Editor: The Standard

The premier tells us that a new 12 per cent consumer tax will create jobs. He tells us it’s good for business because it simplifies things. Not too surprising some of the liberal media go along with this deceitful line and report it in this vein.

A tax is never a good thing.

This new tax will impact everyone and everything. Some may think that because we’ve heard complaints mostly from prominent restaurateurs that the wealthy will be hardest hit, because they’ll now pay 12 per cent tax on a restaurant meal. They forget that a hamburger and a cup of coffee will also have a 12 per cent tax added. The reality is that practically everything will cost more and the government in Victoria will rake in extra billions of dollars.

The sad part is that the poorest people will be hardest hit – with this type of tax the poorest pay most as a percentage of their income.

So what about the economy? Anytime a government does a two billion dollar tax grab it’s going to cost jobs – not make jobs - except for more government and bigger bureaucracies. What do you think this will do to tourism? Will it encourage visitors to come and pay 12 per cent more? What about house building? Will a 12 per cent tax on houses encourage more building? The answers are obvious.

My friends are calling for a revolution or recall of the entire government. I tell them British Columbians don’t revolt very easily. I’m sick and tired, mad and frustrated at being lied to and paying still more taxes when everyone else is expected to cut back or accept cut-backs by a government out of control.

If any of you reading this have any suggestions about what we might do, and where and when we begin, I’d like to hear from you. Send me an email via my website at: www.billvanderzalm.com

Bill Vander Zalm

Former British Columbia Premier