Goodbye HST!

Yes, for those of us in BC the HST has been outvoted 54-46%

Well, maybe we can fix stupid with a referendum. I don't want to get into an unnecessary debate on the merits of one tax versus the other, but the way this tax change was introduced had to be one of the poorest moves by any government in recent history.

Up to two years for the legislation to remove it.

Hillbilly wrote:Up to two years for the legislation to remove it.

Figures. But, at least we finally stood up for ourselves!! I'm sure after the two years something else will be brought in or introduced.

Personally (I know, I can hear you now) I would rather have kept the HST and reduced it to 10%. 10% is so much easier to figure out!
I to disagree with how it was brought in, but it will cost a lot to get it back out again. Just chucking more money around!

Whether you're for it, or against it, we have to be happy someone listened.

It's terrible that it was rescinded. It will cost us all (in BC) a fortune. I'm moving to Alberta. Any suggestions? I like hills.

If it was 10% and honestly brought in they would have sold me on it. But I'm not waiting until 2014 for it, and with a gov't change in the middle where they would likely not reduce it to that anyway.
I'm both happy and sad. Sad it had to come to this and cost so many of us. Debt repayment should come out of the prov. liberal's pockets. They're the ones that screwed up, not you or I.
But...as HillBilly said, at least someone listened, for better or worse. We'll see what goes from here.

I'm glad all of our hard work paid off. I'm not a fan of politics or politians, but I had to get involved in the repeal of the HST. It hurst seniors and low income people that are struggling to make ends meet. I can't believe anyone would actually like extra taxes. well except businesses that get to keep a higher percentage of the HST.
I found it interesting that the Richest areas of BC had the highest percentage of votes to keep the HST, Point Grey, North Van-Seymour, Abbostford-Mission and West Van-Capilano at 64.52%.

I found it interesting that aside from the financial / political reasons for and against the tax, there was no one covering (at least not that I heard) the psychological / sociological aspect of this event. Hasn't anyone read The Tipping Point? There comes a point where people have simply had enough. Good reason, bad reason, enough is enough! THe actual rate of taxation in this country is staggering! And I think Avergae Joe citizen has simply had the last little bit he's going to swallow. Whether or not this tax was good was lost in the anger and backlash at having it seeminlgy rammed down our throats and then the carrot (reduced to 10%) way the heck off years down the road. Nope. Not good enough! Take your tax and stick it!

I think you're bang on there, uno. I don't think it would have made an ounce of difference, no matter what they sweetened the pot with. Joe Public seems to have had enough. Good on Him.

Perhaps next time some brilliant idea has been hatched, Joe Public might be consulted. Bah, wishful thinking.

Had a similar effect in New Brunswick where the Liberal government became the first in NB history to be bounced after only one term. No idea what will happen if the Conservatives similarly tick the voters off. The Social media has completely changed the ball game and their old tricks don't work as well as they used to. The voters can be organized in a way that they never were before.


As for taxes, there is a different feel around. I saw a headline that the upper class in France was admitting thet they should pay more in taxes. So far only Warren Buffet has taken that stance on this side of the pond. john Stewartdid a good breakdown of the situation in the States.

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It's all well and good to stand up and yell "Yah, we STUCK IT to the Man, man!!" but it's US who are going to be re-paying that Federal incentive $$ back... things are going to just grind to a halt here in BC...but at least we can say "I told you so" to Gordon Campbell (who has moved on).

[quote="farmchiq"]It's all well and good to stand up and yell "Yah, we STUCK IT to the Man, man!!" but it's US who are going to be re-paying that Federal incentive $$ back... things are going to just grind to a halt here in BC...but at least we can say "I told you so" to Gordon Campbell (who has moved on).
[/quote
Only in Canada! the most hated man in BC poilitics gets run out of the Premier's office and gets appointed to the high Commissioner to Britian post with the high wages and pension plan.

Funny I never heard anyone complaining when the Liberals spent over $5 million dollars on a Stickman ad campaign to convince us that another tax,"HST" is a good thing. And millions on a mail in ballot to vote on abolishing a tax that the people clearly didn't want. Be mad at the Liberal and their waste and mismanagement of our tax dollars. My hats off to all of the people that are so wealthy that they want to pay more taxes, and like it. I can't afford to pay anymore taxes myself.