BC Federation of Labour - HST

From the BC Fed. "Last week we released a simple and clear video: Stickman Explains the HST Honestly "

HST Stick Cartoons

Ya gotta check these out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfABlfLqdyM&feature=BFa&list=ULVGwYU5y9GRU&index=1

I am totally amused by the government ads that are on the radio, while they are not really outright lying the way they are framed seems to imply people are stupid enough to believe them. The latest goes something like this; Vote YES to go back to 12% GST plus PST, Vote NO for 10% HST. Actually stupidity aside I think many will believe the ads simply because they do not want to actually check out the facts.

HST shenanigans

July 6 Daily News:
Fight HST organizer says signs have been sabotaged

I actually had a couple YES signs in my yard much like the one below, also below are pictures of the doctored sign, and on Saturday while mowing the lawn noticed thay had gone missing. The next day I e-mailed for more signs and got a call explaining that the person who had placed them had driven by on Saturday and saw that the sign on Nocol St. had been doctored so he stopped and took it down, the one on Needham was not even there.

He had originally thought I might have done it but after talking to me we figured that whomever is doctoring the signs likely took the one off Needham and doctored it then replaced the one on Nicol St. with it. As can be seen this was not a hack job but professionally made decals used to replace specific sections of Yes Extinguiosh the HST signs. While one has to admire the initiative on their part they should be aware that the RCMP are investigating.





Again in case it is not clear where I stand:

MORE on HST:

It's tough to find anyone in Nanaimo voting to keep the tax
Walter Cordery, The Daily News
Published: Thursday, July 07, 2011
Sentiment towards HST, referendum is largely negative

EDITORIAL
Don't waste HST ballot on protest vote

If you wish to read the many letters etc. published in the Daily News regarding the HST go to: Canada.com search HST Nanaimo

For letters and stories in the Nanaimo News Bulletin go to: Nanaimo News Bulletin search HST

HST Referendum

The time for the referendum on the Harmonized Sales Tax draws closer and soon folk will have to make a choice. All I know is that for me this tax seems to have taken any disposable income, which I have always had little, and leaves me living paycheck to paycheck. For lower income folk the rebate might be enticing but think about it, when has the government, any government given back more than you paid. Yes for people on Income assistance this might be true, but for the vast majority it isn't.

This pretty much says it as to where I stand.

Have added a pile of links to news stories and letters below.

Letter D/N
June 25
HST will not help business create jobs

Bulletin
June 11
HST forums wrap up in Nanaimo
Scroll down in the story and you will notice links to other HST related storeys.

Province
June 7
BC Government risks backlash from HST ads

The following links are from a simple search, HST Nanaimo, on www.Canada.com
For any of the news storeys copy and paste the title into Google and click on the result that has daily news in the URL, that way you will get to see the comments made on the story.

The HST will cost us plenty if it is rescinded

Vote call should have frozen HST rebate

High-profile ads are used to push B.C. HST plan

Liberal's HST 'bribe' isn't fooling anyone

More questions than answers about the HST

Use head, not heart to vote

Common sense can be dictated by dollars

Restaurant owners claim the HST is hurting business

HST helps big and small business

Consumption tax beats income tax every time

Get rid of the Liberals along with the HST

Nanaimo posties still on picket line

Developers say the HST causing construction dip
Taxes are the price we pay for civilized society

HST is a beneficial and modern tax policy

Seniors weigh pros and cons of HST

HST forces 'little guys' to bail out B.C. business

Misinformation clouds tax issue

HST Petition faces court challenge

Had the note below e-mailed to me. It appears Cambell & his Cronies, through a coalition of business groups, are challenging the HST Petition. This adds a whole new dynamic to the process in that if they fail there is the possibility the HST could be struck down as unconstitutional. Would love to see that happen and what a slap in the face of the Fiberal Government it would be. I hope the Fight HST group still plans to do a recall of certain MLA's, Nanaimo Parksvilles Ron Cantelon would certainly be one and one that has every chance of success.

Our Fight HST Citizen’s Initiative petition to eliminate the Harmonized Sales Tax is under legal attack by a so called “coalition” of business groups.
We all know it is really the Gordon Campbell-BC Liberals using their corporate friends to try to have our petition thrown out by the court despite 705,643 BC voters signing it.
We are not going to let them!
We have hired noted BC lawyer Joseph Arvay, Q. C. to defend our citizen Initiative petition, and to challenge the legality of the HST in BC.
If Mr. Arvay is successful, the HST could be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional because the BC legislature never passed legislation to implement the HST – they only removed the Provincial Sales Tax. Every province with an HST has passed legislation to implement the tax, except BC where it was done simply with the stroke of the finance minister’s pen.
The government desperately wants to stop the people's voice from being heard. They do not want their MLAs to have to vote on the HST - because they know it could result in an open revolt that has the potential to bring down the government.
Every move the government makes raises the stakes even higher in the battle to defeat the Hated Sale Tax in BC. But we must win - for the sake of our families, the sake of our businesses, and the sake of our democracy.
We are approaching business groups, labour groups and individuals to help us fund our legal case. We are asking people to help in any way they can – your donation of $25, $50, $100, $500 or whatever you can contribute will give us the funds we need to win and eliminate the HST.
But we need your help now! Please provide whatever you can, as soon as you can, so the people's petition can proceed and the HST can be defeated.
We can't let the self interests of a narrow group on behalf of an undemocratic government get their way over the wishes of over 85% of the people.
Please send cheques or money orders made payable to:
HST Legal Challenge370 East BroadwayPO Box 95023Vancouver, BCV5T 4T8
You can also donate on-line via Pay Pal using your credit card at www.fighthst.com
Thank you for your support – together we will defeat the HST!
Bill Vander Zalm
LeaderFightHST

Related News

BurnabyNow
HST Legal Challenge Part One: In opposition of the HST
HST Legal Challenge Part Two: In support of the HST

Times Colonist
Legal bid to block petition launched

Vancouver Sun
Court challenge to HST petition will reignite public anger

Alberni Valley Times
Why are associations fighting HST petition

Canwest
Anti HST team files court challenge

HAPPY CANADA DAY

From the Feds and Province to all citizens of British Columbia a Canada Day present.

HST kicks in tomorrow

Petition Charts new territory in BC

Nice, now it is time to start the recall of some BC Politicians. The voters of BC can reciprocate with a gift of their own.

HST still a hot topic

Getting a little behind on a lot of things, the stories below are from the 18th. I have also put a link to an interesting letter as well, have not even tried to link many stories or letters as there are just sooooo many.

So I'm thinking there is something to the confusion around the HST, though I am firmly convinced it is a horrible plan.

The right wing Liberals seem to have started their campaign to educate the population albeit under the guize of the Fraser Institute. The recently released right wing Fraser institute report says Lower income families in B.C. will actually pay less overall tax once the harmonized sales tax takes effect. Interesting! I have also been hearing , recently, that Statistics Canada estimates the average person will be paying $520 more in taxes. So just what would the truth be. I have re-attached the link to the HST calculator on the NDP website, just how acurate it is you will have to judge for yourself as the NDP while not the leftist party of days gone by certainly lean farther in that direction than most other parties in BC.

Liberal MLA stands by hated HST
Editorial: Cantelon's defence of HST convincing

Letter from the 11th.

HST anger surprises even campaigners

HST Calculator

Quick HST update

The ANTI-HST campaign now has 15% of registered voters in all 85 electoral districts. Still a couple weeks to go and then we will see what Mr Campbell and Friends do. At least one Liberal MLA has resigned and lets hope a few more come to their senses, if not recall may be the answer.

On Empire, HST, VICC and Affordable/Social Housing

Empire days letters
May 19, 2010
Empire Days opposition is insulting, ridiculous
At least she doesn’t call him a professional activist.
Changing events name will create opportunities

May 20, 2010
Time to bring an end to the use of term 'Empire"

HST
Good outline of the process and what could happen.
May 20, 2010
HST: is the Recall Act designed to fail?

Conference Centre
Ya gotta read this.
Philip Wolf: Vicc gets some press

Affordable Housing
Have been discussing affordable housing with a number of people lately and usually what comes up is how one defines it. I came up, literally, with these two definitions that I think put it quite succinctly.

Affordable Housing:

Housing, whether purchased or rented, that cost no more than 30% of a person or families monthly gross income.

Subsidized/Social:

Housing, whether purchased or rented, that is supported by Municipal/Provincial/Federal subsidies and cost no more than 30% of a person or families monthly gross income.

HST Update

Some of the latest news in the Nanaimo Area and at the end a few websites, perhaps the best of which is the last .

Nanaimo News Bulletin

April 28
20 ridings to threshold

May 7
Anti-HST petition tops 300,000 sognatures

May 11
Mid Island Ridings all above anti-hst threshold

Anti-HST petition sites, updated daily, can be found at www.karscot.com/hst.html

Say No to the HST http://www.saynotohstinbc.ca

Fight the HST http://fighthst.com

Bastards passed it

So the Liberal Gov't passed it, HST approved by BC Government (Daily News, April 30). El Gordo wasn't even there, gives him the option of saying he didn't vote for it.

& More HST

So last Friday the 16th I went to the Rally in Nanaimo at Beban Park, thought it would be amusing to hear Bill Vander Zalm. As I am walking up, with my HARMONIZE THIS poster, to where volunteers were taking signatures a gentleman sees it and tells me I can't have it there as it is lewd and will ruin the event. Walter Cordery, reporter with the daily news, tells him this is a public event and was advertised as such and whether I was for or against I would still be able to attend. Turns out the guy, Robert Shaw was one of the organizers and while you could see he was a bit miffed he backed down. Everyone else thought the poster was great.

Anywho it was a good event and things are going great in Nanaimo, hope the same can be said for elsewhere in the province though the word coming out is that regardless of whether enough people sign the petition Campbell will still go ahead with it.

Interestingly I got my renewal notice for COSTCO today and they are actually charging the HST, on the cost of renewing, now.

A few more links to storys:

HST and the crack in the door http://www.opinion250.com/

April 15
HST yet one more insult to all the citizens of BC

April 20
Anti HST campaign volunteers take a break

April 22
Anti HST petitions still being collected

More HST

Ongoing from Daily News. Great coverage.

Daily News
April 14 Vander Zalm in town friday for HST rally April 15 Nanaimo first to top HST threshold

Bulletin
April 15 Mailout coming to defense of HST & HST campaign already past goal in Nanaimo

HST Letter to Editor

As written:

Gordon Campbell and the Liberal party’s push to implement the Harmonized Sales Tax is yet another kick to the posterior of the poor and disadvantaged of British Columbia . After cutting funding to children and families, then removing gaming grants for many programs that offer services allowing people to move forward in life, this latest shows an utter contempt and disregard not just for the poor but for all citizens of British Columbia.

Taxing everything from admission fees, beverages, bus fares, car repairs & maintenance, funeral services and haircuts to movies, newspapers, non prescription meds, prepared foods, restaurants meals, school supplies and even vitamins, one can at least say this government is thorough, even inclusive in the broad impact and lack of forethought behind this tax.

To Mr. Campbell and the rest of the Liberal Party, I want you to use your imaginations, not an onerous but possibly a challenging request. Picture me flipping you the bird while at the same time stating “Harmonize This.” This gesture to you is offered FREE of charge with no strings attached.

Gordon W. Fuller

Published April 15
HST yet one more insult to all the citizens of BC

anti-HST race begins

And so it began on April 6th and from the looks of things here in Nanaimo the anti-HST group should get the required 10% of electoral signatures it needs on the petitions. Please I urge anyone reading this to pass the word to get out and sign the petition or sign it when the group starts canvassing door to door. I'm not going to write too much about this as with a minimum of research one can readily find out what a bad idea the HST is. Check out my previous post in the Labels (HST) to the left for a bit more info.

The reality for the common person is many of the little things we enjoy will be taxed. While those of us with jobs might not see the immediate effect it will effect us nonetheless. The people it will impact most are the poor and while the Liberal (ultra conservative) government says there will be an HST rebate you can gaurantee that it will not cover what people pay into it. In todays paper it was just announced that Nanaimo's unemployment rate has hit 8.9% Nanaimo's unemployment rate up . I would add at least 1 or 2% more to that to get a more realistic figure. Add to that the large number of people on fixed pensions and the numbers skyrocket.

If you want to get an idea of how much it will cost you or your family check out this HST Calculator HST Calculator .

Here are links to some of the latest stories in the Nanaimo Rags about the HST and I will attempt to add more as they will no doubt come along. Following these links is a list of items which will be taxed at the higher rate.

Nanaimo Daily News:
March 31HST bill called political suicide , April 5 Walter Cordery: Tax rebel opposes HST, April 9 Canvassers out for anti-HST signatures , April 10 Residents line up to sign anti-HST petition , April 12 After 2 days local anti-HST petition is nearly 50% complete

Nanaimo Bulletin:
April 6 Anti-HST petition drive begins

HST applicable items:
Accounting, Admission Fees, Airline Tickets, Animal Feed, Architects, Bicycles, Beverages, Bus Fares, Cable TV, Campgrounds, Car Repairs & Maintenance Chinese Medicine, Coffee shops, Concert Tickets, Consulting Services, Dry CleaningFirst Aid Kits, Fishing Charter, Funeral Services, Golf Fees, Hair Cuts, Health Equipment, Helmets, Hockey Tickets, Home Renovations, Insulation, InternetLife Jackets, Magazines, Marketing services, Membership Fees, Massage Therapy, Moorage, Movies, Music Lessons, Naturopathy, New Homes, Newspapers, Non Prescription Meds, Painting, Parking, Photography, Physiotherapy, Prepared Foods, Real Estate Fees, Reflexology, Rents, Restaurants Meals, Resort Packages, RV ParksSafety Equipment, School Supplies, Skiing, Smoke Detectors, Solar Power, Spa Services, Storage Lockers, Taxi Fares, Telephone Bills, Theatre Tickets, Trade & Gift Show Fees, Veterinarian/Pets, Vitamins

Harmonized Sales Tax

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) will apply to more than twice as many things (by value) than are taxed by the provincial sales tax (PST) shifting more of the tax burden onto the average working person. This seems to have been the pattern established by the Liberal Government of BC since coming to power in 2001. Those that will benefit from the implementation of the HST will be the large corporate interests ie., big business.

The proposed HST sales tax will apply to all goods and services that the GST currently applies to as well as the many items that were not subject to PST. All goods and services currently covered only by the 5% GST will now be taxable at the rate of 12 percent. For example the tax on the food and beverages in the restaurants will go up from 5 to 12 percent.

Sure there are tax rebates and credits thrown into the mix; the Basic Personal Tax Exemption will rise to $11,000.00 from $9373.00 and individuals making under $20,000.00 and families under $25,000.00 will qualify for an annual BC HST rebate of $230.00. Approximately 15% of people will qualify for the rebate with the other 85% unable to. What the government doesn’t tell you is that with the number of new items being taxed the average person and family, even those who qualify for the rebate, will be taxed at a far higher rate than either of the above will compensate for.

GOODS: Residential fuels (electricity, natural gas) and heating; Basic cable TV and residential phones; All food products (only basic groceries will remain exempt under new tax); Non-prescription medication; Vitamins and dietary supplements; Bicycles; School supplies (books will continue to be exempt); Magazines and newspapers; Work-related safety equipment; Safety helmets, life jackets, first-aid kits; Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers; and Energy conservation equipment (e.g., insulation, solar power equipment).
SERVICES: Personal services such as hair care; Dry cleaning; Repair services for household appliances; Household maintenance such as renovations and painting; Real estate fees; Membership fees for health clubs; Movie and theatre tickets; Funeral services; Professional services such as accounting and home care; and Airline fares within Canada.
Personally I estimate my pocket book to be hit by another 1500 – 3000 dollars a year. Is the HST really a benefit to lower income wage earners? Why would the government implement the HST if they aren’t planning to increase their revenues?

Yes small business gets a harmonization and an elimination of the PST, but they, their family members and their staff all get hit when purchasing items newly covered under the HST. The government says many products will go down in price because businesses will receive a 12% tax credit for the HST they pay. Will they really? If the owners and their families are paying higher taxes on personal purchases the business will then have to make an even larger profit.

My distaste for the HST rises as the government try’s to propagandize the implementation of the tax as a benefit to lower income individuals. The bottom line is everyone will pay more even the poor.

Finally I say Gordon Cambell

HARMONIZE THIS