Spearheads HST Referendum
It is being reported in the press, that former BC Premier Bill Vander Zalm will launch a campaign to force a provincial referendum on the proposed HST.
Refusing to let the HST debate die out, Vander Zalm is quoted as saying "I've never seen anything like it in all the times I've been involved in politics, Never anything this big, never an issue quite like this."
Vander Zalm will officially kick off his campaign Sept. 19 during a rally in downtown Vancouver.
Using the procedure on recalls and referendums that he helped forge, Vander Zalm hopes to organize a petition against the HST.
To do so, he'll have 90 days to collect 10 per cent of the vote in each constituency throughout B.C. From there, the petition has to be verified before being sent on to a select standing committee in the legislature.
"I think the Liberals would have a hard time rejecting a call for a referendum if we present it in the way of an initiative," Vander Zalm said.
Editor's Note: It just could turn out to be a very hot fall this year in British Columbia. Last year it was the Federal Conservatives and their little drama in Ottawa that awoke the Canadian electorate, perhaps Campbell and his HST have finally pulled a feather the old goose just noticed.
City councillor Prince George Brian Skakun is spearheading a citizen petition against the HST. When I sent a copy of this article (http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20090813207626/local/news/councillor-has-anti-hst-petition.html) and asked if our city councillors would consider doing the same, I got a quick response from Merv Unger quote- NO -unquote. You can get his point of view at http://mervunger.shawwebspace.ca/ I wonder how many more on our city share his vision of the fed HST tax grab.
ReplyDeleteThis too is interesting. Former premier Bill Vander Zalm is hopping mad with the Liberal broken election promises http://www.theprovince.com/news/gets+premier+Vander+Zalm+hopping/1848172/story.html
History has proven the power of the people time and again. It will be interesting to see if the ordinary Joe will actually stand up for his rights...and make a difference with this issue.
What Unger and those like him fail to realize is that the taxpayer does not mind paying for things they need. They do however resent paying $72 million for convention centers and the like.
ReplyDeleteAlso paying $500 a square foot for affordable housing. Those a just a couple of the local 'waste of my money' that I resent.