Vote results in: British Colombia rejects HST [Globe and Mail]
- Thread starter chrisk
- Start date
Odd, given during the referendum campaign the Liberals and friends were making a big deal out of how it was written into federal law now that the HST would be reduced to 10 per cent in two years -- guess they'd have to change their minds and legislation again.
Mind you, if the Conservatives want to kill their election chances in B.C. they could hold firm on the $1.6 billion repayment. Great fodder for the B.C. NDP, given that party's been able to campaign against a tax, and can then campaign on Liberal dishonesty and fiscal incompetence too.
Mind you, if the Conservatives want to kill their election chances in B.C. they could hold firm on the $1.6 billion repayment. Great fodder for the B.C. NDP, given that party's been able to campaign against a tax, and can then campaign on Liberal dishonesty and fiscal incompetence too.
Anyone else review the riding-by-riding results?
The only areas to heavily (~60 per cent) reject extinguishing the HST were what we'd generally consider higher-income areas: Point Grey, Fraserview, West Vancouver (both ridings), South Delta (Tsawwassen), White Rock, and the Mt. Seymour area of North Vancouver. Rejections could be found in other areas, mostly rural, but not nearly as skewed.
Two possible interpretations: wealthy people are better educated about the economy and the implications of going back to the PST, or; they're more likely to own a business (benefitting from the HST) and spend less of their income on items which were exempt from the PST (used cars, children's clothes, grooming).
The only areas to heavily (~60 per cent) reject extinguishing the HST were what we'd generally consider higher-income areas: Point Grey, Fraserview, West Vancouver (both ridings), South Delta (Tsawwassen), White Rock, and the Mt. Seymour area of North Vancouver. Rejections could be found in other areas, mostly rural, but not nearly as skewed.
Two possible interpretations: wealthy people are better educated about the economy and the implications of going back to the PST, or; they're more likely to own a business (benefitting from the HST) and spend less of their income on items which were exempt from the PST (used cars, children's clothes, grooming).
And I disagree with you on the asylum voting... as someone else pointed out, this was not a vote that was based on the realities of what is, it was a petulant response to an odious political move by the then Campbell led Liberals. The people of BC will probably find out that the reversion to the PST will cost Billions of dollars in administrative costs, which includes the return of the 1.6 Billion or so to the federal government.
Yes, our system revolves around voting, that is fine, and there is no better system as far as I know. But this was a referendum on a single policy decision, not a vote to replace a whole party. It was a single focused thing that has large repercussion without any other policy taken into account. You want democracy, we should have had a provincial election to decide who should run the province, and part of the campaigning would be how to deal with the HST. That would have been a better idea than this single minded petulant cry.
No, it would be the opposite. A majority of the products that were PST exempt were discretionary purchases. In my opinion, the fact that lower income individuals were complaining about higher costs on these items is utter crap.
If a 7% (or soon to be 5%) cost increase on these items makes it so that you are struggling financially, what the HECK are you doing buying most of it in the first place.
Things such as
Restaurant meals, snack foods, gym memberships, sports events tickets, movie tickets, golf memberships, live theatre, music concerts etc. (basically paid activities). Or other such as fitness trainers, interior designers, dry cleaning.
If anything it should be the higher income people complaining, because they SHOULD be the ones purchasing a lot more of these once PST exempt items.
British Columbians cut off their nose to spite their face with this one.
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gym memberships should not be taxed, period.
Fit people use hospitals less.
Fit people use hospitals less.
Ever read the report by the independent review panel?
This is excellent news. Efff you government. Anyone who thinks the HST was anything but a way to get more money out of the middle class pocket has their head up their ass.
And congrats to Eldonko for one of the most ignorant statements I have ever read on the internet.
And congrats to Eldonko for one of the most ignorant statements I have ever read on the internet.
His statement is quite valid. The unfortunate result of the referendum backs it up, too.
This was seriously one of the worst most ridiculous statements I have ever seen.
Yes, lets just leave the government to do as they please, we all know how well that turns out.
Oh and other people saying that it was just extras being taxed more, I take it you don't have kids right? Kids clothes along with other kid related items were not taxed before but were with the HST. So yes this was hitting the people that it hurts the most, young families.
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