Still Fighting On......
The quiet of a Sunday afternoon erupted in the most amazing cacophony of whoops, hollers and masses of car horns. Being nosy, I went out onto West Georgia Street, to find lines of enthusiastic people holding placards and realized the car horns were tooting in support – hoping for the anti-HST initiative to be formally approved.
A new “harmonized sales tax” was implemented by the provincial government and took effect July 1st. Through this tax, the government did more than anyone ever has, to bring the people of BC together, ‘cuz now most everybody's united in hating the HST! :) What angered people was the legislation's being pushed through immediately after the election, before which they had insisted the HST wasn't even "on the radar."
An anti-HST citizen initiative was begun. The campaign had 90 days to gather the signatures of at least 10 percent of registered voters in each constituency. They got well over the number required (half a million!), it was validated by Elections BC, then referred to a Leglislative Committee.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATES
Sept. 14, 2010 - announced a province-wide referendum will be held in Sept. 2011. People now protessting that's too far away, hoping to have it held sooner. Still much anger.
November 3, 2010 - Premier Gordon Campbell resigned his position today.
August 26, 2011 - The results of the referendum (held earlier than originally planned) were made official today...the HST wss voted out. It's not certain what will follow. The Province of BC has to pay back the $1.2 billion they received from the Federal Government when the tax was implemented.
Still Fighting On......
The quiet of a Sunday afternoon erupted in the most amazing cacophony of whoops, hollers and masses of car horns. Being nosy, I went out onto West Georgia Street, to find lines of enthusiastic people holding placards and realized the car horns were tooting in support – hoping for the anti-HST initiative to be formally approved.
A new “harmonized sales tax” was implemented by the provincial government and took effect July 1st. Through this tax, the government did more than anyone ever has, to bring the people of BC together, ‘cuz now most everybody's united in hating the HST! :) What angered people was the legislation's being pushed through immediately after the election, before which they had insisted the HST wasn't even "on the radar."
An anti-HST citizen initiative was begun. The campaign had 90 days to gather the signatures of at least 10 percent of registered voters in each constituency. They got well over the number required (half a million!), it was validated by Elections BC, then referred to a Leglislative Committee.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATES
Sept. 14, 2010 - announced a province-wide referendum will be held in Sept. 2011. People now protessting that's too far away, hoping to have it held sooner. Still much anger.
November 3, 2010 - Premier Gordon Campbell resigned his position today.
August 26, 2011 - The results of the referendum (held earlier than originally planned) were made official today...the HST wss voted out. It's not certain what will follow. The Province of BC has to pay back the $1.2 billion they received from the Federal Government when the tax was implemented.