last election, said the deficit would be $495 million and expects us to believe that suddenly, a few weeks later and to his great surprise, the budget was four times as large!

When asked about the HST during the election, Finance Minister Colin Hansen said it wasn't even on the "radar." Remarkably, a few weeks later, it was announced as done! I've been there, folks, and I can tell you that these things don't happen overnight. I can say with confidence that Hansen's people were talking to the feds months before last May's election.

Is it not abundantly clear that the Campbell government has prevaricated on every aspect of the private water policy?

Here are a few false government statements: that private energy plants leave a tiny environmental footprint; that we need energy because B.C. is a net importer of energy; that it's good policy that BC Hydro pay private corporations double what they can sell it for; that it's good long-term policy to send cheap power to pay off Campbell's pals like Arnold Schwarzenegger and hard up investors like Warren Buffett. And here is the grossest lie of them all -- that we need private energy to meet our provincial needs.

Let's pause here for a moment. Surely we all agree that if we dammed so much as a little mountain stream much less huge projects like Bute Inlet and the Kleena Klini it would only be because we need the power. However, the truth is that private energy will NOT be going to British Columbia because it's generated during the spring run-off when BC Hydro doesn't need the power. Thus the basic argument Campbell makes -- that we need power and private power will provide -- it is utterly false!

Think of the children!

Now there's to be a new casino. Here's what Gordon Campbell said when he was seeking power:

"We don't want an economy based on losers, there will be no further expansion of gambling. We'll try to reduce it."

Kevin Kruger, the minister now responsible, said, "Children may die because of gambling expansion, and their blood will be on the heads of the government that expanded gambling and of the MLAs who voted for it."

Now a casino is a wonderful idea!

When an ordinary person tells untruth, he's called on it. If it was a mistake, we understand. If it was deliberate, we simply won't take his word for anything.

The odds of Bill Vander Zalm and Chris Delaney winning their fight against the HST are very slim, but they have this going for them: they're both honest men who tell the truth. [Tyee]

Rafe Mair's column runs every second Monday on The Tyee. Find his previous Tyee columns here and more of his writings on The Common Sense Canadian.

41 Comments:

Login or register to post comments

  • RickW

    1 year ago

    honest men who tell the truth?

    C'mon Rafe! Politicians and the truth in the same sentence constitutes an oxymoron.

    However, I still wish Zalm good luck, whatever his motives. The NDP doesn't seem interested in opposing this swindle.

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Nice piece Rafe

    Fact is, Gordon Campbell is running a government filled with losers; he's gambling the future of the province on his crippled version of what's good for him.

    The HST petition IS a long shot, but in a province where long shots sometimes come in, this one is worth the investment of some citizen time and effort.

  • Camero409

    1 year ago

    Fight the HST

    Your right Raif. This is the "good fight". I traveled with you and Bill Bennett on the BC Rail Business Cars and the BC Rail "Budd" Cars. I was the BC Rail tech that traveled all over BC with you on those coaches and rail diesel cars while the government ministers traveled BC stopping at all the railway stops all along BC Rail and CP Rail lines in the late 70's. Those days the media traveled on the 2nd Budd Car and there was a reporter from the Vancouver Sun. I forget her name but she was aggressive with you guys and she held you accountable for everything you said. If she caught a lie it was exposed for what it was.

    I was at Vander Zalms meeting yesterday in Maple Ridge. I was there for 2.5 hours listening and watching. Before I arrived and after I left the line up to sign the petition was out the doors and down the driveway to 224th street. I bet they are close to or exceeding half of the names they require.I don't know when it slowed or stopped but I must say I am impressed at the support this fight has. If they don't make it before July 1st. its onto recall and that could very well work.

    The Fight has already exceed expectations in White Rock, Fort St. John and the Cities along the Alberta border.

    I have always been a NDP supporter and worked in many ridings through out BC. I participated in the one day strike against the government in 1987 I believe it was. This fight against the HST will finally galvanize the people against the LIbERalS as no other event to date has.

    It's my gut feeling this fight will change politics in BC. I now have faith that these LIARS we have in Government will be defeated next election or quite possibly a recall if this disgusting Tax on the poor is not rescinded. I intend to work to have this legislation rescinded or this government defeated on recall or in the next election.

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Camero409

    Wouldn't be Majorie Nichols would it?

    http://thetyee.ca/Views/2006/08/28/NewsMedia/

  • Van Isle

    1 year ago

    The only way that these

    The only way that these bandits in Victoria will pay attention to BCers is to have a general strike. They don't give fiddlers-fuck what the average person thinks. We can sign petetions up the ying-yang; they still won't budge. One of the conditions of going back to work is to call for a Provincal election.

  • Takuan

    1 year ago

    I remember van der Zalm too

    the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend.

  • DPL

    1 year ago

    Fantastic effort by Bill and

    Fantastic effort by Bill and the rest of the folks who are actually doing something to derail this incompetent and a bunch of fibbers as well. Get you name recorded and stop Gordo from screwing the citizens, one more time.

  • Adam M

    1 year ago

    Right on, Rafe!

    Quote:
    I say three cheers for Bill Vander Zalm and his fight against the HST! He and his colleagues have a Herculean task before them in trying to get the HST removed, but they have my support.

    Thanks, Rafe! Would you care to volunteer for some canvassing? We could use you to rally the troops and bank some major sig sheets!

    Your part about trickle-down economics was excellent. When people come at me with that BS as a benefit of the HST I always ask them, "Will the corporations banking on the cuts financed by this tax send me a cheque for $2100? Will the $2100 be factored into my pay? Can I take my receipts to Encana, or Plutonic? Jimmy P, can I have some trickle-down love?" I can assure you that the only trickling down we might experience is if someone takes a piss out the window of a Howe St party and you're lucky enough to be below.

    RickW: The Zalm is always going to be controversial, but he's just the name in the proponent field, the guy who picks up the faxes and rallies the troops. He's doing an awesome job. The running joke is that if the Zalmer has returned to actually work with the NDP to fight this tax, then this must be an emergency! It's a major motivator, actually!

    Anyways, as always, we need all the help we can get. Hit the website at www.fighthst.com and volunteer, even if just to collect every last signature in your building (easy!). You'll be working with awesome, professional people, and you will have done something about this trash tax!

  • happy

    1 year ago

    A little too carried away Rafe

    I was more or less with you until the final sentence.
    This is just too much

    "they're both honest men who tell the truth"

    Well I don't know about Delaney but I do know about the Zalm and I'll take Ted Hughes word over yours, he doesn't have an axe to grind.

    quote:

    "One thing, though, is certain: Vander Zalm has given up none of the views that previously got him into trouble. "The premier’s problem," concluded Hughes in his report on the Fantasy Gardens affair, "stems not just from his inability to draw a line between his private and public life, but in his apparently sincere belief that no conflict existed so long as the public wasn’t aware of what was going on." Asked last week what he had learned from that experience, Vander Zalm said: "I made a mistake selecting someone in the bureaucracy to be judge over me. That was a real boner." He admits no other regrets. "My values," he adds, "haven’t changed."

    http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011774

  • W Laurier

    1 year ago

    While we are at it.....

    Since the HST is so bad and unfair, perhaps the Zalmer can get the GST removed too. And of course, there can be no tax hikes for me or anyone I know, only other people. Then we can work on the other 28 or so OECD countries that have a VAT, most at a much higher rate.

    Rafe, satire aside, the Zalm's political career was one SNAFU after another. The man can grow a mean tulip and he has an infectious smile but he was about as knowledgeable about how government worked as a fridge magnet.

  • mary jane

    1 year ago

    38,000 in Job losses

    I have heard that some 38,000 jobs will be gone across the province if the HST passes. I wonder which jobs those are?

  • Mustafarian

    1 year ago

    Will they win again

    In spite of everything, what are the odds the liberals will win again in 2013?

    I say they are pretty good - as a gambling man I'll give you 60% chance they'll win... and go on to consolidate their dynastic power over BC...

    On the other hand a more interesting question would be: if the NDP were to win, what are the chances they'll reverse the worst Campbell policies - Privatization of BC Rail, private power projects, and the HST (to name a few).

    Again, as a gambling man I would put at 10% the chance that if elected the NDP will reverse any of these policies (figure goes up to 40% if they actually promise to do so during the campaign)...

    Politics and gambling are fun! But a losers game in the end (at least the way politics are done here)...

  • Dashe

    1 year ago

    Good Turnout in Maple Ridge

    My husband and I signed the petition yesterday in Maple Ridge. There was a good crowd, lots of diversity in terms of age, and lots of determined faces.

    I just don't have a grasp on whether or not it's realistic to think that we can stop this thing, but it felt great to take some action.

    I'm volunteering as a canvasser, too. In for a penny, in for a pound...why not?

  • alive

    1 year ago

    Not impressed!

    Rafe and Zalm, eh?
    Both right wing fanatics that somehow begin to see how those policies affect people once they are retired.
    Talk about hindsight!
    Yes I am happy that they eventually converted, but see no reason to jump for joy because of a couple of old turncoats ---- even if for a change they turned my way.
    To me they are no better than those who sold out to the liberals like previous majors and premiers of this province I could name.

  • GrowlTiger

    1 year ago

    HST

    Ol' Willie Van duh Slap and Rife Mare are both doing what they have done repeatedly in the past...looking through a keyhole instead of through an open door. I hate the thought of the HST as much as the next man, woman or other. But I am a realist. BC along with the rest of the world has experienced a massive economic slump. Our BC government is desperately short of funds and thus has now to juggle: making spending cuts(every one of which is opposed by clones of the bobbsy twins, Z and M,) getting more income while spending in some areas to keep the economy afloat. Could they do a better job of it? Of course they could! Every single government is fsir game for the stone throwers.

    But in this case the bobbsy twins and their followers are getting their underwear n a twist over nothing. If the HST had not been imposed or were now to be miraculously overturned, the Government would just get the money out of us some other way.

  • CanadianLatitude

    1 year ago

    The only way that these

    The only way that these bandits in Victoria will pay attention to BCers is to have a general strike.
    ============

    But unfortunately Canada has become a country of sheep.

  • Camero409

    1 year ago

    Majorie Nichols

    Your right G West, it was Marjorie Nichols. While traveling with Preem Bennett and the rest of the right wing hordes, Marjorie traveled in the 2nd coach with the rest of the camera crews and reporters. When it came time to ask questions after every stop and platform speech, you could almost taste the fear when Marjorie started asking questions. She was probably the last really good Political reporter at the Vancouver Sun. I liked her sense of timing and humour. She was on the ball all the time no matter the time of day or her state of mind.

    When she tasted blood she went for the throat. Not like these toothless fairies now who call themselves political reporters. Vaugh Palmer doesn't understand confrontation unless its against the NDP, and Mike Smith? who reads his column anyway. Both are afraid of their jobs and, frankly, like the status quo.

  • demotto

    1 year ago

    How's about we

    How's about we file multiple criminal complaints against the Lieberals under Section 181 of the Criminal Code
    Spreading false news--Every one who willfully publishes a statement, tale or news that he knows is false and that causes or is likely to cause injury or mischief to a public interest is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

    Seems to me lying about the budget deficit in order to be elected fits the bill as does lying about not selling BC Rail and then doing so(a 999 year lease not being a sale is just so much BS).

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Camero409

    Thanks for the memories - we certainly don't have anyone with anywhere near her stature around any more - her early death from cancer was a great loss.

  • RickW

    1 year ago

    Willie my man........

    Quote:
    but he was about as knowledgeable about how government worked as a fridge magnet

    [SNIDE COMMENT DIRECTED AT ANOTHER COMMENTER REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • peasant43

    1 year ago

    The Zalm

    van·i·ty
       /ˈvænɪti/ Show Spelled [van-i-tee] Show IPA noun,plural-ties, adjective
    –noun
    1.
    excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit:

  • Takuan

    1 year ago

    you can always tell a Dutchman

    But you can't tell him much.

  • Takuan

    1 year ago

    BTW

    was in Fantasy Gardens last year and it's a rotting hulk.

  • joeskrlac

    1 year ago

    On HST

    I laugh how the liberals think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    there own families will pay the same HST on new homes, cars, boats, motorcycle, over counter pills,food in cafe's, booze at bars, pretty well every thing but groceries,
    OH 12% HST added onto Liberals adult sons / daughter families and their MLA parents heating fuels.. should I go on or can you see the picture Liberal MLA's.

    WHAT in heaven name is wrong with YOU LIBERAL MLA's in BC... I KNOW you never cared for the citizens of BC before, and now with the new HST you don't give one ioata, or thought too your own children or parents working & trying to make a living in BC.
    ONE last word, the biggest shame to BC citizens is that the liberals Lied about HST, last Prov. election, not only to the province, but to their own adult children. THAT in itself is a "shame" TO BC Liberals and the whole Province..

    We must stop HST before we all PAY..

    cheers Joe

  • Grania

    1 year ago

    The Zalm

    I was a social worker on E. Hastings in Vancouver when Zalm was Minister of Social Services and Housing (I think that was the name then) and he OFTEN had me in a rage. That being said; I am very pleased that somebody has the foresight, knowledge and courage to spearhead this movement against HST. Yes. I am suspicious of his motives. Regardless; I applaud this effort he has initiated.

  • RickW

    1 year ago

    joeskrlac

    Quote:
    there own families will pay the same HST on new homes, cars, boats, motorcycle, over counter pills,food in cafe's, booze at bars, pretty well every thing but groceries

    No problem! They'll just give themselves a(nother) raise, or create a(nother) sinecure!
    http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/Cutting+costs+Here+start/2789347/story.html#ixzz0kw5oRsV4
    And Erin Chutter from CBC Radio's Early Edition's Political Panel says they could use a raise "to attract competent people".

  • GrowlTiger

    1 year ago

    HST

    To "alive”. Rafe Mair a fanatical Right Winger?? Surely you jest! Maybe he was in the dim distant past but now he is even far left of the far left and an ardent NDPer. (Absolutely nothing wrong with that as his free choice)
    Mair has campaigned as a paid shill for the Save.our.rivers organization against run-of-river hydro power projects. He has written publically that Run of River Projects should be “exploited” (his word) by the NDP for political purposes, and he has also noted how important those projects are politically because every riding has some RoR projects slated.
    See also how he expressed in writing, as spokesman for Save.our.rivers, his profound disappointment that the NDP lost the last election. Fanatical right wing, he ain’t

  • Frank

    1 year ago

    GrowlTiger

    Rafe is "far-left"?

    Oh I wish it was so. And as for the "dim distant past", we called that time the 1990's.

  • alive

    1 year ago

    learn how to read!

    GrowlTiger
    One of ther requirements for carrying on a dialogue, is that you can read!

    As stated in my post both of these "gents" were far right wing, and changed their tune after they retired and became aware of the damage they had caused.

    By now you may classify them as left should that please you, my choice is "turncoat". and to me that is not a term of endearment.

  • happy

    1 year ago

    Turncoats is a bit harsh

    I think it might more be appropriatley stated that they "burned their bridges" behind them....

  • Luck

    1 year ago

    HST comments by people

    I applaud B Vanderzalm, R Mair, R Nader and all the real men who fight for our rights and are not appreciated. I know I have missed a few great Canadians.

    You are the people who appreciated nothing in life but complaining.

    You are the people who do not feel voting can do anything.

    You are the people who make up 70 % of people who do not vote in BC.

    If you had 10% of what these men have you could write great stories of actually fighting for our rights to be governed properly.

    Do not knack these great people because with out them you would not have the right to free speech.

    Get out and do some fund raising and community networking you will see why these people are admired deeply.

  • Frank

    1 year ago

    Luck

    Ralph Nader isn't Canadian.

    And I have nothing against Rafe in spite of his daily rants against the NDP back in the 90s but to say he and Bill are the reason I have free speech is a little more than I can swallow.

    On that score I would say you owe the people who participated in the Winnipeg General Strike, the March on Ottawa and a number of other little rebellions going back to 1215 and the signing of the Magna Carta. Bill and Rafe not so much.

  • alive

    1 year ago

    opinion poll followers?

    happy:
    So you do not like the term "turncoats"?
    How about referring to them as people who get their ideas by the current opinion pols?
    Rafe in particular must be hounding his scources to come up with yet another "popular" piece, since even he must run out of ways to write about the same thing every 2 weeks now.
    Sorry to me, a person should have some essential principle in life, and that should not change according to circumstances.

  • bluerev

    1 year ago

    Left wing right wing?

    I don't think it's because Rafe and Bill changed their ideologies, it more that they see this is not good for the people of British Columbia. Remember, it was the Socreds who made BC hydro a public company (it was private before), who created BC rail, who built new public highways, created the BC Ferries. The only public entity Campbell isn't destroying was a NDP creation (ICBC). So really, I see Rafe and Bill trying to keep what the Socreds created, keeping their legacy alive instead of a right-left wing issue. We need to see beyond these stupid labels and do what Rafe and Bill are doing and working for the well being of all instead of a few.

  • Luck

    1 year ago

    Frank

    Aware Nader is not Canadian.

    Just thru that in cause he has so much knowledge about Canada and many books on canada inventions also.He is a community activist and still is.

    His books are great read.

    Anyway my point is history and accomplishments must go forward and bukld upon our accomplishments.

    My accomplishment to date is that I restored a 1875 Chevrolet Camaro. It is in better shape than when it rolled off the line in November 1974 according to retired GM car builder. I think he wants it.

    Any way people we can complain forever but wrer the rubber hits the road is by getting out and voting please.

    If you don't vote then you can't complain. A quote from Abe Lincoln.

  • RickW

    1 year ago

    The Liberals Must Be Getting Worried....

    ....as they are beginning to make fun of the efforts.

  • DJT

    1 year ago

    ?

    "I restored a 1875 Chevrolet Camaro". Was that the one pulled by two horses or the four horse model?

  • brg61

    1 year ago

    Nice column Rafe .....

    ...even with the odd ending. Vander Zalm is not the honest guy you think he is. And he wasn't the anti tax crusader we see today.
    He engineered a huge tax grab when he introduced the property purchase tax. I don't recall him advocating any new tax during his campaign, did you?
    But he's right about this tax and the vulgar deception displayed by Campbell and Hansen. I hope this petition succeeds

  • jim1966

    1 year ago

    News Release

    By: The Canadian Press

    Date: Thursday Apr. 15, 2010 12:01 PM PT

    The B.C. Liberals started working on a harmonized sales tax just three days after winning last May's election, federal Access to Information documents show.

    The documents obtained by The Canadian Press show bureaucrats from the B.C. Finance Ministry contacted federal Department of Finance tax officials on May 15 with an information request regarding the HST.

    B.C. Finance Minister Colin Hansen has said the Liberals didn't consider the HST until after the May 12 vote, but the documents show for the first time just how quickly the idea to implement the tax came up.

    The province publicly announced last July it had reached an HST deal with Ottawa.

    Most of the more than 800 pages of HST documents released under the federal Access to Information request were left blank.

    The reasons were cited as rules that allow governments to withhold information obtained in confidence and refusal to disclose federal-provincial consultations and deliberations.

    So after all of this everyone seems to see that the BC Liberals knew exactly what was going to happen, yet they lied and misled British Columbians and here is the evidence.

  • Geoff

    1 year ago

    Administrator

    @ jim1966

    Just an FYI for everyone: The Tyee runs the Canadian Press headline feed on our home page, too. You can view the new release Jim1966 mentions there, also.

  • TYRONE

    1 year ago

    WE SHOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIKE RAFE AND BILL VANDERSALM

    I have read a lot of Rafe Mair's thoughtfull letters and I was glad to realize, that I made a good decision by signing the HST protest petition. I encourage everyone to sign this document and also see their MLAs to give them food for thought - we are being robbed twice over this "deal"; once by the federals, who stole 1.6 billion of our taxmoney from us to give to BC liberals to do the dirty deed of implementing another robbery scheme called HST!
    I think we should can them all and start over with a CLEAN slate!!!

    • The discussion for this story is closed. No more comments can be added.