The HST was created in Ottawa
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Updated: November 18, 2009 3:55 PM
Interesting how those of the Conservative persuasion, politically, are trying to distance their party/candidate from the Harmonized Sales Tax issue.
It was the (then) Progressive Conservatives under Brian Mulroney who took the old (hidden) Manufacturers Sales Tax (MST), plus the Federal Telecommunications Tax, and spawned the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 1991, claiming at the time the new tax was “revenue neutral.” Pause for laughter.
Suffice to say, in the following (‘93) federal election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced to just two seats.
Now we have Prime Minster Harper bringing forth the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and sweetening the pot with a $1.6 billion extra payment offer, if B.C. will accept. And they have.
There is no way one can distance the HST from the federal government and say it is a provincial matter. While it is acknowledged that the HST will reduce the paperwork for the business community, it is impossible to get any clear answers as to what the extra cost will be on consumers.
Like they say, those who ignore history are destined to repeat it. Beware the HST.
Peter Marshall
New Westminster
